What is the Gold Star 500?
The journey, known as the Gold Star 500.
The eighth annual event works to raise awareness and preserve the legacy and honor of those service men and service women from Illinois who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this great nation since 2001. Each year the rides concludes on Gold Star Family Weekend. Just like previous GS 500 rides it will accomplish this by trekking throughout various communities in Illinois.
2024 Metropolis-Mt Vernon-Mattoon-Normal-Princeton-Rockford
Previous routes include:
2017 Cairo-Mt Vernon-Paris-Kankakee-St Charles
2018 Springfield-Paris-Mt Vernon-Carbondale-Scott AFB-Springfield
2019 Marseilles-Pontiac-Peoria-Quad Cities-Rockford-St Charles
2020 Virtual ride due to COVID
2021 Decatur-Urbana-Lawrenceville-Mt Vernon-Effingham-Springfield
2022 Springfield-Quincy-Galesburg-Rock Falls-Woodstock-Great Lakes
2023 Springfield-Litchfield-Sparta-Harrisburg-Effingham-Springfield
The Gold Star 500 is a group ride and cyclist will ride and work together as a team. Our support drivers, escort police officers and ride captains are responsible for coordinating and protecting the ride, and riders will follow their lead. Since we can be up to 60 riders, we will ride as a pack and will do our absolute best to remain on schedule. We expect to maintain an average speed of 15-17 mph. Riders will receive a ride orientation and safety brief each night before the ride explaining the next day’s route and activities.
About the Route
The 2024 route is programmed for just over 500 miles.
23 Sep 24 – Pre-ride orientation and safety meeting. Time and location: 5PM at Metropolis American Legion Post 306 (321 Market St, Metropolis, IL 62960 *MANDATORY FOR ALL*
Ride Day 1 – 24 Sep 24 - Metropolis to Mt Vernon ~101 miles
Ride Day 2 – 25 Sep 24 – Mt Vernon to Mattoon ~104 miles
Ride Day 3 – 26 Sep 24 – Mattoon to Bloomington ~102 miles
Ride Day 4 – 27 Sep 24 – Bloomington to Princeton ~112 miles
Ride Day 5 – 28 Sep 24 – Princeton to Rockford ~101 miles
Each day’s routine
Each day will begin between 06:00-07:00 depending on the distance and stops scheduled for the day. The target is to finish the ride each day well before sun-down. Most all the route will follow IL state routes (two lane) from town to town. The group is escorted by IL State Police vehicles, lead vehicle, and rider support and gear (sag) vehicles. Each day the group will ride multiple legs of 15-25 miles supported by multiple crews that will set up rest stops providing hydration, nutrition, maintenance and other necessary support. Various stops will be designated for remembering our Fallen Service Members. And as in the past, we are sure to be graced with support and motivation from our Gold Star Families throughout the ride.
A support team has been designated to transport all baggage between armories each day. They will coordinate “opening” the overnight location for the rider’s arrival and unloading the baggage into the armory. Riders are responsible for loading your own baggage into the baggage truck each morning before departure.
Each night will be spent in a high school gym. After arrival at the armory, riders will be able to address any maintenance issues for the day, begin their preparations for the night, prepare for dinner, have dinner provided by a local organization, and then finish the night with any remaining preparation for the next day’s ride. Cots will be provided or riders can bring their own air mattresses for sleeping. Each overnight facility will provide separate shower facilities for men and women. Separate areas will be provided for female sleeping areas. Breakfast and lunch meals are coordinated for each day much like the dinner meal.
