News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Cyclists enjoyed a traffic-free day on the McKenzie Highway during Ride for Two Rivers.
With Saturday dawning clear and with the promise of sunshine and mild temperatures, dozens of cyclists made their way to Creekside Park in Sisters to sign up for a ride.
Ride for Two Rivers saw the ranks of participants swell to over 200 with a multitude of last-minute walk-ups, eager to take advantage of the last day the McKenzie Pass was open only to cyclists. The event was a self-paced ride, with a multitude of mileage options, not a race. Some riders went hard, others cruised and enjoyed the spectacular mountain scenery.
"BendBroadband had a team on the ride, and they're fast" according to Lisa Leaonard of the National Forest Foundation (NFF).
The National Forest Foundation created the event as a fundraiser for restoration work on the Sisters Ranger District, focusing on the Metolius River and Whychus Creek.
"I would say our target is $25,000," said Leonard.
The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with the NFF to stage the event, whose title sponsor is Moda Health. The event wrapped up with dinner at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center.
Leonard also noted that Three Creeks Brewing Co. has created Restoration Pale Ale that started as a tribute to the event and has entered the brewing company's line of specialty beers and ales.
Wendy Holzman and her husband, Alan, were getting set on Saturday morning to switch from their volunteer T-shirts into riding togs. Alan was helping to sign riders in, while Wendy was making sure they all signed waivers. She was looking forward to a ride.
"This will be my second year," she said. "It's loose and easy today. We'll go where we want to go."
She reported later that, "It was a great day and I'm so happy that the riders got beautiful weather. The dinner at FivePine out on the patio behind the conference center was very nice, too! Now we will work even harder at growing the event."
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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