Trailnet sorry but not changing day of ride from Yom Kippur

Trailnet is sorry, the chief executive office says in an open letter to the “Jewish Community of St. Louis.”

The Ride the Rivers Century race that Trailnet sponsors is on Saturday, the same day as Yom Kippur this year. Yom Kippur is a high holiday for members of the Jewish faith and marks a period of repentance and is marked with fasting.

“Choosing this date was a grave oversight in our planning,” the letter from Ralph Pfremmer of Trailnet. “It was unintentional and we are truly sorry.”

Pfremmer says the goal of Trailnet is to make walking and biking “better for everyone” and the organization “celebrates and embraces diversity.”

The Ride the Rivers Century bike ride calls itself “the best 100 miles in the Midwest” and starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday and crosses the Mississippi at the Grafton ferry. A metric century, or 63-mile route, is also offered.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Trailnet sorry but not changing day of ride from Yom Kippur."