In 2025, we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Ride for Missions! We hope many of you can join us July 19-23 as we travel from Goshen, IN, to Columbus, OH, and retrace many of the miles from Year One.
If you’re interested, grab your gear (some friends and family too) and join us for Ride for Missions 2025.
RFM started as an annual fundraiser for Rosedale International in the summer of 2006.
Since then, we have pedaled thousands of miles together in support of global missions. As an agency, RI’s goal is to bring Jesus to the world and see the world come to love Jesus. The efforts of RFM are vital to that work and have raised over $1.66 million to help us nurture, equip, and send disciple-makers of Jesus to some of the least reached areas of the world.
We’d like to thank everyone who has ridden, volunteered, or supported RFM in the past (and those considering joining for the first time) — your miles are deeply appreciated by everyone in the RI family!
19
Years
1,736,957
Raised for Missions
1,041
Riders & Volunteers
6,370
Miles
Dates: July 19–23, 2025
- The event will feature five days of cycling, but participants can join for any number of days.
- Routes will be approximately 60-75 miles per day, with a snack break (or two) and a lunch stop.
- A support crew will be available to help with any issues that arise.
- For riders who want to challenge themselves, additional (unsupported) miles can be added.
Location: Shipshewana to Columbus
- The 20th Anniversary route will be an updated and extended version of the first RFM route from the Goshen, IN area to Rosedale, OH.
- The ride will start in Shipshewana, IN at the Blue Gate Garden Inn, and make stops in Auburn, Van Wert, and Bellefountaine, on our way to Columbus.
- Day Four we will arrive at the Rosedale International Center, in Columbus, Ohio – the headquarters of RI’s staff and short-term programs.
- Day Five we will travel out-and-back to Granville, OH and return to the RIC for our finish.
Registration: Support, T-shirt, and Meals
- There is no registration fee for RFM; however, as a fundraiser, we ask each participant/family to try and raise $500 for missions.
- All participants and support crew members will receive an RFM 2025 t-shirt.
- Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks are provided during the ride. All other meal expenses are covered by the riders.
Lodging: Costs and Room Sharing
- Lodging is arranged through the registration process and paid for by the riders before the event.
- Rooms are $140 per night ($700 for the whole event).
- Space is limited, so if you would like to share a room with one additional person ($350 for the event) or with three people ($233 for the event), please indicate your preference and preferred roommate(s) during registration.
July 18: Vehicle-drop-off, Arrival, and Check-in
- Vehicles may be parked at the Rosedale International Center in Columbus, OH (the event’s final destination) for the duration of the event.
- A bus will transport riders and their gear from the RIC to the first night’s hotel in Shipshewana, IN.
- The bus will leave at noon for Indiana, so please arrive in time to load your items before departure.
- You may check in to the hotel anytime after 3:00 PM
- At 6:30 PM, there will be a brief kickoff meeting for all riders and support members.
Discount for New Riders & Support Crew
- New riders (or individuals sharing a room with a new rider) will receive $100 off their hotel room.
- We are looking for 3-4 people to serve on the Support Crew for the event. These individuals will also get $100 off their room.
Jerseys, Bibs, and Ride Champion
- Riders who raise $1,250 will receive an RFM 2025 cycling jersey.
- Participants who raise over $2,500 or more will also receive custom bib shorts in addition to their jersey.
- Jerseys will also be available for sale.
- The person who gets the most individuals to support their ride (at any amount) will win a customized RFM Champion Jersey.
2025 Fundraising Prizes
- Thanks to our generous corporate sponsors, the top three fundraisers (outside of their own contributions) have an opportunity to win a prize to a local bike shop of their choosing:
– $600 to the top fundraiser
– $300 to second place
– $100 to the third highest
Support RFM
Sponsor a specific rider’s fundraising goals or give a general gift to Ride for Missions. All donations given to RFM directly support the work of Rosedale International.
The gifts from our corporate sponsors cover the operating costs of Ride for Missions so that all funds raised by participants go to the work of Rosedale International around the world. RI is a Section 501 (c)(3) organization, and gifts are deductible as charitable contributions for federal and state income tax purposes. With the accountability provided by our board of directors and the Rosedale Network of Churches, we seek to honor God with these gifts and use them with efficiency and wisdom.
Day 1 – Shipshewana to Auburn, Indiana
61.6 mi +1,619 ft / -1,635 ft
Day 2 – Auburn to Van Wert, Ohio
62.2 mi +762 ft / -868 ft
Day 3 – Van Wert to Bellefontaine, Ohio
74.8 mi +1,743 ft / -1,141 ft
Day 4 – Bellefontaine to Columbus, Ohio
67.9 mi +1,944 ft / -2,532 ft
Day 5 – Granville, Ohio Loop
Route Details Coming Soon
67.2 mi +1,948 ft / -1,950 ft
Preparation & Equipment Guide
Though it is our desire to include everyone who wants to participate in Ride for Missions, there are some things to consider before signing up.
- To enjoy the experience, you should have ridden at least 150 miles in the month prior to the ride. (Exercise bikes help, but are not a substitute for the road.)
- Your training should include at least one 75-mile day at an average minimum speed of 10 to 12 mph or better. At 12 mph it takes 8.5 hours in the saddle to reach 100 miles, with a total ride time of approximately 10 hours with breaks.
Bring the bike you are used to riding (the one you trained on). However, consider the following:
- Road and hybrid-style bicycles are preferred over mountain bikes, because of tire size and effort required to operate.
- Be sure your equipment is in top mechanical condition prior to the ride.
Here are the other things you will want to bring:
- A parent (if you are under the age of 16)
- Helmet (required)
- Front and rear bike lights (required)
- Cycling clothes, shorts/bibs, gloves, and shoes (strongly suggested)
- Bike computer with GPS or a phone you can mount to your bike (strongly suggested)
- Everyday clothes and toiletries (will be carried in the support vehicle to the hotel)
- Bike mirror (suggested)
- Water bottles (2)
- Spare tubes (2)
- Tire changing tools, patches, and pump (make sure the pump fits your tire valves)
- Small cycling tool kit that fits your bike
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Rain gear
- Windbreaker
- Bike lock
- Trained legs
New Rider Information
For those of you worried about…
- Arriving last/not being fast: Don’t worry, Ride for Missions is NOT a race. We all look out for each other, and you will find a group of people that you can ride with. You will not be dropped and left to fend for yourself at any time. And remember, you have all day, just ride from one stop to the next.
- Completing the whole daily route: Relax—covering 60-100 miles each day may feel like a lot, but there is nothing wrong with taking a break and riding in one of the support vehicles if you need it.
Maps and directions
- GPS directions are available for each day.
- Paper handouts will be also available for those who prefer a paper map and/or cue sheets to follow.
- If you get lost, call the RFM Coordinator or one of the SAG crew (phone numbers will be available at the ride kickoff).
Starts and stops
- Start time is when you want to start. We suggest leaving by 8 am on the first day, but it is your decision. We do not have a group start time.
- A morning break is usually arranged at approximately the 30 mile mark. This break includes snacks and water.
- There is an additional water station somewhere between the hotel and morning break station. If you are in an early or late group, it may not be there. If you need food or water, stop and buy what you need.
- The lunch station is usually halfway from the start, or farther depending on the length of the route for the day. The lunch location will be clearly marked and will typically be in a park slightly off the route. The SAG crews feed us very well, so don’t worry about food at lunch.
- On long days there may also be an afternoon break, with a water station somewhere along the road.
- Plan your day so that you arrive at the hotel no later than 5 pm (3 pm is better). If you arrive by 5 pm you will have time to shower, get a quick supper, and be ready for the evening meeting, which we try to start at 7 pm. The earlier you arrive at the hotel the more relaxed your evening will be. However, if you arrive before 2 pm, the hotel may not have the rooms available yet.
- Each evening there is a meeting, and all riders are required to attend. If you cannot attend the evening meeting, please let someone know. This meeting includes information for the next day’s ride and this is where you get maps and cue sheets for the next day. It also includes a worship service (usually a little singing and a short meditation from the ride pastor), and sometimes one of the riders speak. The meeting starts at 7 pm (on the 100-mile “century” day we might start a little later).
Stuff you need to know
- Each rider is responsible for lodging costs
- Riders are responsible for their own supper. There are usually a variety of restaurants to choose from in the area of the hotel. If not, a shuttle to nearby restaurants will be provided.
- Breakfast will be included with the hotel costs.
- Breaks and lunch are provided by the SAG crew at no cost to the riders. If you need or want special foods during the ride, you are responsible for those.
- There is a dinner planned for all riders on Thursday evening at 5:30; family members in the area are also invited to attend.
- For those who need housing on Thursday night (after the ride concludes), contact the lodging committee for the Multiply conference at rosedalenetwork.org/ or make your own arrangements.
What to Expect
My Typical Day on Ride for Missions: Merlin Miller
I try to be in the breakfast room by 7 am and eat whatever looks good at the time. I don’t like eating syrupy things before a ride, but some people do.
My typical day is unlike some other riders’ because I usually don’t know who I am going to ride with until about the time to leave the hotel. While some riders ride with the same people every day, I like to ride with as many different people as possible during the five days.
Once I figure out who I am riding with, I make sure my bike is in order, check my tire pressure (there are always lots of pumps around to use, but if you like yours then you can bring it), and check my brakes. A small lap around the hotel is a good way to check your bike.
On the road, the morning water stop is always a welcome sight and is a good place to fill water bottles if needed. Not everyone stops at these, but I usually do. Lunch is also a welcome sight (in case you haven’t figured it out yet, food is an important part of these five days). There is always lots of food at lunch – sandwiches (build yourself), fruit, cookies, chips, etc. Lunch for me is a social and resting time. I often take at least an hour at lunch to eat, talk, and if a nap is calling my name, take a nap (on 100-mile days I don’t linger quite as long).
Back on the road, if an ice cream shop or a coffee shop shows itself toward the end of the day, you will probably find me hanging out there if I have time (if I could find a coffee shop that also sells ice cream, I think I would be in heaven!). I will also stop at the afternoon break if there is one. I try to get to the hotel around 3 to 4 pm, find some chocolate milk to drink, and shower before I start looking for a restaurant.
The evening meal is the most complicated part of the day. What am I hungry for? What restaurants are available? Who am I eating with? These are all very important questions that need answers (and the sooner the better!). Once I figure all that out, I am usually very hungry, so if you are eating with me don’t dilly-dally around, I want to eat! LOL!
After supper, I go back to the hotel and make sure the plans for the evening meeting are in place (where are we meeting? are the worship leader and speaker ready?).
After the meeting, I play a few games, hang out in the common room, and am in bed before midnight.
That is my typical day, but if you ask other riders, their day may look a bit different.