BFK’s Fall Bike Celebration Bike Tour

BFK’s Fall Bike Celebration’s magnificent Bike Tour is Sunday Sept. 22, 2024 — during the third weekend of September — offering something for everyone, with plenty of destination-worthy area attractions. Starting DEC. 21, 2023: Online ride registration opens at BikeReg* through Sept. 15, 2023 and will be offered onsite on the morning of the Ride as well. It’s not a race, and, E-bikes & recumbents are welcome! Our Fall Bike Celebration Weekend calendar will be updated little by little in 2024; stay tuned for other events during the Weekend as they are added.

Overview
The welcome mat will be out for cyclists on our Sunday Fall Bike Celebration Ride…with fantastic routes through the beautiful Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana countryside centered in the charming Village of Vicksburg.  Sunday’s Bike Tour features routes ranging from a Century ride across state lines to quaint Shipshewana (IN) all the way down to a 4 mile family trail ride and two GRAVEL/mixed surface routes.  Routes will pass by fascinating paintings on the Vicksburg Quilt Trail.  The ride is supported with SAG stops, maps and clear road markings on paved road routes. Plus, a delicious meal will be waiting at the finish.

Journey back in time–past photogenic Vicksburg Quilt Trail paintings–and soak in the start/finish on the grounds of the lovingly curated Vicksburg Historic Village.  A delicious meal will be served after the ride.  The entire Fall Bike Celebration Weekend offers many other destination-travel worthy attractions and events in the charming Village of Vicksburg, MI.

Signing up for Sunday’s Bike Tour is easy.  Take advantage of reduced online registration fees and benefits through Sept. 15 at  BikeReg, or register in person Sunday morning.  If you are interested in details, check out our dedicated Fall Bike Celebration registration page.

More Details
What follows below is a description for those who would like to learn more right now.

Featured attractions in Vicksburg on Friday and Saturday include a top-rated disc golf course, a Farmers Market (often with live music) right next to the lovingly restored Vicksburg Historic Village, an introduction to the “mysterious*” Vicksburg Quilt Trail paintings, the ability to tour back in time on a stroll through the fascinating Vicksburg Historic Village, Ice Cream and…if everything comes together as hoped…a recognition of murals and muralists featured as part of our public bike art mural effort.        (*As in, “What the heck did I just see?”  “How did it get there?”  “What does it mean?”)

We want you to join us and enjoy the ride of a lifetime…going back in time…during a weekend jam-packed with added features…nestled in charming rural Southwest Michigan…allow you to experience “two states of mind”…featuring routes you will never forget…in support of bicycling and community-based charitable causes.

Proceeds from the ride support bicycling through Bike Friendly Kalamazoo’s grant, scholarships and our many programs that boost safety, education and awareness building, not to mention giving an oomph to LMB and to the very concrete goal of increasing ridership and participation…for bicyclists and cyclists of virtually all ages and abilities!

Please consider bringing a jar of peanut butter to donate. We can help feed kids who might otherwise go hungry through Generous Hands.

For updates.  Please visit our website from time to time to check out the unfolding Schedule full of fun things to do, learn more about the Sunday’s Bike Tour Routes, opportunities for Sponsorship, and head over to the Sunday Bike Tour Registration page to sign up. Our fees are about the same as the most popular rides, so you won’t have any sticker shock.  Want to help make the Fall Bike Celebration Weekend a great experience for everyone and be a part of an always enthusiastic, eager-to-make-it-happen team?  Head over to the Volunteer page and let us know who you are.  Those interested in BFK’s Public Bike Art can check for more information, too.

Event Organizer. The Celebration is organized by Bike Friendly Kalamazoo (BFK), a 501(c)3 non-profit network of volunteers working to make our greater community even more bike friendly (see our About page).

Health Matters.  BFK cares about your health.  Follow currently recommended heath precautions to protect others as well as yourself.  Plus, we recommend you use a DEET based mosquito repellent when enjoying yourself outside — especially around the hours of dawn and dusk.  (We’re told this is a good practice anytime you are exposed to such risks for more than about 15 minutes.)

If you’ve heard enough, register for Sunday’s Bike Tour online through BikeReg through September 12 to take advantage of online pricing.  Want more details?  Keep reading.  You’ll also find a lot more on our website at www.fallbikecelebration.org.  More details are below.

Routes.  All routes start/finish at Vicksburg Historic Village in Vicksburg, MI  and are subject to change.  Mileages approximate.

• Shipshewana Century (103 miles)
• Shipshewana “Hybrid*” (83 miles; *Imperial-Metric)
• Covered Bridge Metric Century (62 miles)
• Half Century Imperial and Metric “mix ‘n’ match” combo possibilities (up to you!)
• Climax (38 miles)
• Scotts Mill Park (25 miles)
• Vicksburg Quilt Trail (17-ish miles)
• Lake Cruise (11 miles)
• Vicksburg Recreational Trail (4-5 miles)
• GRAVEL (32 & 59 miles)

Within our last start and closing time parameters, feel free to combine more than one route to fit your mileage goals to build the perfect day. For example, Climax+Vicksburg Quilt Trail South Loop=54 miles. Vicksburg Quilt Trail North+South=32 miles (51.5 km). (See Bike Tour Routes page for start times and more information on the many wonderful journeys we have in store.  See the Schedule page for other featured attractions during the entire weekend.

Online Ride Registration

Super Early-Bird (through Dec 31): $22.50 Individual; $37.50 Family
Early-Bird (Jan 1-May 31): $29 Individual; $52.50 Family
Advance (June 1 -Aug 31): $33 Individual; $57.50 Family
Last-Minute Online (Sept 1-Sept 15): $37 Individual; $62.50 Family
On site Registration (Sunday Sept 17): $45 Individual; $75 Family

We offer plenty of options in case BFK needs to completely cancel the Bike Tour – for details please see our website at www.fallbikecelebration.org.

T-SHIRT SALES – T-Shirts are available for purchase through BikeReg*. This sweet design was lovingly created just for our inaugural Fall Bike Celebration. Our prices may change on the day of the ride, and only limited quantities will be available. Reserve yours now or face the consequences of serious regret and jealous emotion as you behold those who planned in advance and purchased them online. Due to logistics, online T-Shirt sales close five business days before online ride registration ends.

• *NOTE: BikeReg* charges a convenience fee; the trade off is extra security and convenience of their dedicated system.