Pedal Putnam

THE BIKE PARTY is back for 2025!!!  Greencastle's Mural Metric returns to bring you inspiring views, challenging climbs, and a whole day of community, connection and DONUTS - featuring pre-race donuts by Breadworks & post-race festivities at Lost Hollow Beer Company!  We are here for the party.  Are you?

Pedal Putnam is an growing GRAN FONDO event aimed at the beginner, the racer and the weekend enthusiast.  Whether you're looking to complete your first Gran Fondo, race against the best, or get in some great training miles before the Dust Bowl, this event is for you.  Featuring three different routes (100k, 43 miles & 12.5 miles), there's a course for everyone.  Even better, all three will take you past some of Putnam County's murals, including the new ones.   We're excited to see Putnam County become central Indiana's backyard and a destination spot for arts, culture and food.  And while many people have gotten to experience Putnam County's gravel scene, Pedal Putnam will give you a taste of our open roads.  

 Race/Ride Routes

The Mural Metric (62 miles)

For the 100K (62 miles) event, riders will be competing for top three places in several categories:  open men's, open women's, Master's men (40+), Master's women (40+).  Trophies and prizes will be awarded for each category.  Results will be timed thanks to Racemaker productions.  The Mural Metric will once again head west before circling back through covered bridges, the NEW Bainbridge mural and around Heritage Lake before returning home.  The course will feature a lead vehicle to protect the pointy end, well marked turns and caution points, as well as great SAG support like last year.

 

The 43 Mile Route

Our 43 mile route will still feature plenty of climbing (~2,000 feet), and give you plenty of chances to soak in the best of Putnam County:  covered bridges, sustained climbs, and rolling hills.  Prizes will be awarded for top three men's & women's riders.  Again, all riders will be timed.

 

The 12.5 Mile Route

Finally, our 12.5 “Scenic” mile route will allow you to see the highlights of the Putnam County Mural Project, including the famous grain silo murals, take you out to Big Walnut Sports Park and bring you back to Greencastle on some county roads.  No prizes for this option.  Just the enjoyment of a great day on a bike and maybe your first bike event!  The scenic route also allows you to ride through DePauw University, Indiana's premier liberal arts college.

 

Pedal Putnam FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's): 1. Is Pedal Putnam a race or a ride? Great question. It's both! Pedal Putnam is a chip-timed gran fondo cycling event similar to Ride Across INdiana (RAIN Ride) or the Hancock Flat 50.  Since it is timed, some will compete, especially since there are prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the overall category (men's & women's) as well as master's (40+ // men and women). Last year, Reece Lady and Heather Chenette won the men's and women's 62 mile race respectively. But, I can't emphasize this enough ... you don't have to race. Riders will separate out according to ability very early in the ride, and with three different routes, you can choose how far and how hard you want the ride to be. The goal of Pedal Putnam is simply to get as many individuals and teams out on bikes as possible, all in support of Putnam Parks & Pathways 2. Is Pedal Putnam a road ride or gravel ride? Pedal Putnam is a road ride/race.  THERE ARE NO GRAVEL ROADS (but there may be chip-and-seal).  All of the roads on the three routes are paved roads, although some of the county roads do have some gravel in corners or are chip-and-seal surfaces.  Last year, we had riders on road bikes, TT bikes, recumbent bikes, tandem bikes, single-speed bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes. 3. Will the ride have support/SAG stops? Yes, all three routes will have SAG stops. The 62 mile "mural metric" will have three SAG stops, the 43 mile will have 2, and the 15 mile will have one SAG stop. All SAG stops will feature hydration from Tailwind nutrition + water + energy bars/granola bars/bananas and more. 4. What do I get with my registration? By registering at www.bikereg.com/pedal-putnam by June 1st, you'll get a FREE Pedal Putnam water bottle, FREE Pedal Putnam t-shirt, plus a registration bag full of other great offers and local info on some great Greencastle eateries. Registration is $60 until Feb. 1 & $70 until May 1st for the 62 and 40 mile rides. Then it jumps to $80 on May 1st. The 15-mile ride is a constant $30 and still includes the t-shirt and water bottle  5. What if it is raining? Pedal Putnam is an all-weather event within reason obviously. Barring severe weather forecasts, the ride will roll out at 8 am for the 62 and 43 mile and 9:10 am for the 12.5 mile riders. 6. Will the course be marked? Yes! Thanks to Putnam County Visitors Bureau, we have great signage for Pedal Putnam, including the bright green for the 62 mile, blue for the 43 and red for the 12.5 mile rides. HOWEVER, riders should strive to have a GPS device or phone WITH THE ROUTE loaded or saved to their device. While we will mark the course, it has happened where signs have been blown over or removed. 7. What about bike safety and vehicles on the road? Pedal Putnam is an open-road ride/race, which means ... Rule #1 ... BE SMART and BE ALERT. In other words, don't be "that person"! The aim of this event is to support cyclists AND to foster more riding in Putnam County. That means showing drivers our best behavior. That also means you will be expected to follow all normal traffic laws. At certain, high-traffic intersections, local police and the Putnam County Sheriffs Office Indiana will be stationed to monitor and assist cyclists and motorists to ensure safety. On the 62 and 43 mile route, the major intersection will be at 231 at Brick Chapel. Most of the course, though, will occur on county roads. Cyclists are expected to stay in the appropriate lane and allow for cars to pass as needed. The 62 mural metric includes a lap around Heritage Lake Association - a beautiful loop featuring new pavement. The 62 and 43 mile ride/race will have a police escort for the first few miles out on West Walnut road before turning north where a lead vehicle will stay in front of the 62 mile leaders ONLY. The 12.5 mile will include a police escort through DePauw University and out to the People Pathways before coming back to town on county roads. You will be responsible for yourself out on the ride, although we encourage riders to look out and check on each other. A race support number will be provided closer to the race that you can call in the event of a major mechanical. As with most other bike events, riders will reach out to 911 in the event of a major medical emergency or injury. 8. What is happening before and after the ride? Pedal Putnam will begin with a packet-pick-up at Lost Hollow Beer Co. on Friday, June 20th from 5 to 8 pm, and you're encouraged to check out Greencastle's wide range of great restaurants or eateries while in town.Then, on the race/ride day, we're blessed to have Breadworks By Bridges providing pre-race donuts. Even better, Chef Sal from Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar is signed up to ride the mural metric with us! Following the race, Lost Hollow Beer Co. will be provided post-race brews and Taco Wapo of Greencastle will be on hand with their food truck! 

Your participation goes a little bit further in 2025. 

Our event has partnered with Friends of the Park of Putnam County, Inc. (FOTP), a local 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the development and sustainability of outdoor recreation in Putnam County. Over the past few years, Friends has been involved in several projects, including the Putnam County Mural Project, Hamrick Station trail expansion, and the lighting of Robe-Ann Park for the Winter Wonderland Lights Festival.

FOTP is on a mission to create a $500,000 endowment for the county to leverage. To that end, it
will receive a portion of the revenue generated from this event. In the coming years, this funding will be
used to purchase land for trail and park development, generate additional outdoor events, and generally
support the growing County Parks Board.

If you are interested in learning more about FOTP, please, visit their website at:
https://putnamparks.org/friends/