25th annual STOKR coming May 11-12 Special performance from Boulder Creek Band May 11

When the idea was first put forward about having a bicycle tour in Libby as a fundraiser, there were many who were skeptical. The first year, 98 riders came for the Scenic Tour of the Kootenai River, and $7,614 was raised for Habitat for Humanity. This year there are 450 riders and over $37,000 will be raised.

Of those 450 registered riders, 26 have ridden over half of the 24 previous years. Another 125 riders will be doing their first STOKR. In 25 years, 3,077 unique individuals will have ridden, coming from all over the United States.

What makes STOKR so popular?

Many riders are attracted to the scenic roads with little traffic. Organizers for the event have worked closely with the Montana Department of Transportation to help with the impact of that many bikes on the road.

The ride will begin on Saturday, May 11 but without an official start time. The riders know when the food stops open and close, and are expected to time their departure to get there on time. This approach was tried in 2018, and it really seemed to eliminate the big groups that cause motorists to be concerned.

Knowing how much this ride benefits local area businesses as well as Habitat for Humanity, drivers are asked to be extra patient over the weekend.

Many riders say it’s the food or the friendly people of our communities that attracts them to the ride.

It takes over 300 volunteers to provide the food, put out the signs, man the food stops and drive support vehicles. Local churches, community groups and restaurants provide 53 pies, 158 dozen homemade cookies and brownies, 26 pasta salads, 22 gallons of soup and 60 feet of party sub sandwiches. We even had a rider report gaining weight after riding 98 miles!

To celebrate this anniversary, the Boulder Creek Band will be doing a benefit concert at the Libby Christian Church at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Tickets are available at the Venture Inn, the Libby Chamber of Commerce, the Printing Press, The Western News and at the door. Cost is $10.

STOKR is all about building homes. It takes two STOKR events to build one home.

This summer, Kootenai Valley Partners Habitat for Humanity home number 13 will be constructed. In building years, the STOKR riders are invited to arrive a day early and help on the house construction. This year, 29 riders have made that commitment. Their skills will be divided between the new construction and the rehab that is currently in progress.