Bright-colored spandex and Camelbak water bottles dominated along Columbia County’s main thoroughfares over the weekend as thousands of bicyclists journeyed through the area during the 46th annual Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic.

“Heading south from Seattle and ending in Portland, Oregon, STP is a thrilling back-to-back double-century ride through urban and rural settings,” event organizers said.

On Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13, bikers took to the streets on a 206-mile “ride of a lifetime” — perhaps to the ire of local drivers. Every year, cyclists lace up their shoes and put on their helmets to embark over hilly terrain and a 5,100-foot elevation gain as they ride south from Seattle to Portland. The event is organized by the Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle, and it began in 1979.

The event route took participants across the Lewis and Clark Bridge and through Rainier, Columbia City, St. Helens and Scappoose, riding primarily along Highway 30 with a brief detour onto Columbia Boulevard in St. Helens. Several rest stops were set up throughout the area for cyclists to take a break and cool down amid the weekend’s unrelenting heat.

With entry costs ranging from $160-345, the event serves as a fundraiser for the Cascade Bicycle Club. The funds are used for the club’s education and advocacy programs, such as the Pedaling Relief Project — which charges bicyclists with delivering food to food-insecure neighbors — and its sliding pay scale bike riding and bicycle maintenance classes.