Registration Is Now Open!
Registration for select 2027 events opens July 10 at 10am ET!
Gulf to Great Lakes
Difficulty: Good Pace
Average Distance Per Day: ≈ 56 miles
Average Climbing Per Day: ≈ 2030 feet
The 2027 Gulf to Great Lakes Bike Adventure promises to be a wonderful way to “cross” the US from south to north! Over the course of 4 weeks riders will tackle 1,150 miles by bike and participate in 5 volunteer days with local Fuller Centers along the way.
Our journey starts on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain just north of New Orleans. From there we will connect with and ride most of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway, as well as visits to Nashville TN, Louisville KY and Indianapolis IN before we eventually finish and dip our wheels in the waters of Lake Michigan!
Registration opens 10am on September 1st, 2026. Until then….
4 Weeks to Choose From!
Can’t join us for the full four week ride? Pick your favorite segments and join us for as long as you can!
Tap or click the segment headings below to view details and day-by-day schedules.
| Day | Date | Depart | Arrive | Mileage | Climbing |
| Saturday | May 15 | Mandeville, LA | — | — | |
| Sunday | May 16 | Mandeville, LA | Hammond, LA | 40 | 300 |
| Monday | May 17 | Hammond, LA | McComb, MS | 60 | 2100 |
| Tuesday | May 18 | McComb, MS | McComb, MS | VOLUNTEER | — |
| Wednesday | May 19 | McComb, MS | Hazelhurst, MS | 50 | 2300 |
| Thursday | May 20 | Hazelhurst, MS | Ridgeland, MS | 55 | 2100 |
| Friday | May 21 | Ridgeland, MS | Koskiusko, MS | 63 | 1300 |
| Saturday | May 22 | Koskiusko, MS | Houston, MS | 77 | 2600 |
| Sunday | May 23 | Houston, MS | Houston, MS | OFF | – |
| Total | 345 | 10,700 | |||
| Average: | 58 | 1783 |
The deep blue waters of Lake Pontchartrain will gladly welcome you as we begin our adventure!
After arriving on the 15th, we will host an orientation for all riders that evening before riding out the next day. Our first volunteer opportunity comes just after we cross over the Mississippi state line into the town of McComb.
Midweek we will pedal up to Jackson, MS where we will merge onto the Natchez Trace Parkway – one of America’s best bike riding roadways! Our week ends in lovely Houston, MS where we’ll enjoy our day off the bike and fellowship with our weekend hosts.
Segment 1 Arrival: (MSY) Louis Armstrong New Orleans Int’l Airport
Segment 1 Departure: (TUP) Tupelo Regional Airport – Contour airlines with flights to Nashville or Dallas or various rental car options
| Day | Date | Depart | Arrive | Mileage | Climbing |
| Sunday | May 23 | Houston, MS | OFF | — | |
| Monday | May 24 | Houston, MS | Houston, MS | VOLUNTEER | — |
| Tuesday | May 25 | Houston, MS | Tupelo, MS | 45 | 1000 |
| Wednesday | May 26 | Tupelo, MS | Dennis, MS | 40 | 1700 |
| Thursday | May 27 | Dennis, MS | Collinwood, TN | 57 | 2800 |
| Friday | May 28 | Collinwood, TN | Duck River, TN | 55 | 3000 |
| Saturday | May 29 | Duck River, TN | Nashville, TN | 48 | 4200 |
| Sunday | May 30 | Nashville, TN | Nashville, TN | OFF | – |
| Total | 245 | 12,700 | |||
| Average | 49 | 2500 |
Segment 2 starts off with a bang as we participate in our 2nd volunteer day of the trip.
Once back on the bike, this week will be full of history, scenery, and plenty of miles as we continue to cruise up the Natchez Trace Parkway. We will ride the Parkway up to its terminus in Nashville, TN for a day off at the segment end.
Segment 2 Arrival: (TUP) Tupelo Regional Airport
Segment 2 Departure: (BNA) Nashville Int’l Airport
| Day | Date | Depart | Arrive | Mileage | Climbing |
| Sunday | May 30 | Nashville, TN | OFF | — | |
| Monday | May 31 | Nashville, TN | Bowling Green, KY | 75 | 3300 |
| Tuesday | Jun 1 | Bowling Green, KY | Leitchfield, KY | 40 | 2500 |
| Wednesday | Jun 2 | Leitchfield, KY | Brandenburg, KY | 50 | 2600 |
| Thursday | Jun 3 | Brandenburg, KY | Brandenburg, KY | VOLUNTEER | — |
| Friday | Jun 4 | Brandenburg, KY | Louisville, KY | 40 | 1500 |
| Saturday | Jun 5 | Louisville, KY | Louisville, KY | VOLUNTEER | — |
| Sunday | Jun 6 | Louisville, KY | OFF | – | |
| Total | 205 | 9900 | |||
| Average | 51 | 2475 |
We will start this week crossing into our 5th state of the adventure. Riders will spend one night in Bowling Green, KY (home of the Corvette Museum) before continuing on towards the Louisville area where we will undertake 2 days of volunteering with area Fuller Centers.
Segment 3 Arrival: (BNA) Nashville Int’l Airport
Segment 3 Departure: (SDF) Louisville Muhammad Ali Int’l Airport
| Day | Date | Depart | Arrive | Mileage | Climbing |
| Sunday | Jun 6 | Louisville, KY | OFF | — | |
| Monday | Jun 7 | Louisville, KY | Seymour, IN | 62 | 2200 |
| Tuesday | Jun 8 | Seymour, IN | Indianapolis, IN | 60 | 900 |
| Wednesday | Jun 9 | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis, IN | VOLUNTEER | — |
| Thursday | Jun 10 | Indianapolis, IN | Kokomo, IN | 70 | 1200 |
| Friday | Jun 11 | Kokomo, IN | Plymouth, IN | 65 | 1500 |
| Saturday | Jun 12 | Plymouth, IN | Benton Harbor, MI | 65 | 1500 |
| Sunday | Jun 13 | Benton Harbor, MI | DEPART | – | |
| Total | 322 | 7300 | |||
| Average | 64 | 1460 |
After a glorious off day in lovely Louisville, we will return to the roads once again as we continue our journey north. Our next major stop will be with our Fuller Center partners in Indianapolis for the 5th and final volunteer day before we ride the rest of the way to the finish line on the shores of Lake Michigan!
Segment 4 Arrival: (SDF) Louisville Muhammad Ali Int’l Airport
Segment 4 Departure: (SBN) South Bend Int’l Airport
What's Included
- Breakfast, lunch items, and 5-6 dinners per week
- Rest stops approximately every 20-25 miles
- Overnight host facilities
- Shower arrangements
- Bike Adventure jersey, t-shirt and water bottle
- Routes and route sheets
- Support Vehicle(s)
- Airport pick-up and drop-off (within specified limits)
- Laundry
- Volunteer build day(s)
- Fundraising tools
- Ride leadership and organization
- Supportive, faith-based community environment
- Purpose and mission for your ride
Our amazing hosts, volunteers and riders often go far above and beyond this list. We invite you to come ready to be amazed by the generosity of others — and open to the nudges of the Spirit on how you, too, can be a blessing.
“This sounds great, can we talk before I join?”
“Tell me more about what to expect on this adventure”
