Bicycles and chocolate in Palatine

It may seem counterintuitive to start out a bike ride with an old-fashioned cake doughnut dripping with chocolate frosting.

But guilt-free indulgence is one of the ideas behind the first-ever Sweet Ride: 2009 Palatine Chocolate Bicycle Tour.

Riders will gather at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at Morkes Chocolates, 1890 N. Rand Road, and bicycle through Palatine's trails and paths. They'll stop to sample chocolate offerings at Hotel Indigo, Mikes Bike Shop, Emmett's and Durty Nellie's before pedalling back to Morkes around 1 p.m. Treats along the way include chocolate-dipped bacon, chocolate energy drink, chocolate raspberry tiramisu and fruit yogurt parfait with a chocolate swirl.

The route covers 11 miles, with six optional add-on miles.

A portion of the profits will benefit the World Cocoa Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the standard of living for cocoa farmers.

Rhonda Morkes, third-generation owner of Morkes Chocolates, said she envisioned an event that "appealed to individuals, groups of friends and families, was chocolate focused, involved exercise, education and fun, and also helped an organization that is important to the chocolate industry."

She hopes The Sweet Ride will become an annual event in Palatine and would like to start one in Algonquin, where Morkes' second retail store is located.

For more information on The Sweet Ride, go to morkeschocolates.com. On-site registration costs $55 for adults and $30 for children ages 5 to 12. Children under five ride for free.