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| For Immediate Release | Contact: Sue Lampe |
| August 11, 1998 | Phone: (360) 891-5091 |
VANCOUVER, WA--The National Forest Foundation, in partnership with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, will hold the first-ever Pedal the Pinchot bicycle ride on Saturday, Aug. 15, to raise money for Forest restoration projects. Five separate rides -- three for road bicycles and two for mountain bicycles -- are scheduled between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. All rides begin and end at Swift Forest Camp, 17 miles east of Cougar, Wash.
"This is a new and exciting opportunity for people to use their Forest while at the same time raising money for special Forest projects," Forest Supervisor Ted Stubblefield said. "It should be a lot of fun, with rides designed for all ages and skill levels."
Participants may sign up on race day, or sign-up forms can be picked up at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters, 10600 N.E. 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA. They also can be picked up at local bicycle stores, or printed from the Gifford Pinchot's webpage -- www.fs.fed.us/gpnf. Registration cost is $40. For information, call the Pedal-the-Pinchot hotline at (360) 891-5151.
Participants can chose among three road bicycle routes: Swift Camp to Windy Ridge, an 88-mile round trip course with more than 6,000 feet of elevation gain; Swift Camp to Lower Falls on the Lewis River, a 30-mile round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain; or Swift Camp to Twin Falls via Lower Falls, a 55-mile round trip with more than 1,600 feet of elevation gain.
Mountain bicyclers can choose either the Lewis River Trail route, a 32-mile round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain, or the Lava Canyon Trail route, a 49-mile round trip with more than 5,000-feet of elevation gain. For a unique challenge not offered at most events, riders may combine a road bicycle and mountain bicycle ride.
Registration includes a one-year membership in the National Forest Foundation, T-shirt, water bottle, food and more. A new mountain bicycle donated by Klein Bicycles of Chehalis, Wash., and a road bicycle donated by Specialized Bicycles will be raffled.
The National Forest Foundation is a non-profit organization charted to assist in conserving and sustaining our National Forests for future generations. Pedal the Pinchot is its first public partnership event with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and one of the Foundation's first such events in the nation.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Revised: August 12, 1998.