Eganville – Dozens of eager bikers lined up at the Legion Memorial Field at all hours of the morning Sunday to participate in the 14^th annual Tour de Bonnechere.

When asked how much work went into putting on this year’s tours, event organizer Bob Peltzer chuckled, “probably just a couple hundred hours,” he replied. While it usually takes months of planning, he said it always pays itself off without question.

“A lot of work goes into it, but it also brings a lot of people to our area,” he said. “This event started over 10 years ago. In that time, I’ve seen the number of cyclists on the road around here probably quadruple.”

Mr. Peltzer said the tour’s community benefits are not limited to the weekend, mainly thanks to their 100-kilometre route, Monarch of the Mountains getting so much attention.

“It’s extremely difficult, but that fact attracts people,” he said. “With 1,400 metres of climbing, it’s one of, if not the toughest 100k rides in all of Ontario, and there’s a lot of folks who come out and do it just for that reason.

“We also created an easier 100 km route this year for folks that wanted to say, ‘I’ve done 100 kilometers. I’ve done the century ride.’ It’s a milestone for someone who’s getting into cycling, so we created a route without those crazy climbs.”

The Bonnechere EZ 100k was the second route to take off, leaving at 7:30 a.m. It was followed by the Bonnechere Beauty 65k at 7:45 and Gravel Grinder 50k at 8:30.

The family-friendly 20k Cave Coaster was the last tour to depart with less participants, mainly because it was the starter route for families who have been coming for several years and have since evolved to longer routes. It took cyclists to the Bonnechere Caves on a one-hour tour and returning just in time for lunch.

Roberta Della-Picca acted as the event’s spiritual leader, extending blessings and singing songs of welcome to each group before they went on their way.

 “Chi-miigwech to the stewards of the land, the water and the air. They made it possible for us to meet, play, and have shenanigans in this neck of the woods. And let’s thank all our ancestors because without them you wouldn’t even be here,” she said.

After the tours, visitors enjoyed a barbeque while personnel from GearHeads in Petawawa were on site to help with any mechanical issues, and VC (Victoria Cleary) Athletic Therapy assisted athletes with aches and pains.

The Upper Ottawa Valley Musical Healing Veterans provided entertainment for the lunch portion of the event. They covered a variety of old alternative rock classics, like ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries and ‘Keep Your Hands to Yourself’ by Georgia Satellites.

Bonnechere Caves co-owner Chris Hinsperger and his team acted as the event’s parking crew.

“It’s wonderful from a community development angle,” he said. “It brings people together volunteering, it creates fellowship and goodwill. From a tourism angle, any time someone comes to a town to do an event they also learn about the area. These cyclists will come back here on their own or with their families and friends and do the same routes they did in a competition at their leisure.”

Ottawa Valley Cycling and Active Transportation Alliance (OVCATA) Director, Ish Theilheimer, said the tour has had an economic benefit on the community as well.

“Some people are retiring from Ottawa and other places and locating here,” he said. “One of the reasons is the events. that’s what they’ve been telling me. We’re actually bringing people into the area with these events.”