Moving the Bottleneck Bridge Ride from summer to fall should make for a more comfortable bicycle trip, but the main reason is to join forces with the Main & Mill StreetFest, organizers said.
The 11th annual Bottleneck Bridge Ride, a trek of various routes through southern Jefferson County, will take place Saturday morning in conjunction with the StreetFest that will happen shortly after on Festus Main Street. The Jefferson County Growth Association hosts the event.
“In the past, the heat’s been kind of an issue,” said Andy Held, an event organizer. “It didn’t deter people from coming out, but we had the opportunity to see about partnering with a bigger, established event like the Main & Mill StreetFest. So, I asked Denny (Foster, the StreetFest organizer) if we’d be able to do this as a piece of the big puzzle.”
The Bottleneck Bridge Ride offers routes of 14, 34, 41 or 67 miles. Check-ins start at 6:30 a.m. at the Pedal’n Pi bicycle shop and pizza restaurant parking lot, 319 W. Main St., Festus, with the rides commencing at 8 a.m. The cost to ride is $35.
Stops along the routes include wineries and breweries, restaurants and historic sites like the Sandy Creek Covered Bridge, according to information from organizers. Depending on the route, riders will pass through Festus, Crystal City, Herculaneum, Pevely, Hillsboro and De Soto.
Held noted that it is not a race and that participants may pedal as hard or as easy as they like, with race volunteers available in vehicles ready to assist if someone needs mechanical or other assistance.
“So, we’re really excited that we can offer the event, even though it kind of changes some of the logistics as far as where the start line is,” Held said. “The start line is not directly on Main Street (the portion where StreetFest takes place), but it offers something for everybody when they get done with the ride (with the StreetFest), and so their families can come spend the day on Main Street. They can shop, they can dine, they can enjoy the community.”
He said Festus Mayor Sam Richards and Crystal City Mayor Mike Osher will once again participate in the start of the ride.
“Mayor Richards once again will be leading the event (in his car),” Held said. “Mayor Osher might ride (on a bike) in the Bottleneck again this year. I think he’s ridden in it the last couple years.”
As part of the changes related to the Bottleneck Bridge Ride, Gateway Trailnet is no longer co-hosting the event, Held said.
“Gateway Trailnet is a great organization,” he said. “(Changing from August to October) kind of fell outside where the Trailnet calendar was going. It was a good change for us.”
A Kids Bike Safety Rodeo and Helmet Clinic sponsored by the Twin City Area Optimist Club will take place from 12:30-2 p.m. at the Festus Public Library parking lot, 400 W. Main St.
The Festus Tourism Commission awarded a $12,700 grant to Held to help put on the Bottleneck Bridge Ride.
Visit bottleneckbridgeride.com for more information.