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Tour de Menlo ride is Aug. 21

Hundreds of Bay Area cyclists are expected to take part in this year's Tour de Menlo, the annual bike ride that starts and ends at Menlo-Atherton High School and offers three mid-Peninsula routes of 25, 35 and 65 miles. A ride description and more information can be found at www.tourdemenlo.com.

The longer course will take riders to Belmont and then south through Woodside, Portola Valley and Los Altos on their way to the lunch stop at the Picchetti Open Space district on Montebello Road in Cupertino. The return route heads north on Foothill Boulevard through Los Altos, Palo Alto and on Menlo-Atherton High School. The elevation gain on the longer ride is about 2,500 feet. The 35 and 25 mile routes are virtually flat and are designed to appeal to beginning and intermediate riders.

Lunch will be served at the scenic Picchetti Open Space and historic winery, where riders will be able to relax in a shaded setting overlooking Stevens Creek Reservoir. Lutticken's, the Menlo Park deli, will cater the hearty lunch of grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches as well as a wide variety of salads.

The ride is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Menlo Park and the Almanac, the community newspaper and website that serves Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside.

All proceeds from the ride will benefit Rotary tutoring and need-based scholarships as well as nonprofit organizations supported by the Almanac's annual Holiday Fund drive. The beneficiaries include: the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Anthony's Dining Room in Redwood City, Shelter Network, Youth and Family Assistance and several others.

Registration at www.TourdeMenlo.com continues until ride day, Aug. 21, although anyone who wants to receive a ride T-shirt must register online by Aug. 11. Advance registration costs $50 including lunch and the shirt.

The ride is fully supported, with two rest stops and a water stop, and SAG support is offered over the complete route. For more information call Tom at 650-575-2279.