PORT ANGELES — Those yearning to test their endurance on a ride up to one of the most scenic places on the North Olympic Peninsula can register for Ride the Hurricane right up to the start Sunday.
More than 400 people had registered for the ride on a traffic-free Hurricane Ridge Road as of Wednesday, said Russ Veenema, executive director of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event, now in its fourth year.
More than 400 riders
Veenema expects some 450 to 475 people to make the ride to Hurricane Ridge, which is 5,242 feet above sea level.
Participants can choose between either the 24-mile round-trip ride starting from the Heart o’ the Hills entrance station on Hurricane Ridge Road or the 36-mile round-trip ride that begins at the Peninsula College parking lot at 1502 W. Lauridsen Blvd.
The official start time from both locations is 7 a.m.
Registration is $35 and can be done either in advance or the day of the ride.
Online advance registration can be done through the PayPal link at http://tinyurl.com/mbuqtku.
In-person registration before the event will start at 6 that morning in the Peninsula College western parking lot.
Each registration fee will provide $5 for Olympic Discovery Trail maintenance and expansion.
All riders are required to sign a waiver, and all riders must wear a cycling helmet.
Participants can begin after registering, but the Heart o’ the Hills access gate will not open until 7 a.m.
Spectators can ride a shuttle on a first-come, first-served basis. The shuttle from All Points Charters & Tours will leave the Peninsula College parking lot at 7 a.m. and Heart o’ the Hills at 7:20 a.m.
It will leave the Hurricane Ridge summit at 9 a.m. Other round trips will leave Peninsula College at 10 a.m., Heart o’ the Hills at 10:20 a.m. and the summit for the final trip back at 11:30 a.m.
Closed to vehicle traffic
Olympic National Park will close Hurricane Ridge Road to vehicle traffic, except for the shuttles, from 5 a.m. to noon, leaving it open for the cyclists to enjoy.
The park also will waive entrance fees for the cyclists at the Heart o’ the Hills entrance station from noon onward.
The recreational bicycle ride up Hurricane Ridge Road is noncompetitive. Those who reach the summit will get Ride the Hurricane cycling caps and refreshments at the summit.
Celebratory “I made it to the top” photos also will be taken and will be available online after the ride.
New this year is an informal post-ride party in the Peninsula College parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Riders need to be off the road by noon, when Hurricane Ridge Road will open to vehicle traffic.
Four aid stations along the route will provide water and restrooms.
Aid station sponsors include D.A. Davidson & Co., Kelly Johnson Windermere Realtor, Sound Bikes and Kayaks and The Bike Garage.
Black Ball Ferry Line, which operates the MV Coho between Port Angeles and Victoria, is the presenting sponsor. Additional major sponsorship comes from First Federal, with hospitality from Aramark Properties, water from Olympic Springs and the after-ride party from Therapeutic Associates-Port Angeles.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/mbuqtku.
