July 31, 2009

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Bicycle enthusiasts who want to experience the Tour of Missouri Stage Two route from the seat of their bicycle, are invited to participate in a "Ride the Route" event Sunday, September 6^th, two days before the professional cyclists take the road from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau.

The event is sponsored by Velo Girardeau, a Cape Girardeau bicycle club which is publicizing their ride on their website www.velogirardeau.com, but apparently have not coordinated their event with official Tour of Missouri organizers.

Velo Girardeau says those who want to the tackle the entire 112.4-mile route of Stage 2 of the race, will begin at 8 a.m. September 6th on Merchant Street in Ste. Genevieve.

A less taxing ride will begin at 1 p.m. the same day in Altenburg, where riders will be able to join the group riding from Ste. Genevieve and follow the winding route through northern Cape Girardeau County into downtown Cape Girardeau.

To make sure riders can complete the race or to help out riders who try to do more than they can handle, a van with a professional bicycle mechanic will accompany the riders. The mechanic will fix breakdowns, and riders who must fall out of the event will be able to climb into the van for the remainder of the route.

Participants must pay $10 each to defray costs, Moore said. For $20, participants will also be provided with T-shirts to commemorate the event, he said.

Contact Velo Girardeau at its website, www.velogirardeau.com, for more information about the Sept. 6 ride.

Here is the complete turn by turn Stage Two route:

Tour of Missouri route

The path from St. Genevieve, Mo. to Cape Girardeau will be:

Start on Merchant Street at DuBourg Place.

Left turn to the South on Fourth Street to Market Street.

Left turn to the East on Market Street to Main Street.

Left turn to the North on Main Street to Merchant Street.

Left turn to the West on Merchant Street to Fourth Street.

Left turn to the South on Fourth Street until it becomes Highway 32.

Southwest on Highway 32 to Route B

Left turn to the South on Route B to Coffman, Mo.

Left turn to the Southeast on Route WW to Route T at the Ste. Genevieve-St. Francois county line.

Left turn to the East on Route T, passing through Silver Lake, Mo., and Perryville, Mo., to U.S. 61.

Right turn to the South on U.S. 61 to Route P.

Left turn to the East on Route P to Route C just south of Crosstown, Mo.

Right turn to the South on Route C, passing the towns of Farrar, Brazeau, Frohna, and Altenburg and New Wells to Cape Girardeau County Road 532 at Pocahontas.

Left turn to the East on Cape Girardeau County Road 532 to Cape Girardeau County Road 543.

Right turn to the South on Cape Girardeau County Road 543 to Highway 177.

Left turn to the East on Highway 177 to Cape Girardeau County Road 607 at Leemon.

Right turn to the Southeast on Cape Girardeau County Road 607 to Route V.

Right turn to the South on Route V to Route Y.

Right turn to the West on Route Y to Route W.

Left turn to the South on Route W to Cape Girardeau County Road 618.

Left turn to the East on Cape Girardeau County Road 618 to Cape Girardeau County Road 621.

Right turn to the South on Cape Girardeau County Road 621 to Cape Girardeau County Road 638.

Left turn to the East on Cape Girardeau County Road 638 to Cape Girardeau County Road 635.

Left turn to the East on Cape Girardeau County Road 635 to Cape Girardeau County Road 640.

Stay right continuing East on Cape Girardeau County Road 640 to Cape Girardeau County Road 657.

Right turn to the South on Cape Girardeau County Road 657 to Highway 177.

Right turn to the on Highway 177 to Cape Girardeau County Road 657 (Old Route V).

Left turn on to the Southeast on Cape Girardeau County Road 657 to East Cape Rock Drive.

Left turn on East Cape Rock Drive through Cape Rock Park to N. Main St.

Left turn to the South on N. Main Street to Broadway.

Right turn on Broadway to Lorimier Street.

Left turn on Lorimier Street to William Street.

Left turn on William Street to Main Street.

Left turn on Main Street to Finish.

Finish on Main Street in front of Hutson's Furniture.