Cyclists Ride for Two Rivers

More than 200 cyclists rolled out from Sisters to climb up to Dee Wright Observatory on Highway 242 or to explore east of town on Saturday.

The third annual Ride for Two Rivers got under way at FivePine Lodge. The ride, co-sponsored by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and Cycle Oregon, is an effort to raise money and awareness to benefit two wild and scenic rivers, the Metolius and Whychus Creek.

One-hundred percent of ride proceeds will go toward supporting ground conservation and restoration projects under the NFF's "Treasured Landscapes" campaign. The restoration efforts will focus on enhancing recreational opportunities, while improving the health of the rivers and wildlife habitat.

"This ride is a part of our Treasured Landscapes conservations campaign, of which we have 14 sites across the country," said Lisa Leonard, National Forest Foundation's Oregon program coordinator. "The money we've raised today from the riders' fees, we match one-to-one, and then we leave that money on the ground here to do work on the Metolius and Whychus Creek."

This year the ride included two route options with varying degrees of difficulty. The Route 1 option was a 23-mile trek along Camp Polk Road, Hwy. 126, and the Cloverdale area before a return to Sisters. The Route 2 options had heading out McKenzie Highway, up to the Dee Wright Observatory with a well-earned ride downhill back to FivePine.

The National Forest Foundation was created by Congress in 1992 to be the official non-profit partner of the United States Forest Service. The mission of the NFF is to help the Forest Service care for the nation's forests for the benefit of future generations. As a non-profit, the NFF solicits funding from the private sector as well as receiving funds from congress.

"Sisters and our partnership with the Deschutes National Forest has really been an exemplary set of partnerships," said Kathleen Dowd-Gailey, NFF's Northwest regional director. "From the quilt partnership with the Sisters Quilt Show to Three Creeks Brewing, to this ride with Cycle Oregon, all of these things are ways that different communities of people can help restore and engage with their national forests."

Cycle Oregon's roots can be traced back to 1987, when Jim Beaver and Jonathan Nichols, a columnist at The Oregonian, came up with the idea for a ride from Astoria to Ashland. From there Cycle Oregon was born. The initial event took place in September, 1988, with over 1,000 cyclists from 20 states. This year the event will celebrate it's 25th anniversary.

"Cycle Oregon is our main partner for the Ride for Two Rivers," Leonard said. "This is actually our third Ride for Two Rivers. They're the folks setting up signs and manning rest stops, and we couldn't do this without them."

After the ride, participants were greeted with free beer from Three Creeks Brewing Co. with a beer created just for the NFF, called Restoration Pale Ale. After an afternoon of live music and raffle prizes, riders were treated to a buffet dinner at FivePine Lodge.