Chicago United Cycling Club was so excited to receive an Adventure Grant from the Adventure Cycling Association. Our grant last year allowed our team to host its first bikepacking trip focused on WTFNB, BIPOC riders. We had fewer cyclists this year (six compared to 10 in 2023) but fewer had previous bikepacking experience.
Our group of six met early Saturday morning, rolling out from a coffee shop and cycling at a leisurely pace along the Lakefront Trail, the first trail we’d take that day. We pedaled along roads, stopping every 10 miles or so to refill our water bottles and have snacks to avoid bonking on the warm summer day.
We were excited when we made it to the turnoff for Illinois Beach State Park and cheered when we saw the sign for the park, which was about 49 miles from where we started. That distance was the longest some of our riders have done in a day, which called for extra celebration (mostly applause and more cheers).
We spent the afternoon at the beach, the cool Lake Michigan water refreshing after a day sweating on the bike. Some of us threw a frisbee around while others chose to dunk themselves in the water or hang out on the beach.
That night, we made dinner and talked more, getting to know one another and making jokes.
This trip was instrumental in building community. Many expressed a happiness and safety in being able to do this sort of trip with people who identify in similar ways, especially when they haven’t sought to travel by bike before. We stayed together the whole ride, keeping the pace light and conversational while also pointing out potholes or other obstacles. We really took a group approach to our safety.
The next morning two riders chose to take the Metra back while the rest of the group chose to ride back home. Despite the split up, it feels like we’ve made lasting connections. We all follow each other on Strava, supporting each other virtually, and two riders have joined other rides the Chicago United team has hosted. We hope to hang out together soon — on the bike or off.
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