Bring bikes, beer for Winter SUX.

An avid bicyclist, Dr. Barbara-Anne Huculak loves to take part in the RAGBRAI cross-Iowa bike tour every summer.

But for Huculak, a physical therapy program instructor at Western Iowa Tech Community College, she enjoys riding her bike in the winter just as much.

Huculak plans to be one of the participants in the fourth-annual Winter SUX bike ride.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, where it's minus 30 degrees in the winter, Saturday's event should be a piece of cake.

"I like riding when it's cold," she said.

Winter SUX is part bike ride/pub crawl, with plenty of stops at various watering holes. The round-trip, 5-mile ride through Morningside will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Miles Inn, 2622 Leech Ave.

Riders will then proceed to Soo-Z's Saloon, 1910 Leech Ave., and Rhonda's Speakeasy, 212 Cunningham Drive, before stopping for a barbecue lunch at The House of Q, 2520 Transit Ave. at 11:30 a.m.

After lunch, cyclists will ride to the Paxton Street Tavern, 2110 S. Paxton St. as well as optional bars like Jim's Lounge, 4504 Stone Ave, Tav on the Ave, 914 Morningside Ave. and Pete's 20th, 3118 Jay St., before heading back to the Miles Inn.

According to Hucalak, the bike ride allows participants "to thumb their nose at Old Man Winter."

"We can say winter hasn't gotten the best of us," she said, "and that spring will soon be here."

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