BloomingCyclist

We will be joining Counselguy and another couple (new to tandeming) at TRIRI (the Touring Ride In Rural Indiana) for a week of riding. TRIRI tours a different part of the state each year going from state park to state park and this year some of the riding is close to where we live. Last year was our first time on the tandem (we toured twice on singles before we got our tandem) and we hope to see several tandems out of the approximately 300 people who will be on the tour.

https://www.triri.org/

Two of the "top 100 climbs in U.S." in a recent bicyling magazine are in the area and I think the we wither be on the main route have the option of doing them as part of the ride. We will be compelled to show the singles that we can climb.

Our first TRIRI in 2004 was the experience that convinced my wife that we could ride across America which we then did in 2005 on singles (before we had a tandem). We have friends who are doing the same ride this summer on a tandem (start tomorrow in Astoria, Oregon) with America by Bicycle.

Bloomington, IN

Hermes

That looks like a great itinerary and a lot of fun. Enjoy and take plenty of pics.

BloomingCyclist

We had a great week at TRIRI. This year was unusual in that the route took us through our town. The leaders chose great routes and we liked the format of spending two nights at each of the three state parks. There were a small number of tandems (I think 10) out of the 350 riders but the ride was tandem friendly, truly on rural roads for the most part. Most tandems were husband and wife but a couple were father and son. Some of the riding was in flat land but we were mostly in the hills of south central Indiana. There was little choice when we went from one park to the next but on the second days at each park, there were typically marked route choices of from about 30 to 80 miles - or one could stay at the park and rest or hike or whatever. Two of the tandems were from Michigan and one was a long ways from home in Atlanta. The single riders were from all over the place. I asked one rider from out west what had brought him to TRIRI in Indiana. He said he had a friend who had gone to most state tours over the years and his favorite was TRIRI. I know there are lots of great rides in lots of great places but TRIRI has been going for 25 years and has turned into a great partnership between the ride leaders and the Dept of Natural Resources which helps make it a very well-planned and supported ride.

There was always some entertainment each night, an eclectic duo, a bluegrass band, a naturalist, the bicycle movie "Breaking Away." It was filmed in Bloomington which we passed through on the way to Brown County State Park. It gives a look at Bloomington in years past and the plot revolves around a local rider competing in the Little 500 bicycle race, an annual event at Indiana University in Bloominton.

On the way to Brown County State Park, there were some optional routes including two tougher climbs of some extended 18 to 20 percent grades, Boltinghouse Road in Monroe County and Horseman's Camp Hill in Brown County State Park. We made it up both with our low gears - no speed involved - but we were pleased to be able to climb them - most riders, single and tandem, bypassed the hills.

Next year TRIRI will be the last week in June and begin at our newest state park, O'Bannon State Park, in Corydon, IN on the Ohio River.

Bloomingcyclist
Bloomington, In

Xanti Andia

I have a sister in Bloomington, have only visited her once at home, maybe we should join you one year for the TRIRI, but if Atlanta sounded far.....

mrfish

Nice. I like those flattish open roads. You don't get those round London.

Thigh Master

Having grown up in Indiana your ride really brings back a pleothora of bicycling memories (incuding racing with Dave Blaze whom the movie "Breaking Away" was based upon). Haven't ridden there since 1993 - we'll consider TRIRI next year.

zonatandem

Rode your neck-of-the-woods and route of the Hilly Hundred years ago, with a group of 5 tandems, after the Midwest Tandem Rally (20th anniversary) that was held in Indianapolis. It was a post-rally B&B tour.
Real nice/friendly/scenic riding!
Nice photos too! Is the Neet Bridge the one where the planks are laid out lengthwise (side-by-side)?
It's sort of unnerving pedaling through the covered bridges as suddenly everything seems to go dark (so much for quick changing sunsensor lenses!).

Goldrush

We always walk the covered bridges. Too much chance of picking up splinters.

Mike (from Indiana)
2002 Co-Motion Supremo

BloomingCyclist

All of these covered bridges have the planks laid out running lengthwise through the bridge. I suppose that when the planks are originally laid down they may have been close enough together to be safe to ride on but all the ones I've seen personally have gaps big enough to swallow a bike wheel. I agree that it's best to walk through them.

Riding into Bloomington, down Kirkwood to campus and on to Nashville / Brown County brought back memories to many of the riders who had gone to college there in years past and / or who had ridden the Hilly Hundred.

The night before, in our large group gathering after dinner, the organizer recounted the origins of TRIRI 25 years ago. He and several other riders also spoke of connections they had to the filming of "Breaking Away" - This was followed by a showing of the film in the lodge for those interested.

The Hilly 100 has grown into a group of 5000 plus riders for the October weekend. It has its own website www.hillyhundred.org and is sponsored by the Central Indiana Bicycling Association (CIBA) based in Indianapolis. The Hilly Hundred no longer goes as far east as Nashville because it moved its starting point from Bloomington HS North to Edgewood HS in Ellettsville.

For those such as Xanti (yes, visit your sister and ride TRIRI) and Thighmaster considering TRIRI, be aware it does go to different parts of the state each year but next year it will be in the southern half again but well south of Bloomington. The same group also sponsors the September Escapade and it will be in this area this September - I believe they are still accepting registrations for that at the same website www.triri.org

Bloomington, IN