News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Joel Palanuk and family. Joel is hoping to win a slot at the prestigious BC Bike Race 2011. photo provided
Sisters mountain biker Joel Palanuk is taking a shot at getting into the lineup for one of the sport's most prestigious races: The BC Bike Race. And it's up to folks in Sisters to help him get there.
"It's a seven-day, eight-stage mountain bike race in British Columbia," Palanuk explained.
Palanuk has been nominated for the Kazlaw Community Mountain Biking Award, which honors people who make mountain biking happen in their community. The prize is a spot in BC Bike Race 2011.
Palanuk was nominated for his role organizing the Sisters Stampede Mountain Bike Race last year. The first-time event was a smashing success, drawing some 370 racers to run Sisters' newly established trails.
To vote for Palanuk visit http://www.bcbikerace.com/registration/promotion.
Getting into the BC Bike Race lineup is an opportunity that Palanuk relishes - though he never expected to have an opportunity right now.
"It was just one of those things I told myself I had to do someday in my life," he told The Nugget. "I don't know how worthy I am of getting entry into the race, but it's certainly flattering and humbling and it would be a dream come true, for sure."
Local cyclists certainly think he's worthy. The Sisters Stampede was not only a successful race, it serves as a model for how outdoor recreation can serve as an economic engine in Sisters.
"We'll be bigger this year," Palanuk said. "Just from talking to people around the state, the buzz is really continuing in the racing community. I definitely have a vision for the race of making it the best-quality race in the state."
Palanuk has raced competitively since 2001.
"I'm competitive in nature and played ball sports all through school," he said. "When I found cycling, I found a competitive opportunity - and I love it."
His wife Shawna Palanuk is also an elite cyclist. The couple moved to Sisters from Bend three years ago.
"Shawna and I both grew up in small towns and wanted the same for our kids," Joel said.
He also found in Sisters a dedicated group of people who were busy turning Sisters trails into a network of first-class runs for cyclists that also accommodates hikers and equestrians. Part of his motivation in launching the Sisters Stampede was to honor that work.
"I really wanted to get exposure for all the work the Sisters Trails Alliance has done for our trails," he said.
Palanuk is most appreciative of the support the race garnered from the community.
"Sisters is an awesome community," he said "People step up for things like this and get behind it 100 percent."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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