Southern 40
Distance - 41 miles
Elevation - 1,000 feet
Ride description - Starting from Essenhaus in Middlebury, riders head west on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail to Abshire Park in Goshen. From there, they leave the trail and ride through downtown Goshen and over the Elkhart River at Shanklin Park, before winding north to cross U.S. 33 on the newly constructed pedestrian and cyclist bridge connecting the Courthouse and the Mapleheart Trail. Then, riding South on the Mapleheart Trail, riders cross their previous path near Abshire park before heading out onto the rolling farmland that covers most of this part of northern Indiana. Heading north, riders then return to the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail for the westward trip to Essenhaus and the finish.
SAG information - Riders taking on the Southern 40 route will have access to three SAG support stops:
- SAG 1 - Abshire Park - mile 9
- SAG 2 -
Harvest Community Church 17285 CR 34, Goshen - mile 23
- SAG 3 - Meadowlark School on CR 1150 - mile 37
All SAG stops will have water and Gatorade available as well as a mix of snacks and food. Gluten-free and nut-free options are available.
Navigation - The route will be marked with pavement markings, but riders are strongly encouraged to use a GPS-enabled device or phone for navigation.
Important: Routes are subject to change. Please watch your email for any route updates, as changes may require you to download an updated GPX file.
Route marking - Road routes will be marked with a combination of painted on-road markings at every intersection and occasional yard signs for SAG stops or special notices. The painted road markings will be Dan Henry style, as depicted below.
