Registration for the 17th annual Tour de Kingston and Ulster, presented by O’Connor & Partners PLLC, is now open, according to the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County. “We are happy to announce that this year’s tour will be held on Sunday, September 11,” said Tom Polk, Chairman of the tour organizing committee and the YMCA’s Bicycle 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 Bike Brothers Bike Shop in Kingston and the Rhinebeck Bicycle Shop will be back to serve all the riders in the tour.”
Tour founder Allen Nace, who started the Tour de Kingston after riding in the Tour de Bronx and other community cycling events, said, “I wanted to get my friends and family out riding and knew that Ulster County had the potential to be a great biking destination, and it will be great to see us back on the roads and trails in September.”
All Tour de Kingston rides start and finish at the Forsyth Park Pavilion in historic Uptown Kingston. Parking for the event is at Dietz Stadium, 170 North Front Street. The rides start from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Register online at https://www.bikereg.com/tdk22. Discount registration, available through September 10, is $50 for adults and $10 for youth under age 18. On the day of the ride, registration is $60 for adults but remains $10 for youth. The five-mile Family Fun Ride is free of charge, but registration is suggested.
Proceeds from the Tour support community bike repair, safety education for youth and the Tour De Kingston Community Scholarships. “Our scholarships are open to anyone seeking to further their education with a commitment to serve the residents of Ulster County,” Polk said. Applications are available by contacting Polk at the YMCA tpolk@ymcaulster.org.
The tour’s free family fun ride is a flat, five-mile course that starts at 10 a.m. and travels through Uptown and Midtown Kingston. Riders are escorted by volunteer Ride Marshals and the Kingston Police Department. “And we make a rest stop at the Fireman’s Museum, which is a big hit with the kids,” Nace said. Riders 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 beginning and intermediate riders distances of 8 to 16 miles on roads and the flat, paved Hurley trail. These rides are led by experienced bicyclists.
Starting at 9 a.m. are the 25- and 50-mile road rides for intermediate and experienced riders. These are self-guided routes.
The mostly off-road gravel grinder ride, suitable only for the most experienced riders, will start at 8:30 a.m. The route features dirt roads, rail trails and some pavement riding with challenging terrain and lots of hills.
Event registration fees include pre-ride refreshments, the Bike Brothers Burger BBQ, raffle ticket, route map and rest stops with food and water. Riders with any mechanical problems can be picked up by our support vehicle.
Join the family! 
