Registration for the 17th Annual Tour of Kingston and Ulster, presented by O’Connor & Partners PLLC, is now open, according to the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County. “We are pleased to announce that this year’s tour will take place on Sunday, September 11,” said Tom Polk, Tour Organizing Committee Chair and YMCA Bike Program Manager.

“We can also announce that the famous Bike Brothers BBQ will be back,” Polk added. “We missed them during the pandemic shutdown, but Dave and Marty Schleede, owners of the Bike Brothers Bike Shop in Kingston and the Rhinebeck Bicycle Shop will be back to serve all of the tour riders.”

Tour founder Allen Nace, who started the Tour of Kingston after competing in the Tour of the Bronx and other community cycling events, said: “I wanted to get my friends and family to ride and I knew the county Ulster had the potential to be a great cycling destination, and it will be great to see us back on the roads and trails in September.

All Tour of Kingston hikes begin and end at Forsyth Park Pavilion in historic downtown Kingston. Parking for the event is at Dietz Stadium, 170 North Front Street. The rides start from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Register online at https://www.bikereg.com/tdk22. Discounted registration, available through September 10, is $50 for adults and $10 for youth under 18. Race day registration is $60 for adults but remains $10 for youth. The five-mile Family Fun Ride is free, but registration is suggested.

Proceeds from the tour support community bike repair, youth safety education, and Tour De Kingston community scholarships. “Our scholarships are open to anyone who wishes to further their education with a commitment to serve the residents of Ulster County,” Polk said. Nominations are available by contacting Polk at the YMCA [email protected].

The tour’s free family walk is a five-mile flat course that begins at 10 a.m. and runs through Uptown and Midtown Kingston. Runners are escorted by volunteer marshals and the Kingston Police Department. “And we stop at Fireman’s Museum, which is a big hit with the kids,” Nace said. Runners will also visit the YMCA for a water break.

The Hurley Rail Trail is the centerpiece of the road and trail rides, which start at 9:30 a.m. and offer beginner and intermediate riders distances of 8 to 16 miles on Hurley’s flat, paved roads and trail. These rides are led by experienced cyclists.

Starting at 9 a.m., the 25- and 50-mile road rides are for intermediate and experienced riders only. These are self-guided routes.

The mostly off-road gravel breaker ride, suitable only for the most experienced riders, will start at 8.30am. The route includes dirt roads, rail trails and paved roads with difficult terrain and many hills.

Event entry fee includes pre-ride refreshments, Bike Brothers Burger BBQ, raffle ticket, route map, and food and water drop-offs. Riders with mechanical problems can be taken care of by our support vehicle.