Fire changes summer lifestyle in Sisters

The brownish plume of smoke drifting over Sisters the past few days has taken its toll on some scheduled events and local businesses.

Saturday's Sprint Distance Triathlon, sponsored by Sisters Athletic Club, was canceled. Approximately 30 local athletes had planned to participate.

The triathlon was to begin with a short swim in the Athletic Club pool, followed by a six-mile cycle climb up Three Creeks Road where participants turn around and ride back down; the event was to finish with a three mile run out the back door of Sisters Athletic Club.

Tate Metcalf, Sisters Athletic Club general manager, said that concerns about people exercising in the smoke-filled air prompted the postponement.

In addition to the safety of participants, Metcalf remarked, "The bigger issue was that it was not the right thing to do. Lots of people have been displaced. It is more important to place energy into helping with the immediate situation."

The triathlon has tentatively been rescheduled for the end of August. A date will be chosen that does not conflict with other running and triathlon events in Central Oregon.

Sisters' shops and restaurants have also felt the impact of the cloud of smoke that has been hovering over the town. For most establishments, business has not been business-as-usual.

Buzz Burnett, third manager at Ray's Food Place, said on Saturday, "Things are pretty slow today."

Burnett added that Ray's is receiving many orders from the firefighters. Ray's employees fill the orders and deliver them to the fire camp at Sisters Middle School.

Gordon Wilson, co-owner of Sisters Harvest Basket, said Saturday was "not an award-winning day." He remarked that not as many people as normal bought Friday and Saturday night dinners. Fish and meat sales were down.

"People are not quite sure of where they are going to be tonight," he said. "But we are not going to close our doors."

Business was slow on Saturday at The Gallery Restaurant. The restaurant's hostess, Chelsea Murry, said that things picked up a little in the late morning, "but nothing like a normal Saturday. We normally have a waiting list and did not have one today."

At Sisters Drug and Gift, the pharmacy was busier than normal. Likely, people wanted to insure they did not run short of necessary prescriptions should additional evacuations be mandated.

Sales clerk Jenny Brown said that the weekend brought mostly tourists to The Stitchin' Post and Wild Hare. Friday was busy. However, Saturday was "about half of what we normally have on a Saturday."

Doc Hollidays' manager, Kirsten Ward, said, "It has been very slow, unusually slow with the fire. It's just weird for the summer. This is a change from last summer when we were hoppin'." Ward mentioned that the smoke was coming through the air conditioning system and can be smelled in the store.

At El Rancho Grande, hostess Nicole Poole said, "As far as outdoor seating goes, nobody wants to go outside. It's just too smoky. It's just been slow the last couple of days. People are kind of on hold, standing by, waiting to see what will happen."

Sisters Movie House reported that things have not been as good as normal but have been better than expected. About Saturday, Jayson Berray, Assistant Manager, said "our night showing is less than normal but still OK and our first two showings were pretty bad. We are seeing a lot of our regular, die-hard, faithful customers, but we aren't seeing that many new faces."