important ride updates

The Olympic National Park asked us to notify you of recent cougar activity, and to let you know that areas of the park are closed due to cougar sightings. They are allowing the ride to proceed but ask that all cyclists be aware and vigilant on the ride. You can read more about that HERE

Also, there is a portion of Race Street that is closed to cars just before it splits off to Hurrican Ridge road, but cyclists are permitted to proceed through the construction area. Be aware of rough roadway in that area and proceed with caution.

If you’re being dropped off at Heart of the Hills, the vehicle won’t be able to go up Race St., so be sure to take Park St. to Race St. as an alternative route. If you’re unsure how to do that please let us know. Hurricane Ridge Road closes to traffic at mile zero, and doesn’t open again until noon. The lower part of the road will be open for local traffic only, so if you try to drive up there a ranger will turn you around.

Just a reminder that there is no building at the summit. There will be portable toilets and handwashing stations, and an aid station with more substantial snacks than those along the route, but the the Day Lodge fire eliminated the restrooms, the gift shop, and the snack bar. The stunning scenery will be the same as it ever was, so the payoff for the climb will be well worth it.

One more reminder to be sure to start your ride in plenty of time to be back off the road when it opens to cars at noon. If you plan to linger at the aid stations or the summit, please allow yourself plenty of time. Cyclists who leave prior to 6am should be very careful and keep a close eye out for our volunteers heading up to their aid stations and the summit. This year we will sweep the route, so any cyclist who have not made the summit by 11:30am will be turned around by our sweeps. Hundreds of cars will be heading up as soon as the road opens at noon and our aid station volunteers will be heading down, so it will not be safe for cyclists to be on the road past noon. Bib numbers will be noted of an cyclists who do not abide by the sweep’s recommendation to head down or who are seen by aid station volunteers heading up when they should be going down. If your bib number is noted as a cyclist who is on Hurricane Ridge road after it opens to cars, you will not be invited back to Ride the Hurricane. Please do not endanger this ride by ignoring safety precautions.

Finally, please be considerate and observe the rules of the road. Stay to the right, and do NOT ride in the oncoming lane. Call your passes when riding up behind someone. Please do not speed down the hill. The rangers have given speeding tickets to cyclists who exceeded the speed limit, and they say they will continue to do so.

It looks as if Sunday is going to be a warm day, so bring your sunscreen and be sure to start the ride hydrated. We hope this is the best Ride the Hurricane ever, and that it will continue to be a yearly tradition for all of you on the first Sunday of August each year. We’ll see you then!