The 3rd Annual Southern Illinois Fat Tire Festival

Presented by the Bike Surgeon 
October 26-28
Shawnee National Forest - Lake Glendale Campground
Golconda, IL 

The FTF Experience

Exposing the Midwest’s best kept secret in mountain biking. This is your chance to experience some of the best riding in the Midwest and ride trails that only a few mountain bikers in the world know about. Riding for all skill levels from 8’ drops and rugged downhill to rolling fast cross country to entry level first time on a mountain bike type trails. 

The entry fee for the event of $25 includes many things beyond just entry into the event.  The first is your camping fee (tent camping, real bathrooms and showers) for both Friday and Saturday night at beautiful Lake Glendale campground (www.lakeglendale.net) in the heart of the Shawnee Forest.  Breakfasts for both Saturday and Sunday are covered, lunch is also covered on Saturday, and kegs of Fat Tire Ale for both Friday and Saturday nights are included for those of legal age. We will also be giving away shwag and prizes from our many sponsors totaling over $3,000 (remember to show them sponsors the love, don’t forget without them this would not be possible).   

The riding will be amazing, the FTF Challenge will rock, and you will have fun. This event will be the most fun you can legally have on a bike.  

Schedule

Friday

  • Event opens at 4:00
  • Open rides around Glendale
  • Dinner on your own
  • Psyche yourself up for the days ahead; watch riding videos on the BIG SCREEN in the woods and enjoy the campfire.  

Saturday

  • 8:00-9:00 Breakfast - Fresh Fruit, Pastries, Bars
  • 9:00 Leave for the trail - East Side Rides
  • 12:00 Lunch on the Trail followed by more East Side Riding (this stuff is wild)
  • 4:30  Back at Glendale
  • Dinner on your own (fire pits with grills are available)

6:00 - to the Wee Mornin’ Hours - So ILL FTF Challenge  

  •  Costume Race - Bring your best costume for a MTB race around the lake, prizes for creativity, originality, speed, style and many other categories
  • Huffy Toss - Yep you guessed, we are going to see who can chuck a crappy Huffy the furthest
  • Big Kid Little Bike Race - We provide the kiddie bikes; you provide the grown up kid to pilot it to a win
  • Log Pull - Take a guess, you are probably right.  Rope and log will be provided
  • Bring your own Bike Chariot Bike Chariot Race - You bring your own bike chariot and race it against others who also thought it would be fun to bring a chariot to a bike race 

Sunday

  • 9:00-10:00 Late Breakfast - Fresh Fruit, Pastries, Bars, Bring your own hangover remedies
  • 10:00 Break down your camp site and pack it up, we are not coming back
  • 10:30 Leave for West Side Riding
  • 11:45 The Kink out and back (5 miles)
  • Technical fun riding, big drop opportunities, swimming hole at turn around (Brrrrr!!), See what a tornado can do to your trail system (2006 damage)
  • 1:00 Leave the Kink for Cedar
  • Lunch on your own on the way to Cedar
  • 2:00 Cedar Lake trail (5.5 miles) to Little Cedar Loop (3.5 miles) back to  Cove Hollow (3.5 miles) out and back.  Fast fun riding, rolling and sometimes flowy, plenty of climbing for  for the mountain goats in the pack.
  • All finished up, get drivin’ home or dinner on your own at one of the great restaurants in so ill. 

For others in your group that don't want to ride visit: www.southernmostillinois.com for other local attractions

For those from Chicago check out these options for transport: amtrak.com and Mesa Air. Call ahead for pick up and ground transport if you plan to take the train or plane.

DIRECTIONS:

Lake Glendale Campground is located in scenic Pope County, Illinois about five miles from Vienna, Illinois. From Interstate 24 (exit 16), go east on IL 146 to the intersection of IL 145, then north two miles to the Lake Glendale entrance. 

DON’T WANT TO CAMP?

There are two hotels in Vienna, IL less than five miles from Lake Glendale. Don’t forget to call ahead for reservations. Gambit Inn 618.658.2802   Limited Inn 618.658.6300