This Saturday, August 25th, share an amazing ride experience between two iconic northern towns – a historic lumbering town surrounded with beautifully clear inland lakes and a historic fishing village on the beautiful shores of the largest fresh-water lake in North America, with a purpose to benefit healthy lifestyle through clean sport and cycling.
The Gitche Gumee Gran Fondo is a mass-start cycling event in the spirit and tradition of the great Italian cyclosportives. Launched in 2017, riders gathered at the start in one of the Midwest’s most popular vacation destination towns of Hayward, Wisconsin to embark on an adventure route through the northern Wisconsin forests to the historic fishing village of Bayfield, Wisconsin.
The Gitche Gumme GranFondo is the brainchild of former pro bike racer Tommy Matush, a Middleton, WI native who rode for the iconic American cycling teams 7-Eleven and Saturn. Matush moved to Hayward in 1993 after having raced in the Chequamegon Fat Tire and the American Birkebeiner. He fell in love with all that Hayward had to offer— with the road biking, skiing, and CAMBA trails—silent sports were just taking off in the area, and Matush was hooked.
The idea for the GGGF came to him while training for Team Saturn in the early 90s. After reviewing some regional maps, he came up with a spectacularly scenic route with the least traffic resistance possible.
The ride will start in Cable or Drummond depending on your ride route and wind along miles of scenic, paved Wisconsin back-country roads, several river crossings, and traverses the Continental Divide. The ride starts at 8 am in Cable and finishes on Bayfield’s Lake Superior shoreline. Return-Transportation provided; Cyclists of all abilities/ages welcome!
This year’s event has teamed up with The Steve Tilford Memorial Fund, as our official charity, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the fund’s partnership with USA Cycling’s anti-doping efforts. Programs which encourage juniors to appreciate and respect the benefits and ideals of fair competition, and fully understand the risks and downsides to doping will be a key area of focus. This fund will honor Steve’s passion for clean sport and be part of his lasting legacy.
“We hope everyone will join us…” says Matush, “and I promise you won’t be anything but thrilled with this ride.”
I’m if it could get any better that this event—cycling in the outdoors, great friends, and just a little adventure! If you have any questions, check out the GGGF Facebook page or their website, then hop on your bike and join the Gran Fondo on Saturday. It’ll be a great way to say Ciao to summer!
