40th North Shore Century ride takes off from Wilmette, stops up and down shore

(Editor’s Note: This story was reported by Wendi Kromash for the Evanston RoundTable, a neighboring independent newsroom. It was shared with The Record as part of an ongoing collaborative effort.)

Bikers from all over Chicagoland, and a smattering of other Midwestern states, descended on Wilmette’s Gillson Park on Sunday, Sept. 21, for the 40th North Shore Century ride.

The Evanston Bicycle Club again hosted the event, which raises money for local cycling organizations. This year’s episode also marked the first edition of the ride that didn’t start in Evanston.

Peter Glaser, NSC chair, said in an email that the club was happy with the move to Gillson Park and already gotten on their calendar for next year’s ride on Sept. 20, 2026.

“We received a lot of positive feedback on the location and found the staff very welcoming,” wrote Glaser.

According to a Sunday evening email from Suzie LaBelle, the event’s volunteer chairperson, 2,185 people registered for the ride and 1,875 riders ultimately checked in.

LaBelle and Doug Hoffman, the bike club’s president, attributed what seemed like a lighter than usual check-in rate to the weather forecast, which had predicted rain all week. Fortunately, the storms held off until the end of the day.

Of those who checked in, 44% rode the full 100-mile route (the inspiration for the Century’s name), LaBelle said. Other options included a metric century (62 miles), a half century (50 miles) and a quarter century (25 miles).

The club provides printed copies of each route, downloadable cue sheets and clear markings on the street. SAG (support and gear) cars ride the routes throughout the day to help any riders in need of assistance.

The biggest challenge for riders on Sept. 21 was construction on Sheridan Road, which made the busy thoroughfare even more congested. Many construction markings also used the same orange paint as the Century route arrows, adding to the confusion.

The Century is also known for featuring tempting food stops. This year didn’t disappoint. The only rest stop for the quarter century ride was at the Glencoe train station, which serves Homer’s ice cream and homemade banana bread.

The Highland Park stop, the last one on the way back to Wilmette, fortified weary riders with pizza from Judy’s Pizzeria. From the late morning until about 4 p.m., the Judy’s delivery team provided more than 170 pies. Hungry riders scarfed them down as soon as they landed on the picnic tables.

Other food choices included watermelon, bananas, tangerines, homemade brownies, Fig Newton cookies, chips and pickle juice to aid recovery.

Rest stops allow riders to use the restroom, eat, hydrate, replenish their water bottles and talk to a bike mechanic if they’re having any trouble. Local bike shops provide mechanical support for free.

As riders returned to Gillson Park on Sept. 21, music, food and a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment created a party atmosphere.

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