Saturday is the Day!!!!

Thank you for preregistering for the 2023 26th Annual Tour de Stooges or participating in a previous ride. As of 11:30 am on Thursday May 4 there were 460 riders registered which is still ahead of past years’ efforts, so we anticipate a record attendance again this year. Pre-registration continues through 5:00 pm on Friday, May 5 if you have friends, colleagues, family, or enemies who are planning to ride and want to pay the preregistration discounted fee. Otherwise, the cost goes up $5 on ride day plus they must complete the paperwork. If you pre-ordered a T-shirt they will be at check-in. An extremely limited number of extra shirts will be available for sale at that time at $16 each. The apparel store is closing at 3:00 pm today (Thursday) to allow time for us to sort shirts for distribution on Saturday.

The ride goes on rain or shine. The long-range forecast shows cloudy with high temps in the upper 70’s and dry. We are not anticipating any weather that will affect the ride. This is a nonprofit fundraising event so there are no refunds unless we cancel. We anticipate that the spirits of Larry, Curly, Moe, Shemp, Curly Joe, and TdS founder Roger Kramer are arranging for great weather as they have in the past.

Here are the final ride-day instructions. Route maps can be found HERE. Please remember, unexpected changes in road conditions may require changing routes up to the start of the event. Routes will be marked with pavement markings and signs Friday evening.

A few preliminary instructions:

1. Everyone must check-in to ride. No need to sign waiver forms if you preregistered online, they were included with preregistration. There are separate lines for check-in and on-site registration/check-in. We accept cash, check, and credit/debit cards.
   

2. When you check in you will receive a wristband for each participant. These wristbands are your tickets for rest area service, SAG service (the phone number is printed on the wristband) and lunch. No wristband, no service or lunch.
   

3. RV parking - Limited overnight RV parking is allowed only in the parking lot on Summerfield St. between Monroe St. and Alton St., close to the northeast corner of the lot. Please provide name, address, mobile phone number, vehicle description and license plate state/number to the McKendree University Interim Director of Public Safety at [email protected] or 618-537-6911 before arrival on campus. A Campus Safety Officer may also contact RV Users to complete a parking waiver form. There are no hook-up services provided, and restrooms will not be available until registration opens at 6:00 am in the Convocation Center Lobby. McKendree is an alcohol-free campus, so alcoholic beverages are not permitted except at venues and events approved by the University Board of Trustees. This is not one of those events.
   

4. Lunch guests - nonrider guests may pay at the dining hall for lunch ($10). Lunch is available in Ames Dining Hall on campus. Look for the signs as your route returns to campus. Lunch is included for registered riders (wristband needed).
   

5. There will be a monitored bike corral near the dining hall that is included in your fee. Signs near the end of the route will direct you to the dining hall past the start/end point at the Convocation Center.
   

6. Lunch begins at 11:00 am and ends promptly at 3:00 pm, so plan your ride start accordingly. There is a reduced selection beginning at 2:00 pm. Stop at the table outside the entrance to Ames Hall starting at 11:00 am to get your lunch ticket.

7. The ride has a rolling start. We recommend that the long-distance riders plan to be on the road no later than 7:00 am and pace yourselves to be back by about 2:30 pm, we will be open for check-in and registration at the University Convocation Center (gym) by 6:00 am.
   

8. Follow the Rules of the Road! Stop at stop signs, signal your turns, ride no more than two abreast when traffic allows. Crossing IL4 (Madison St) at Schuetz St: We have arranged for the Lebanon school crossing guard to be at that intersection to control traffic on IL4 for cyclists to be able to safely cross the highway between 7:00 am and 10:15 am when the traffic is heavier. Please follow his instructions and wait to cross when directed. An average of 12,000 cars per day travel on that section of highway daily so it can be busy.

9. Do you know someone who plans to register on site? Please plan on a few extra minutes while we enter your information into the Flipcause app we use to track registrations, releases, funds, etc. Signing the registration screen on site also means that the conditions of the release are accepted. We are trying to make onsite registration as quick, contact free and as easy as is possible.

We did not do any paid advertising again this year. Our surveys show us that well over 90% of riders learn about us by word of mouth or have ridden in the past. So, if you know of riders interested in a great ride event, please tell them about Tour de Stooges. To date registrations are among the highest we have had only a few days out from the event.

Be sure to encourage your tag-alongs to take advantage of the Lebanon May Market taking place between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm on the brick street in the Lebanon Historic District, just a few blocks away from the ride start.

The Gasthaus Restaurant, one of our local supporters, is featuring Stooge themed dishes this weekend. If you are town again, please stop in at the Gast Haus on St Louis St (the brick street) to enjoy the fine food of another one of our supporters.

See you all on May 6!