Rotary again hosting WaCanId bike ride

SANDPOINT — After several years in Colville, the renowned WaCanId bike ride, a 395-mile, six-day cycling adventure along the International Selkirk Loop, will start and end in Sandpoint once again. The race starts Monday, Sept. 11, and ends Saturday, Sept. 16.

The International Selkirk Loop is known for its breathtaking scenery and vibrant communities and is becoming a popular destination for cyclists who wish to participate in the unique race. Now in its fifteenth year, this annual Rotary-supported event takes cyclists on paved roads encircling the Selkirk Mountains of Washington, Canada, and Idaho — hence the name WaCanId.

“This year we have riders coming from 28 states, three provinces of Canada and one European country,” said Stephanie Sims, executive director of the International Selkirk Loop, who provides administrative support for the ride. “The cyclists are a diverse group of individuals and they are excited to participate and visit our beautiful area.”

The Sandpoint, Ponderay, Newport/Priest River, and Bonners Ferry Rotary Clubs are just four of the many clubs that provide support during the ride. The clubs help with everything from assistance to the riders, snacks and lunch stops, luggage handling, and more.

“The clubs truly do an outstanding job and the feedback from the participants demonstrates Rotary’s ‘service above self’ motto year after year,” Sims said. “Their goal is to provide the best support of any ride, and they just get better every year.”

Watch for the riders as they traverse the International Selkirk Loop and a couple of their ‘Super Side’ trips over the coming week. Their schedule is as follows:

Sept. 11 — Sandpoint to Colville, Wash.

Sept. 12 — Colville to Rossland, British Columbia

Sept. 13 — Rossland to Nelson, British Columbia

Sept. 14 — Rest day

Sept. 15 — Nelson to Creston, British Columbia

Sept. 16 — Creston to Sandpoint

The WaCanId Ride is a unique partnership between the International Selkirk Loop and the Rotary Clubs of District 5080 along the route. This unique partnership provides a way for the clubs to work together to raise funds and enhance the local economies along the route through the promotion of tourism. The funds that are raised during the event support each club’s individual community service projects.

If you would like to know more about the International Selkirk Loop or Rotary, please visit selkirkloop.org or contact Stephanie at info@selkirkloop.org