Recurring events that follow a different route each time?
August 29, 2019 4:04 PM Subscribe
I'm interested in community events which follow a different route each time they occur - for example, the Tour de France happens every year, but follows different roads each time. Please give me more examples!
I'm happy with examples with competitive races OR non-competitive events. People can travel the route by any mode of transportation - bike, boat, feet, motorcycle, etc. These can be big-name internationally-known events or little local affairs. Many thanks!
I'm happy with examples with competitive races OR non-competitive events. People can travel the route by any mode of transportation - bike, boat, feet, motorcycle, etc. These can be big-name internationally-known events or little local affairs. Many thanks!
The Giro d'Italia road bicycling race and Paris-Dakar road rally.
posted by philfromhavelock at 4:19 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by philfromhavelock at 4:19 PM on August 29, 2019
The (Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa
Riders dip their back tires in the Missouri River on Sunday and dip their front tires in the Mississippi the next Saturday. The route changes every year, with cities and towns bidding to serve as a host each night.
posted by Fukiyama at 4:54 PM on August 29, 2019
Riders dip their back tires in the Missouri River on Sunday and dip their front tires in the Mississippi the next Saturday. The route changes every year, with cities and towns bidding to serve as a host each night.
posted by Fukiyama at 4:54 PM on August 29, 2019
People can travel the route by any mode of transportation
Might not be quite what you are looking for, but almost all hot air balloon events follow a different route every time, since you can't steer a balloon. One of the larger events of this type is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
posted by yohko at 5:23 PM on August 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
Might not be quite what you are looking for, but almost all hot air balloon events follow a different route every time, since you can't steer a balloon. One of the larger events of this type is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
posted by yohko at 5:23 PM on August 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
The Paris-Dakar Rally changes pretty frequently (it's changed so much it's in South America now!).
posted by saladin at 5:30 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by saladin at 5:30 PM on August 29, 2019
Do the Olympic marathons count?
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:48 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:48 PM on August 29, 2019
Best answer: Came in to say the same thing as Fukiyama, but for every state. In most states it is called "Bicycle Ride Across blank", where blank is the name of the state, and they work like RAGBRAI - different start and finish every year, different routes. Here is a list.
posted by kovacs at 6:24 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by kovacs at 6:24 PM on August 29, 2019
Some repeats, but a variety of different routes for CicLAvia.
posted by doctord at 6:51 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by doctord at 6:51 PM on August 29, 2019
Like CicLAvia, San Francisco has Sunday Streets.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:06 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:06 PM on August 29, 2019
Not annual, but the America’s Cup yacht race moves around a bit, depending on whether or not a challenger bests the host/defender.
posted by notyou at 9:55 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by notyou at 9:55 PM on August 29, 2019
Seconding the Barkley Marathons, and of you are interested in weird community events you will absolutely adore the charming documentary about it, The Race That Eats Its Young (free if you have Amazon Prime).
posted by charmedimsure at 11:36 PM on August 29, 2019
posted by charmedimsure at 11:36 PM on August 29, 2019
Response by poster: This is a great collection of events! Thank you, everybody!
posted by sdrawkcaSSAb at 10:16 AM on August 30, 2019
posted by sdrawkcaSSAb at 10:16 AM on August 30, 2019
The Transpac race always starts in LA and finishes in Honolulu, but the fastest course depends on weather conditions over 2500 miles of ocean. Optimal routes can vary by 100s of miles between years.
posted by Horselover Fat at 9:12 PM on August 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Horselover Fat at 9:12 PM on August 30, 2019 [1 favorite]
The world's largest ultra race, the Comrades Ultramarathon in South Africa alternates directions each year between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with a relatively uphill or downhill course depending on the year.
posted by sweetpotato at 11:48 PM on August 30, 2019
posted by sweetpotato at 11:48 PM on August 30, 2019
The Iditarod alternates between a more northern route and a southern route, though sometimes it will repeat the northern route if there hasn’t been enough snowfall in the months before.
posted by ejs at 6:55 PM on August 31, 2019
posted by ejs at 6:55 PM on August 31, 2019
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Edited to add it for on foot only/courses change a bunch but maybe not EVERY year
posted by PistachioRoux at 4:19 PM on August 29, 2019 [2 favorites]