Thunder Bay Thriller

Welcome to the THUNDER BAY THRILLER!

Take on the challenge of the 62-mile multi-surface gravel grinder through the scenic Northeast Michigan countryside and trail system on September 14th, 2025. We are excited to announce that we will be part of the Michigan Gravel Race Series for the upcoming 2025 race calendar!

This fun and challenging route will take riders from rolling gravel backroads onto exciting snowmobile two-track against the picturesque Devils Lake, then weave through the woods of the Norway Ridge Pathway single/two-track system before cranking down the Alpena-Hillman Trail.

Want to ride but looking for something a bit shorter? We'll have the 27-mile option as well as the NEW 16-mile option to race day. The 27-mile course will still take you along all the fun of Indian Reserve Rd, Devil's Lake, and the Norway Ridge Pathway. 

62-Mile Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3141032543975373186

27-Mile Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3190142660854870178

16-Mile Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3289323215895098208

CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the routes with course markings, aid stations, and feature descriptions!

Full course walk-through video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUR2O9S1bWk

Orange map for the 62, green map for the 27. 16 mile in blue being added to this soon! This is will match with your bib color on race-day.

When: September 14th, 2025

Time: 62-Mile - 8:00am / 27-Mile - 8:05am / 16-Mile - 8:10am (may be subject to minor change based on weather)

Start/Finish - Where: Thunder Bay Jr High, Alpena, MI 49707

Awards: 62-Mile - Top 5 Men, Top 5 Women, Top Individual per age group, men/women: 11-14; 15-18; 19-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70 and over. Top nonbinary. Top SS and Fat bike.

27-Mile - Top 3 Men, Top 3 Women, Top Individual per age group, men/women: 11-14; 15-18; 19-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70 and over. Top nonbinary. Top SS and Fat bike.

16-Mile - Top 3 Men, Top 3 Women, Top Individual per age group, men/women: 11-14; 15-18; 19-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70 and over. Top nonbinary. Top SS and Fat bike.

New this year! We are adding the Clydesdale and Athena as well as Single Speed and Fat Bike category options. If you are unfamiliar with these and would like to know more, please email race director [email protected].

Packet Pickup:

Early Pickup - Saturday, September 13th from Harborside Cycle & Sport - 10:00am - 5:30pm

Race Day Pickup - Sunday, September 14th at Thunder Bay Junior High School - 6:00am - 8:00am (race time)

Each registrant will receive a shirt and sticker along with a swag bag from our sponsors!

We recommend a minimum of at least around 38c tires for this route, and the entire course can be done with a gravel bike. There will be some fast rolling hero gravel, slightly rougher two-track, and maybe a lil' bit of (dare I say it?) sand from time to time on the back trails! Just enough for a good time. If you would rather hop on the mountain bike for more comfort on the trails, totally doable and a nice option in a few sections. For those local to the area, stop by our Local Bike Shop Sponsor, Harborside Cycle & Sport of Alpena for your bike-check and tire needs.

This course will be marked, and marks/signage will be made clear in the rider's manual sent out closer to race date to all registrants. All participants are highly encouraged to download and save the Strava Route above to their GPS device to ensure route knowledge and safety. Riders are expected to follow the rules of the road based upon Michigan Bicycle Law.

Join us on Saturday, Sept. 13th at 5:30pm for the ‘Chiller for the Thriller’ pre-race dinner at Hopside Brewery in Downtown Alpena! We will be doing a full course breakdown to get you ready for race morning on Sunday. Hopside will be doing a pasta/carb-based meal. The event is free to attend, but cost of the dinner is $15 if you choose to eat. Dinner can be pre-paid with the add-on during registration on BikeReg or on-site!

The event is based out of Alpena, MI. Known as the Sanctuary of the Great Lakes, Alpena features plenty of opportunities and experiences for outdoor, culinary, and families against the beautiful, water-centric backdrop of Lake Huron. For ideas on things to do and lodging, check out Visit Alpena: https://www.visitalpena.com/

For those of you unable to attend, we will be hosting a virtual rider challenge on the same day as the race! Compete in a variety of challenges such as longest ride, most elevation gained, etc. More info on challenge details will be sent to virtual riders as we approach race date.

100% of all proceeds from the Thunder Bay Thriller go back towards the Rock CF Foundation: a nonprofit based out of Michigan dedicated to heightening awareness for cystic fibrosis and providing those living with CF the tools to not only survive, but thrive. Learn more about Rock CF here: https://letsrockcf.org/

All participants will receive a Thunder Bay Thriller Race Shirt, picture coming soon! Imagine our 2025 poster across the back of a super cool, rusty/orange and brown t-shirt with the TBT logo up front… Pretty sweet, right?

We appreciate the support from the Michigan Gravel Race Series for the 2025 race season. Thank you to our incredible sponsors: Vertex, Viatris, Squirt Cycling Products, Harborside Cycle & Sport, STS Bicycles, and Hopside Brewery of Alpena.