The seventh annual Bottleneck Bridge Ride set for Sunday, Aug. 21, in Jefferson County is expected to draw hundreds of cyclists, organizers say.
The ride offers four routes in the southern portion of the county – 17 miles, 34 miles, 42 miles and 77 miles – and passes through downtown shopping districts, stopping at wineries, restaurants and landmarks along the way.
All routes begin and end at the Main & Mill Brewing Co., 240 E. Main St., in Festus.
Admission costs $35 for any of the rides. Trailnet members receive discounts, and Peloton members ride for free. Riders younger than 18 may ride the family route for free and other routes for $10.
Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., and organizers intend for all the riders to take off at the same time at 8 a.m.
“During the all-start, law enforcement will block Bailey Road (at Truman Boulevard and Hwy. 61-67 in Crystal City) to get the riders through the intersection,” said co-organizer Scott Seek. “Once beyond the intersection, riders may go at their own a pace for the rest of their excursions.”
Seek said that because participants go at their own paces over different routes, there is no set finishing time for the overall event.
“We expect most to come in around 2-3 p.m.,” he said. “Usually, we see our last riders come in at 5 or 6 p.m.”
Andy Held is the other organizer of the event.
The Jefferson County Growth Association (JCGA) and Trailnet, an organization that promotes bicycle riding and hiking in the St. Louis area, organizes the event. The Festus Tourism Commission is the event’s major sponsor.
“We should see 600 or more come in to ride,” Seek said. “We had over 400 last year.”
Seek, president of the Jefferson County Tourism Commission arm of the JCGA, said the ride has become a major promotional opportunity for the county.
“We expect well over 80 percent of the riders to come from outside of Jefferson County,” he said. “Every year, we get people who say they didn’t know you have all this – the sites along the ride – in Jefferson County and they want to come back to see them.”
Seek said the event will include live music in front of Main and Mill.
“We’re hoping it will basically become a street festival,” he said.
The Living Life on 2 Wheels nonprofit organization, which promotes youth bike riding, will sponsor a free children’s ride at noon.
“It will be near Pedal’n Pi restaurant (514 Bailey Road, Crystal City),” Seek said.
He said the 77-mile route goes from Main & Mill through Crystal City, Herculaneum, Pevely, Hillsboro, De Soto, Mapaville and back to Festus, with rest stops every 10 miles or so.
Along with stops at wineries and restaurants, the trip takes riders to the historic Sandy Creek Covered Bridge in Goldman, north of Hillsboro.
The shorter routes have stops at some of these locations, Seek said.
“It goes off rain or shine,” he said. “Weather’s not usually a factor, although it can be hot.”
To register or for more information, visit the Bottleneck Bridge Ride Facebook page or go to the JCGA website.