Tour de Ramps
September 12, 2026

TdR 2024

Great start point, wonderful roads.

About the Tour

What, Where, and When

This annual event can be a beautiful, pleasant bike ride around Lake Monroe, or, by a series of poor decisions, you can visit each of the 10 boat ramps to create a very challenging ride. Proceeds for this event help support bicycling in and around Monroe County, and this year, our charity partner—Friends of Lake Monroe.

Date:

September 12, 2026

Time:

Start window 8:00–9:30 am
To avoid a large group of bicycles on the road at once, we use this 1.5-hour-long start window. Please be on the route by 9:30am.

Location:

Ride starts and ends at Fairfax State Recreation Area, just south of Bloomington, Indiana, on beautiful Lake Monroe.
Park at the Fairfax Beach parking area. Check in up the hill at the Big Oak Shelter.
The entrance fee to Fairfax SRA is $7 per vehicle for in-state plates and $15 per vehicle for out-of-state plates. If you come by bike, the entrance fee is $2 per person. Entrance is free with a DNR annual pass. Your TdR ride wristband will get you into Paynetown SRA, Hardin Ridge National Forest recreation area, and back into Fairfax at the end of the ride.

Ride Options

Each ramp is an opportunity to make a bad decision...

Full Ride (≈63 miles) Spoil the normally pleasant ride around Lake Monroe by descending and climbing all the boat ramps. The ride has ten of them, plus many assorted hills in between! 63 miles, more than 4,500 feet of climbing…

Scenic Tour (≈40 miles) Stick to the pleasant ride around the lake. Yes, you'll climb a few hills, but you will only visit 3 of the ramps! 40 miles, 2,200 feet of climbing

Custom Mix (43–60 miles) Make this ride your own. Try a few of the ramps until your legs give out—each ramp is a new opportunity to demonstrate your lack of common sense. , 2,400–4,000+ feet of climbing.

Ride Includes

One well-stocked SAG stop (lunch), plus water/snack stops at most of the other boat ramps.
On-course SAG vehicles (with capacity to provide minor mechanical support), transport back to start/finish.
Post-ride meal included with your registration.
Opportunities to create tall tales of your hill climbing prowess.
A RAMPS CHAMP award for all who do all 10 ramps
The chance to support local cycling and this year's charity partner—The Friends of Lake Monroe.

Make it a Weekend??

Bring your family or friends and enjoy all the area has to offer for the weekend.

Check out Visit Bloomington for activity ideas.
September 12th is an IU home football game day against the Howard University Bison (time TBD). This could make lodging more difficult—plan ahead.
We will offer free Sunday rides for anyone interested.
- A Nice & Easy road ride from Switchyard Park in Bloomington.
- A Gravel ride in Hoosier National Forest.
Check out lodging and camping options.

Tour de Ramps History

The Tour de Ramps ride first appeared on the Bloomington Bicycle Club (BBC) calendar in the early 1990s when Joe Walker and Dave Emily managed to turn the pleasant, club-staple ride around Lake Monroe into a 60+ mile monster by including side trips to each boat ramp.

The popularity of the ride gradually increased. One could easily stay with, or even get ahead, of the leaders by skipping a boat ramp or two. It doesn’t take much of an excuse to skip a ramp or two; a flat tire, a dropped chain, anything...Each ramp is a new decision, a new challenge.

For a few years, the Tour de Ramps was dropped off the annual club calendar. It was just deemed to be too difficult. In 2017, the Tour was resurrected by a small, dedicated group of BBC members. It has once again become a club staple done in the cooler fall weather when the summer lake boat traffic has declined. The ride has developed into a social event with good food, cold beverages, and tales of hill-climbing prowess.

In 2023 the BBC invited the larger cycling community to participate in what has become one of the highlights of our annual ride calendar. Come join us and make the Tour de Ramps part of your cycling history.

BBC