'A BEAUTIFUL RIDE': TOUR DE CAPE ATTRACTS MORE THAN 100 CYCLISTS

Carl Nelson drove 300 miles from Indianapolis to Cape Girardeau so he could go on a 62-mile bicycle ride Saturday.

His biggest decision at 8 a.m. as he prepared to begin the autumn ride was whether to wear a jacket.

The temperature was a chilly 40 degrees as cyclists in the first Tour de Cape registered at the downtown pavilion and made last-minute adjustments to their bicycles.

"It's supposed to get warmer," Nelson debated, but after taking a short ride to the end of the parking lot and back, he opted to wear the jacket.

"I can really feel that wind on my chest," he said with a grin and zipped up.

Nelson and more than 100 other like-minded cyclists converged on Cape Girardeau Saturday morning to participate in the first Tour de Cape, sponsored by the Evening Optimists.

Riders could choose to tour 15-, 30-, 62- or 100-mile courses, depending on their experience.

Riding a blue Trek bike equipped with two water bottles, Nelson, who is a 1970 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, said he has been cycling about eight years.

He said Tour de Cape was the first ride he has been completely healthy for, having recently recovered from injuries from an inline skating accident.

"I like to get out and do other rides in the Midwest from time to time. It's a lot of fun," he said, adding that he was not intimidated by Southeast Missouri hills.

"I figure if I'm in shape, the hills shouldn't be much of a problem," he said. "I'm not familiar with the route, so it will be a challenge. The hills will determine if I ride 62 miles or not."

Optimist Jan Gerard began organizing the ride last October with the help of her husband, Steve, an avid cyclist who did the 100-mile ride Saturday.

She said she also had the help of many volunteers and corporate sponsors. Most of the proceeds from the registrations will be used for Optimist-funded youth programs.

Gerard said when she first presented the idea of a bike tour fund raiser to her fellow Optimists, they were unsure people would pay money to ride when they could just walk out their front doors and ride any time they want.

"But I explained that the reason these people ride is because of the people they meet, the people they ride with from all over the country. That's why they do it," Gerard said.

Cyclists came from 31 cities for the Tour de Cape, with one even coming from Pennsylvania. Gerard said about half the 73 pre-registered riders were from the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area.

"Rides tend to start out very small. If the cyclists like the ride, if there is good food and good support, those are the kinds of things that make people come back year after year."

Bob Wooldridge and Dave McAtee came from St. Louis for the ride. Both planned to do the 62-mile tour and were looking forward to the challenge of the hilly terrain.

"I just started riding bikes this year as a way to exercise," Wooldridge said. "I found this ride on a Web site and decided to come down. I like the hills. I've gotten better at them."

Both men ride with the Bicycle Fun Club and a group of touring cyclists in St. Louis. McAtee, who also mountain bikes, has been riding for about 20 years and said the hills would post no problem for him because he has ridden the Smoky Mountains and through the Ozarks.

Meanwhile, Gerard stayed busy at the registration table, explaining the touring routes, answering cell phone calls and helping riders adhere their entry numbers to the backs of their shirts.

"The sun's going to come out. The leaves are changing. It's going to be a beautiful ride," she said.