More than 11,000 bananas, 4 tons of watermelon, 13,000 bagels and 18,000 sandwiches will be doled out over the 204-mile course by volunteers at designated rest stops.

"I always joke that STP is one of the few cycling events you can do and still gain weight because there's so much food," said Tony DeVita, an avid bike rider and the store manager at Gregg's Bellevue Cycle. "It's just nonstop consumption."

This year marks the 26th annual STP. In all, 8,500 riders from 36 states and a variety of countries were set to take off from the University of Washington's Montlake parking lot at 4:45 this morning. About one-fourth of them will complete the ride in one day.

STP is Cascade Bicycle Club's largest fund-raiser. At $80 a head, the organization expects to raise $680,000 in registration fees.

The average STP rider (150 pounds) will burn about 3,900 calories on the road, said Carry Porter, marketing director for Cascade Bicycle Club. In contrast, Lance Armstrong would need to eat 541 Hostess SnoBalls to replenish the 97,380 calories he will burn during this year's 2,241-mile Tour de France race, according to the August issue of Bicycling magazine.

The first food stop on the route, Le Cafe de REI, is modeled after the famous French race. Riders will be greeted at mile 24 by 100 beret-wearing volunteers from longtime sponsor Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI).

STP quick facts


Oldest rider Karl Petterson, 83, Normandy Park

Youngest rider 51 weeks old

Most STPs Jerry Baker of Seattle has ridden in all 26 STPs.

Total miles 204

"We do it every year to give back to the cycling community," said Will Chin, RE