20th annual STOKR this weekend

The 20th annual Scenic Tour of the Kootenai River, or STOKR, will attract a record 475 bicyclists this weekend.

The event is a fundraiser for the local Habitat for Humanity. Every two years the money raised by the event is used to construct a house for a family in need.

The rubber meets the road at 8 a.m. Saturday when riders will travel from Libby to Troy along Highway 2 in a single lane. Event organizer Susie Rice requests the community take a leisurely start to their weekend.

“If you do not have to be on the road in the morning, I would ask that drivers wait until later,” Rice said, adding that she expects Highway 2 to be clear by 8:45 a.m.

Riders completing the full Saturday tour will cover 98 miles through the Yaak. A concert featuring the Sheldon Mountain Boys will take place 7 p.m. Saturday at the Christ Lutheran Church. The concert will also benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Sunday’s ride will start at 9 a.m. as riders travel the Haul Road over the dam and take Highway 37 into Libby.

Rice said the decision to expand the field was a balance between accepting an ever-growing list of applicants and maintaining the event’s homely feel. Every year riders are treated to homemade meals made by many of the nearly 300 volunteers.

Tickets for Saturday’s concert are $10 and available at The Western News, The Printing Press and Northwest Music.