GREAT NORTHWEST FALL TOUR

Date: Sunday. Location: Newport.

The skinny: Ride the county roads of Pend Oreille County, with a route geared to any member of the family.

Distance: 15, 30, 50, or 85 miles.

Services, goodies: Food stops; meal at finish.

Cost: $20 ($30 with T-shirt). Family rates. Register by: Friday.

Sponsor: Newport-Priest River Rotary Club.

Contact: Melody Geddes, (509) 292-5099; gnwft.homestead.com.

PEDAL AROUND A GLACIER, EH!

Date: Sept. 6-7. Location: Nelson, B.C.

The skinny: This 14th annual two-day ride paces along Kokanee and Slocan Lakes and twice across the spine of the Selkirk Mountains to loop around Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. The overnight is in New Denver along Slocan Lake.

Distance: 135 miles (219 km).

Services, goodies: Meals, snack stops, prizes, gear shuttle, support vehicles, T-shirt.

Cost: $70 U.S., with family rates. Register by: already closed.

Sponsor: First Baptist Church of Nelson.

Contact: (250) 352-7199; www.firstbaptist.kics.bc.ca.

BIKE MS

Date: Sept. 6-7. Location: Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, Idaho.

The skinny: Based out of the Coeur d'Alene Casino, this fund-raising ride runs 72 miles each day between Mullan and Plummer on the lovely Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes rail trail. Many people form teams to cover the route and get donations to fight MS.

Distance: 72 miles each day.

Services, goodies: vehicle support, luggage transport, special rates at casino hotel.

Cost: $50 plus $250 in donations.

Sponsor: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Inland Northwest Chapter.

Contact: (509)482-2022 or (800) 344-4867; http://bikewai.nationalmssociety.org

TOUR DE COEUR

Date: Sept. 7. Location: Higgens Point, Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The skinny: This 7th annual family fun day uses the Centennial trail and other routes ranging from easy to rugged to raise money for cancer research and services to cancer patients.

Distance: 1, 33 or 66 miles.

Services, goodies: T-shirts, food, rest stops, entertainment, games.

Cost: $30, plus pledges raised.

Sponsor: American Cancer Society.

Contact: (509) 242-8295; www.acsidaho.org.

RATHDRUM ADVENTURE RACE

Date: Sept. 6. Location: Rathdrum, Idaho.

The skinny: This new bike-paddle-run event is geared to tough individuals and enthusiastic teams. A mountain bike or hybrid is needed for a long stretch of logging road.

Distance: Mountain bike 19 miles (6 miles paved), paddle 4.5 miles, run 5 miles.

Services, goodies: T-shirts, refreshments, medals for top three finishers in each division.

Cost: $25 individual, $50 team.

Register by: Friday to avoid late fee.

Sponsor: Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce.

Contact: (208)687-2399; www.rathdrummountain adventurerace.com.

HIGH PASS CHALLENGE

Date: Sept. 7. Location: Packwood.

The skinny: A new challenge dreamed up by the Cascade Bicycle Club's high-performance cycling group gives riders 10 hours to conquer 7,500 feet of climbing around Mount St. Helens. This is not a ride for the unprepared or weenies of any sort.

Distance: 114 miles.

Services, goodies: Three food stops, including one at turnaround on top of Windy Ridge.

Cost: $80. Register by: Sept. 3 or ASAP (ride limited to 800 cyclists).

Sponsor: Cascade Bicycle Club.

Contact: www.cascade.org.

CHAFE 150

Date: Sept. 13. Location: Sandpoint, Idaho.

The skinny: Ride from Sandpoint, along Lake Pend Oreille, through river valleys, into Montana and back. Although this mileage is packed into one long fund-raising ride for fit freewheelers, the route has no major climbs or passes.

Distance: 145.3 miles.

Services, goodies: Five top-notch food stops, t-shirt, dinner, entertainment, mechanical and medical support, pre- and post-race functions, gifts.

Cost: $120 plus raised donations. Register by: ASAP (ride limited to 250 cyclists).

Sponsor: Panhandle Alliance for Education.

Contact: (208) 263-7040, www.chafe150.org.

CYCLE OREGON

Date: Sept. 6-13. Location: Varies.

The skinny: This ride is sold out for 2008, so set your sights on 2009 for what many cycles tout as the premier catered biking event in the Northwest. The route, which is northeastern Oregon this year, changes every year to benefit rural communities who turn out in force to cater to the cyclists.

Distance: 40 to 80 miles a day.

Services, goodies: Course support, showers, meals for seven days, snacks, camping, after-ride beer and wine gardens, and porter service available, baggage transport, mechanics and medical assistance, community involvement, entertainment.

Cost: $825. Register by: February 2009 after new tour route is announced. Last year's tour filled in four weeks.

Sponsor: Cycle Oregon, a non-profit organization dedicated to bicycling enjoyment, safety and education and community development.

Contact: (800) 292-5367; www.cycleoregon.com.

TOUR DES LACS

Date: Sept. 20-21. Location: Spokane-Coeur d'Alene.

The skinny: This 18th annual two-day event has become an Inland Northwest classic, with a unique assortment of options for food, riding and other amenities, including party-boat transport across Lake Coeur d'Alene. Routes range from easy on paved Centennial Trail and Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes to serious tests of fitness for advanced riders on the hills around the area's lakes.

Distance: 40, 66, 86, 110 or 124 miles for first day, with 40- and 73-mile options for second day.

Services, goodies: Long-sleeve t-shirt, two breakfasts, food stops both days, two end-of-day meals, luggage transport (riders make own overnight arrangements in Coeur d'Alene).

Cost: $72 adult, $25 youth, under-12 free. Register by: Sept. 5 to beat late fee.

Sponsor: Round and Round Productions.

Contact: (509)455-7657; www.roundandround.com.

DAM2DAM

Date: Sept. 27. Location: Wenatchee.

The skinny: Inspired by the courage of Mike Utley, a pro football player paralyzed by a spinal cord injury, The DAM2DAM Thumbs Up! Bike Tour encourages riders to gather contributions for medical research and then pedal their hearts out along the Columbia River between Wells and Rocky Reach dams.

Distance: 25, 50 or 100 miles

Services, goodies: Tyvek jacket, goodie bag, rest stop refreshments, barbecue at finish.

Cost: $75, plus minimum $250 in contributions. Register by: Sept. 1 to assure jacket. Online sign-up closes Sept. 20, but entries allowed up to day of event.

Sponsor: Mike Utley Foundation fundraiser to benefit research on spinal injuries, paralysis.

Contact: (800) 294-4683; www.mikeutley.org.

TOUR DE WHIDBEY

Date: Sept. 27. Location: Whidbey Island.

The skinny: This 7th annual tour is a health-care fundraiser on scenic backroads past farms and waterfronts, with easy routes or a demanding century.

Distance: 10, 50 or 100 miles.

Services, goodies: Pancake breakfast, food stations, roving route support, chili feed.

Cost: $25 to $70.

Sponsor: Whidbey General Hospital Foundation.

Contact: www.whidbeygen.org.

-- Rich Landers

The Spokesman-Review