Riders tackle Sisters to Summit race

The first in a four-part series of rides got under way last Wednesday evening with the Sisters to Summit bike race.

The brainchild of Sisters Stampede Race Director Joel Palanuk, the ride to the pavement-ending gravel atop Three Creek Road has attracted local riders for years, and now Palunuk wants to see more involvement and some official times.

"There has always been a locals' competition to the top," said Palunuk. "But where people start has always been a gray area, and has always been the honor system on what your time was. This (race) establishes a start line, and a finish line, and also gives people from Bend and Redmond a chance to test their climbing skills to the top."

Starting in a time-trial-type format, where riders take off at certain intervals (in this race one minute apart), the race started on Elm Street at Village Green Park. The first rider took to the course at 6:30 p.m. followed by nine other riders. The course heads south of town where Elm Street turns into Three Creek Road. The 5.5 miles greets the climbers with a steady one-percent grade, but then a three-quarter-mile stretch turns into a quad-burning six-percent grade. After that the riders get brief respite and another brutal eight miles to the finish.

Greg Zadow, of Sisters, has been tackling the ride for 11 years.

"I started climbing Three Creeks in 2001 and always had a love-hate relationship with the climb," he said. "I had timed the ride a few times and challenged some friends to give it a shot, too. Rich Hummel and I duked it out between ourselves, but I was unaware of many others who were doing this, but was glad when I heard that Joel had been timing his efforts, too. I broke 1:06 only once, by about 10 seconds, and last year after many years off gave it another try, 1:10 and then a week later 1:06:50. I'm hoping to do better on that this year."

Ten participants took up the challenge of the 15-mile ride to the summit the first night.

"I don't really want it to be a big thing," said Palanuk. "It's a week night you know, really low key, every Wednesday through the month of June. But it'll be interesting to see how people suffer. I want to see people's faces about a mile before the finish line because you get a mile from the finish and you think it's going to flatten out and it just keeps going."

The winner of the initial race in the men's category was Dan Packman of Bend in 1:05:03, followed by Race Director Joel Palanuk in 1:05:13, and Chris Wynans in 1:05:39.

Kerry Martin led the women's group in 1:08:24, and Ina McClean finished second in 1:22:10.

The next race in the series is Wednesday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m. Registration is from 5:30-6:20 p.m., and the entry fee is $10. An OBRA annual or one-day license is required.

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