RIDE GUIDE- MAY 2022
This monthly newsletter will contain details needed leading up to the 2022 Tour des Trees. We are grateful to you for joining us.
I Wanna Iowa!

We are getting closer to some deadlines for this year's Tour des Trees, so here are a couple of quick reminders.

  • Register! You must be registered by June 20. (Part-time ride options are available.)
  • Create your fundraising page. Fundraising minimums are due by September 30.
  • Order your jersey and gear. Deadline to order gear is June 27.
  • Make your travel arrangements. Check out our Participant Resources page for info.

Want to stay engaged with other riders? Be sure to join the Tour des Trees Strava page and Facebook page.

Want to know even more about what we are doing at this year's Tour des Trees? We hosted an informational webinar earlier in the month talking all about the route, some of the stops, and a bunch of other information that will help you get to, thru, and back from this year's ride. That link, along with an updated itinerary, FAQs for new riders, and other information on this year's ride can be found at our Participant Resources page. Look it over!
Welcome to our new riders!

We have three more first time riders signed up for the 2022 ride. Please join us in welcoming Sara Zeckel (Indiana), David Walker (California) and Michelle Chaffee (California).
Virtual Tour des Trees Info:

Not able to ride with us this year but still want to support TREE Fund? No problem! We once again have a virtual ride option available. The virtual event has no registration fee and participants are able to win prizes based on their fundraising efforts.
2022 Gear!

All of the Tour des Trees riders that will be joining us in Iowa receive vouchers after they register for Voler cycling jerseys but we have so much more cool cycling apparel to offer!

The cycling gear at our online store is available to anyone and non-Tour des Trees riders can purchase gear and have it shipped directly to their home.

Check out our 2022 Tour des Trees online Voler shop and place your orders before June 26.
Safety first!

Once again, RoadID has provided our group with a nice discount on their products to help keep our riders safe during their training and during our ride. Use the link below to get a 20% discount on RoadID identification tags and accessories. It will ask for your email and group name, which you can enter as TREE Fund- Tour des Trees.

A Note from Paul:

Hello Friends,

In this month's installment of the Ride Guide I thought I would touch on a couple critical topics. 

Travel logistics
While I am confident that you have already scanned the Participant Resource Page for this and the numerous other items contained there, I understand that you are busy and the Resource Page can be a bit overwhelming. So I thought now would be a good time to highlight this year's Travel Logistics. If, after you’ve had a chance to review this year's logistics, you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me and I will be happy to assist you.

The two most critical items are 1. Determine the length of time you will be able to participate this year and plan your travel to and from the Tour accordingly and 2. If you plan to arrive early or extend your stay, make sure that you reserve any Pre and Post lodging you’ll need; you don’t want to be caught out by not getting into the Tour host hotel in Des Moines.

Next, as you begin to develop your plan for preparing/training for the Tour des Trees it is critical to take into consideration the course demands and potential conditions for the event. 

The Course 
  • Here is a link to the Event Route Page - 2022 Tour des Trees
  • I encourage you to become a member of the Event Page. This will allow you to view the routes and download full featured files that you can use on your respective navigation device. Just remember these will be evolving throughout the process of defining stops, so don’t download the files until the week of the Tour to ensure you have the final version.
  • This year's Tour consists of six stages and is 445 miles in length.
  • The stages range in length from 41 miles to 108 miles.
  • With the exception of days Three and Six, the route will traverse the rolling terrain of Iowa and average close to 50 feet of elevation gain per mile. So while there is nothing like what we encountered last year, the course is not flat. 
  • On Day One, we ride from Des Moines to Pella, IA. We’ll cover a bit over 59 miles and climb over 2900 feet.
  • On Day Two, we ride from Pella to Ames, IA. We’ll cover a bit over 88 miles and climb approximately 3500 feet. 
  • On Day Three, we ride from Ames back to Des Moines, IA. This day we will incorporate several of central Iowa’s most popular bike trails, so it will be a bit flatter than our typical day. We’ll cover a bit over 75 miles while only climbing a little over 1000 feet. 
  • On Day Four, we ride from Des Moines to Creston, IA. We’ll cover a bit less than 73 miles and climb over 3500 feet. 
  • On Day Five, we ride from Creston to Nebraska City, NE. This is the longest day of the Tour, our signature “century” day and the “Queen” stage. At over 108 miles and over 4700 feet of climbing, this stage is sure to see the group a bit road weary by the end.
  • On Day Six, we ride out and back from the Arbor Day Farm. Today’s route is the shortest day of the Tour at approximately 41 miles, over half of which is on the Steamboat Trace Trail, a nearby Rail to Trail. While the hills will be quite steep exiting and returning to the Farm, the miles spent on the rail to trail will reduce the overall elevation gain so that by the end we will have gained a bit under 1500 feet.

The Conditions 
  • As the typical disclaimer when considering a stock would warn, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Historical weather data doesn’t guarantee the conditions we will face in early September, but it is the best we have at this point. If we are lucky enough to encounter historical averages then we should have highs in the low 80’s and lows in the low 60’s, fairly dry conditions and moderate winds.
  • Des Moines 
  • Ames
  • Nebraska City
  • BUT, as always, be prepared for inclement conditions. And since we will be heading westward on days 4 and 5, be prepared to ride into the wind for extended periods of time. 

Thanks for reading and remember this is a ride not a race and the support team will be there to ensure your successful completion!

Ride on!


Paul Wood 
Tour Director, Tour des Trees
Phone - (843) 693-8448
The TREE Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to identify and fund programs that support the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry.
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