Cyclists gear up for Le Tour De Koocanusa
<p>Bart Klika, left, and Aaron Gingerelli approach the turnout on the Forest Development Road overlooking Libby Dam Saturday during their first climb of the third annual 83-mile Le Tour de Koocanusa.</p>
Cyclists in the fourth annual Le Tour De Koocanusa will be hitting the road this Saturday for a rigorous 83.5-mile ride.
The event, hosted by David Thompson Search and Rescue will start at 8 a.m. at the David Thompson Bridge near the Libby Dam.
Riders will travel a clockwise path around Lake Koocanusa beginning on paved Forest Service road 228 until they cross the lake at Rexford Bridge and head south on Highway 37 to the finish line back at the David Thompson Bridge.
Event founder and director, Dejon Raines, started the event four years ago as a fundraising opportunity for David Thompson Search and Rescue.
“This event is really great for Libby,” Raines said. “A lot of people don’t know this, but the Koocanusa is rated the number one location for world bike tours
The course is described as a moderate course with a fair amount of undulation. The elevation ranges from 2,146 feet to 3,140 feet during the ride with an approximate total gain of 5,469 feet. Shortly after the ride begins, participants will endure a 1.5 mile up-hill section with a climb of 500 feet.
The $60 pre-paid registration fee will supply the participants with three different food and beverage stops, two water/electrolyte stops, a T-shirt and a ticket to the Riverfront Blues Festival. Riders will be constantly monitored by support vehicles on the tour.
With the Scenic Tour of the Kootenai River as her inspiration for a new bike tour, Raines spoke with coordinators Susie and Greg Rice and she attributes much of her success to the advice she received from the experienced couple.
“We talked about what kinds of things she would need for the event,” Greg Rice said. “We spoke about food stations, having water stations about every 20 miles or so and how being friendly goes a long way.”
Raines said the tour is expected to have a good turnout this weekend with 121 registered participants, 30 volunteers, and over 15 sponsors to make the event possible.
Although the event is hosted locally, only 5 percent of the participants are local competitors.
“The largest group of participants comes from Canada and they make up 50 percent,” Raines said. “The remaining 45 percent are from different areas in Montana, Idaho, Washington and California.”
Rice will be one of the local participants in this year’s event, marking his second ride since 2010. Rice said the tour is a beautiful ride with minimal traffic which allows participants to talk with other riders without worrying about traffic dangers.
“I am excited for this ride,” Rice said. “It is going to be long, but Highway 37 has some good shoulders and the scenery is just wonderful.”
Rider check-in and packet pick-up will take place on Friday from 4-8 p.m. at Irene Loveless Realty. Riders will also have a chance to check in at the event on Saturday morning if they cannot attend the prior check-in session.