Friends of the Parks

GETTING THERE Please check our suggested parking options section before you head out. Do NOT park on Columbus Drive - the City will tow your vehicle! If you're cycling to the start, you can lock your bike to one of the racks we'll provide at the fountain area. Please enter Buckingham Fountain's plaza area from the Columbus Drive side. Our live band will begin playing at 11:15pm. Registration and packet pick-up officially open at midnight, but you can come earlier for music and mingling if you wish. Be safe, be seen - wear your white event t-shirt! And please pin the rider number to your shirt (front or back ok) - you'll need it to participate and for the rest stop and breakfast. ON-SITE REGISTRATION AND PACKET PICK-UP To register the night of the ride, go straight to the On-Site Registration tent at Buckingham Fountain. If you're pre-registered and haven't already picked up your Rider Goody Bag at a Packet Pick-Up, stop by one of the Pre-Paid Packet Pick-Up tents. (If you already picked up your packet, you don't have to check in at any tent.) Once you have your packet, just be ready at 1:30am for the staggered start. 11PM - 2:00AM AT BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN Night-of-Event Packet Pick-Up and On-Site Registration officially start at midnight, but feel free to come earlier if you wish. Our live band will start playing at 11pm. We'll be sampling McDonald's refreshments before the ride. We'll also have water and refreshments. Shape Magazine will have goodies in their tent. The First Aid station will be staffed by National University of Health Sciences. Village Cycle Center will be on hand to sell helmets and other equipment. Stop by Friends of the Parks' tent where you'll have a chance to win prizes and learn more about our organization! 12:45AM : BEST LIT BIKE and BEST DECORATED HELMET Head for the stage for our BEST LIT BIKE and BEST DECORATED HELMET contests! Be creative! Winners are chosen by audience applause, so make sure you bring your entourage! Prizes will be awarded to the winner in each category, plus two runners-up in each category: WINNER- Each winner will receive the following gifts: Time Out Chicago guidebook and 1-year magazine subscription Shape 1-year magazine subscription (for female winner) or Men's Fitness 1-year magazine subscription (for male winner) Friends of the Parks' 1-year complimentary membership Two complimentary passes to "Fall Frolic: Bike the Preserves" Music CD and window cling from WXRT Radio Two "2 for 1" certificates from Goose Island Brewpub TWO RUNNERS-UP IN EACH CATEGORY- Each winner will receive the following gifts: Time Out Chicago guidebook and 1-year magazine subscription Shape 1-year magazine subscription (for female winner) or Men's Fitness 1-year magazine subscription (for male winner) Friends of the Parks' 1-year complimentary membership One complimentary pass for "Fall Frolic: Bike the Preserves" Music CD and window cling from WXRT Radio One "2 for 1" certificates from Goose Island Brewpub 1:20AM You can begin gathering along Columbus Drive according to your color group. Volunteers will hold up signs indicating the area for each color group. 1:30AM - 2:15AM We'll release riders south along Columbus Drive starting with "VIP" riders followed by the five regular waves in about eight-minute intervals. After VIPs, the rider numbers are color-coded according to the five waves and will be released in this order: 1) Blue 2) Green 3) Red 4) Orange and 5) Yellow. Please start with your assigned group! If you and your friends aren't in the same color group, we ask that your entire group begin the ride together in the LATER group. For safety reasons, a sweep van will follow the last wave of riders. No riders are allowed to start before 1:30am or after the sweep vehicle leaves the starting area. 25-MILE ROUTE Participants will cycle 25 miles through the city. Please wear your helmet at all times. Obey all traffic laws, signs and signals - that means staying to the right, stopping at red lights, obeying police officers and volunteer course marshals, and maintaining a reasonable speed for conditions. Enjoy yourself.. this is a ride, not a race! If you need help along the course, you can call our non-emergency number (listed in the rider guide, which you'll get in your Rider Goody Bag). Our dispatchers will send repair help or a support van. We'll have 10 repair stations along the route (shown on the rider guide). The rest stop is located at River Park (5100 N. Fransisco), at the 12-mile mark. Most riders arrive at the rest stop between 2:15am and 4:00am. 3:30AM - 6:00AM This is NOT a race! Cycle at your own pace and plan to end your trek between 3:30am and 6:00am, at which time McDonald's and volunteers will provide breakfast at Buckingham Fountain. You must present your tear-off coupon (from your rider number) to receive breakfast. You can catch the sunrise at approximately 5:10am.