2014 Giro della Montagna
Sunday, August 31 started out with decent temperatures in the low 70s and beautiful blue skies. Riders were eager and ready to go by 7:10 but were held at bay until 7:25 a.m. The turnout for this Sunday City ride was stellar with nearly 400 cyclists.
Each route started cycling in different directions and featured unique rest stops. The short route began by going north into Forest Park. Cyclists then had a refreshing rest stop with cold watermelon at Turtle Playground.
The medium route cyclists first headed south and rode a bit on the River des Peres trail before stopping at Bellerive Park. At the park, cyclists admired a scenic overlook of the Mississippi while enjoying snacks provided by Pedal the Cause.
The long route traversed some of Grant’s Trail and River des Peres Trail before heading north into the City. Making a stop at the Carondelet Park YMCA, cyclists replenished with some hard-earned trail mix.
Most of the riders returned before the afternoon temperatures and humidity became too overbearing. The historic Giro della Montagna ProAm races of the Gateway Cup started in the early afternoon just half a block from our ride start. The Giro della Montagna races have been going on since 1986 and attract a large crowd and professional racers from all over the nation.
Thanks go to our Bike Shop sponsor, Big Shark Bicycle Company, and Great Rivers Greenway, who provided funding for the ride.