9 p.m. Saturday, ride begins at 10:30 p.m., meet at Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., $40-$45, $25 ages 6-15, free 5 and younger, $85 three- and four-person family; 633-6884, trailsandopenspaces.org/newsevents/starlight-spectacular

—

Twenty-one years ago, a small group of local bicyclists thought a middle-of-the-night bike ride capped off with a sunrise viewing would be the best thing since padded bike seats.

They approached the Trails and Open Space Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving open space and parks and creating a network of trails, bikeways and greenways for the Pikes Peak region. The group gave it a green light and the Starlight Spectacular was born.

About 200 people showed up for the inaugural ride that started at 2 a.m., says Susan Davies, the coalition’s executive director. Nowadays, about 1,500 bike enthusiasts show up and the ride has been moved to an earlier, more accessible time slot for families.

This year’s event is Saturday and begins at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. All proceeds benefit the coalition.

“It’s the largest and longest bicycle riding event in the community,” Davies says. “It’s mission-related for us because bike lanes are our mission. We need better connectivity and to get people out on bikes.”

Participants are encouraged to meet at 9 p.m. for music, food, drinks and contests before the group embarks en masse at 10:30 p.m. Riders will cruise along a short loop through Garden of the Gods before exiting onto 30th Street, where they can choose a 14-, 17- or 21-mile course that will deposit them back at the visitor center.

Davies estimates the 14-mile course takes less than two hours and the 21-mile course takes about two and a half hours.

Each course is mostly flat, though there is a gentle climb on the return to the visitor center, and recommended for most ages and abilities. Along the way, rest stops offer snacks, porta-potties and other goodies. And when riders swoop back into the visitor center, an early morning pancake breakfast will be waiting.

“You can see the moon reflected off the rocks in Garden of the Gods. It’s thrilling,” Davies says. “It’s not a race. It’s just going out and doing it with 1,500 people.”

JENNIFER MULSON, THE GAZETTE, 636-0270, JEN.MULSON@GAZETTE.COM