Hundreds of riders roll up highway

Some 300 cyclists took advantage of a glorious cusp-of-summer morning to climb up and over the McKenzie Pass in the annual Ride For Two Rivers event.

Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, title sponsor Moda Health and the Eberwein family staged the ride so that cyclists could use their pedal-power for good: A portion of the proceeds from the ride benefit the Metolius River in Camp Sherman and Whychus Creek in Sisters, through the National Forest Foundation.

The 300 entries marked a big jump in registration for the event, as riders ere eager to hit the highway over the pass while motor-vehicle traffic is restricted.

Steve Davis came down from Portland for the ride.

"First time on the McKenzie Pass," he said. "I always wanted to do this ride when there's no cars."

There was a strong contingent of local riders out to enjoy a signature Sisters ride in a different way.

"I've ridden up and down a bunch of times, but I've never ridden all the way over, so that'll be fun," said Jeff Wester.

Avid cyclist Chuck Humphreys thinks the ride is a perfect showcase for cycling in Sisters Country. "You can leave from the high desert - the ponderosas and sage - and in two hours, depending on how fast you ride, you're over into the firs and rhododendron on the other side of the mountains," he said. "I'm biased 'cause I live here and I ride a lot, but I think it's the best ride in America, I really do."

The fully supported ride offered a variety of options for cyclists, starting at Creekside Park and concluding with a return to Sisters and FivePine Lodge to enjoy a farm-to-table-style dinner.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

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.

• Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
• Phone: 5415499941