GIBT 2021 will be hotel-only due to camping venue issues
Second hotel package opened for riders in the cancelled camping option

Dear Attendee,
While we need our campers to take action (described at the bottom, with sign-up link) in response to this message, we ask all of you to read on.

In January, we surveyed then-current GIBT registrants about the possibility of going to a hotel-only GIBT this year, if we ran into availability issues with the schools and sites hosting our campers. Thankfully for all of us, the large majority of our campers preferred this over cancellation of the entire tour/fundraiser. 

Now, unfortunately, the hotel-only contingency has come true. As it stands now, four of our five camping night venues are unavailable to us, with no suitable, available backup camping sites and too much uncertainty on whether/when those host schools’ policies might return to normal. So, we made the difficult decision to cancel the camping option.

To accommodate our campers, and since our original hotel package is basically full, we created a secondary hotel package – details below. The number of rooms we were able to secure should be enough for the anticipated demand, but it will be on a first-come, first-served basis – so don’t delay!

We continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation and vaccination program, with our overall “Go” or “No Go” decision in late April. We’re growing more optimistic that we’ll see you for a fun week of biking on June 13-18! With the hotel-only decision made, several variables are now gone. We can focus more on planning appropriate COVID prevention practices – AND all the other details of another great GIBT tour.

Some details of the secondary hotel package [sign-up link]:
  • The additional hotel fee cost for campers is $325 per person for double occupancy and $535 for single occupancy. We can try to match you with a roommate if you don’t already have one in mind.
  • This compares with the $385/$635 prices of the original hotel package, with the difference coming from the different hotel room costs.
  • The secondary hotel package includes the LaQuinta in O’Fallon, two nights primarily at Edwardsville’s Country Hearth Inn (with some at the Holiday Inn), and two nights at Alton’s Best Western (with some at the Super 8). Over the course of the week, we try to be fair in assigning who stays where when there are two hotels at a location.
  • The O’Fallon LaQuinta was chosen out of route safety necessity, but it does make a long Day 1 somewhat longer (55 miles) and Day 2’s Basic Route considerably shorter – for secondary hotel package riders
  • As with the original hotel package, the pricing reflects (boxed) catered dinners for four (instead of three) of the five nights. Enjoy Edwardsville’s nearby restaurants on your other night there. We’ll alternate which hotel package’s dinner will be catered on the two nights, so the restaurants are not overwhelmed.   

To-do for Campers:  
  • If you intend to use our secondary hotel package, fill out this form to pay the additional fee, whether $325 per person for double occupancy or $535 for single. Please do so soon, as we will only hold these rooms for already-registered campers until March 29, after which time we will open up the room block for new GIBT registrants, too.
  • Contact us at info@rideillinois.org if your strong preference is to be placed (first-come, first-served) in the original hotel package – if any spots become available.  
  • Email info@rideillinois.org if you would prefer to cancel your GIBT registration, instead of staying in hotels.

Hotelers: Contact us at info@rideillinois.org if you would rather switch to the secondary hotel package, if there’s someone to take your spot in the original hotel package.

Everyone: If you are debating whether to cancel due to the current pandemic status, we ask that you hold off until after our late April decisionYou’ll have plenty of time before our May 12 (full) and June 3 (partial - 75%) deadlines to refund your registration and hotel fees (minus any credit card processing fees– see our “Cancellation & Refund Policy” on the GIBT webpage.

While this year’s GIBT tour will look different than past and future years, we’re confident that you’ll have a great time. Stay healthy, start your training, and we sure hope to see you all in June!

Dave Simmons, Gina Kenny, and Ed Barsotti
 Working Statewide For Better Bicycling Conditions