The Tour de Milk, a chip-timed race (or ride) held in Carlinville, IL on September 28. Carlinville is a small central Illinois town of about 5,500 people and the home of Blackburn College, a small liberal arts college whose campus we will probably ride through. The Tour de Milk supports the local Carlinville food pantry. The online registration page provides general information and also includes the ride with GPS routes of 16, 33, and 66 miles. The Tour de Milk is not a FVBC sponsored event.
For those of you who are most interested in the racing portion of the event, you can look at the leaderboard results from 2022 to get an idea of what the competition was like. I haven't decided yet whether I'll race or just do a leisurely ride.
I have done this ride a couple of times and I have enjoyed it. The routes are scenic and the roads are comparable to the Swedish Days routes only with less traffic, it is rural central Illinois. Litchfield, about 10 miles away and right off of I-55, provides the best possibilities for lodging. Possibilities include the Hampton Inn, Baymont Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, LaQuinta Inn, and Quality Inn, among others. They are all located near the interstate exit.
Hillsboro provides good options for eating and drinking. The historic Red Rooster Inn in Hillsboro will be one of the venues to check out. Across the street from the beautiful old courthouse, the Red Rooster combines lodging, dining, and a microbrewery. Please note on their calendar that their biggest event of the year, Cocktober Fest (I'm not making this up...) is on September 28.
Another worthy stop in Hillsboro is the Opera House microbrewery. This venue is in the center of downtown Hillsboro, and yes, the old structure was once an opera house.
A couple of dining establishments are worth noting. The Ariston Cafe in Litchfield is noted for its history (celebrating its 100the year!) and for being a well-known Route 66 stop for travelers. It reminds me a little bit of the traditional supper clubs of Wisconsin.
Another good dinner option is the Canton Inn just east of Hillsboro. It is predominantly known for its steaks, but I have enjoyed their seafood dinners.
As the date approaches and people decide whether to go or not we can look at carpooling options. For those of you who have not explored Springfield, you might consider staying there Friday night. Given all of the politicians who spend time in Springfield, the town has ample eating and drinking establishments. Carlinville is about 40 miles south of Springfield, so it would be easy to drive down for the Tour de Milk Saturday morning. Of course, all of this planning is contingent on the weather because none of us wants to participate in a bike ride during a thunderstorm.