We in the tourism industry are well aware of the magnificent scenic beauty that is so abundant in Illinois. Our rivers and the Great River Road are already host to many amazing outdoor adventures. But the first-ever Illinois Great Rivers Ride is sure to be one of the most exciting events so far.

Cyclists from all over the world will converge on our state this fall to follow a path that traverses some of the most breathtaking natural spots and showcases some of the most impressive vistas of Western and Northern Illinois.

The Illinois Great Rivers Ride will begin Sept. 11 and continue for a week, concluding Sept. 18. As many as 300 bicyclists will gather in Rockford for this non-competitive, hard-surface ride following the path of the Rock, Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Stops along the way include Rock Falls, Rock Island, Big River Forest Preserve, Nauvoo, Quincy and Nebo, with the ride concluding at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton. Each leg of the trip will average 55 miles, so riders will be able to maintain a relatively steady pace and enjoy the sights along the way.

The cost to participate is $300 and riders will be able to camp each night should they wish to do so, a cost included in the registration fee, or to stay at specially discounted sponsor hotels. Beyond the ride itself, many fun activities are being planned by host communities to make the excursion even more memorable. Continued >

Industry Insider: Roger Carmack

To help you get to know who’s who in Illinois tourism, ITN profiles an industry leader each month. This month, we introduce long-time industry member Roger Carmack, executive director of the Western Illinois Tourism Development Office and manager of the forthcoming Illinois Great Rivers Ride.

Roger Carmack is the executive director of the Western Illinois Tourism Development Office (WITDO) and has been for 16 years. In addition to being the WITDO director, he is also responsible for all 14 Illinois Tourist Information Centers throughout the state, directs the Illinois Great River Road National Scenic Byway, and is working in cooperation with Opportunity Returns, IDOT and IBOT to create the first-ever Illinois Great Rivers Ride – a 400-mile bike ride that will take 300 riders on a 7-day trip that begins in Rockford and traverses the Rock, Illinois and Mississippi rivers and ends at the Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton.

While under Carmack’s direction, WITDO received one of the first heritage grants from IBOT for the Illinois Great River Road, which was later established as one of the longest scenic byways in the United States. To find out more about the byway, visit www.greatriverroad-illinois.org.

Carmack and his staff are responsible for creating and printing the first-ever statewide antique guide which is in its second printing with a third printing coming out in August. They are also responsible for the beautiful Illinois Great River Road Guide that was made possible by a Federal Highway Administration grant and matching grants from IDOT and IBOT. Recently WITDO also just put the finishing touches on the new Western Illinois Official Visitors Guide that features all of the 25 counties serviced by the office.

In March, Carmack and Central Illinois’ Marge Heissinger co-chaired the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism’s silent auction. The auction, in combination with a live auction in which Carmack brought in a professional auctioneer, raised $18,000 -- the highest amount ever raised through a Governor’s Conference auction. Proceeds from the auctions will be given back to the industry as scholarships for travel and tourism students. Continued >