The Hasselhoff 5 are the most off-beat, populist bikers around

It was two years ago through a beer-soaked haze that what might be Cape Girardeau' most unorthodox bicycle riding club was formed -- the Hasselhoff 5.

Two guys decided to meet up to ride at 11 p.m. one Monday night, and the rest is history of a sort. A history of late-night rides, a few pitchers of beer to follow up and the formation of a regular biking ritual that's all about fun.

"We were the only people riding every Monday night for two months easily," said Patrick Koetting, one of the founding members of the group, of he and co-founder Keven Bricknell.

Then one Monday, Koetting showed up late to find no one waiting at the fountain in front of Kent Library, the regular rendezvous. He waited for Bricknell.

"Then 15 minutes go by and over the hill came about 15 cyclists. He was out there getting people for the ride."

The night riders meet every Monday at Kent (Photo by Fred Lynch)

The group's choice of name is a somewhat subtle, extremely cheesy joke.

Like Hasselhoff in the '80s, the cyclists are "night riders," (minus the "K," Kit).

Now the riders meet at any earlier time (you know, everybody's grown up some, says Koetting), 10 p.m. at the same place. From the Southeast campus who knows where their rides will take them. They might hop in cars and head over to the Grapevine Trail in Illinois for some road biking, or they might hit some local trails, or go down a deserted county road.

But they're almost always home by midnight, says Koetting. The drinking sessions that used to follow at the old Playdium have also chilled out a bit and moved to Buckner.

But the important part is the riding. Riding at night gives a totally new perspective to the same old scenery, heightening the senses.

"When you take it to pitch black it's really fun," said Koetting.

And the Hasselhoffers aren't competitive -- they welcome everyone and just want to have fun.

Of course the group is about more than just riding for Koetting. For him it's a sort of social movement, peace, love and bikes. And we wants people to realize they don't need cars to get around -- he rides almost everywhere.

"You don't have to have a DWI or be mentally handicapped to ride a bike to work," said Koetting.

Save the earth, ride a bike.