• Phase 2 — We’ve made several modifications to the safety plan of the ride to allow us to proceed while still in phase two. We are counting on you, the participants, to follow all the guidelines and to prevent any gathering or crowding with people who are not in your household or group. Please do not linger at the aid station tables. Grab your snack or water and move away from the tables to enjoy it. Maintain 6 feet when waiting for toilets. We aren’t able to have an after ceremony, barbecue, or other celebration after the ride, so please do not gather at the finish line area. Believe us, this is just as disappointing for us as it is for you. Ascent times will not be available until later in the day, when they are posted on this website.
• Where to go — If you’re unfamiliar with Downtown Port Angeles, click on this interactive 360 degree PORT ANGELES map. It will show you the Visitors Center where you can go for advance check in, right next door to city pier where the official route begins. You can swivel the map around and see Hurricane Ridge, your ultimate destination. If you’re beginning your ride at Heart of the Hills and you haven’t preregistered, you’ll need to grab your registration packet at the City Pier and drive up to your starting point.
• Advance Check In — We’ve been getting a lot of questions about advance check in, so here’s how it works, 1) Come by the Port Angeles Visitors Center Friday, July 31st or Saturday, August 1st, between 9-4 pm to pick up your registration packet. 2) On the morning of the ride you can ignore your check in time, put on your wristband, hop on your bike, and start riding up to Hurricane Ridge. No need to check with anyone. Start anytime and anywhere you’d like along the route. Most cyclists will start at either Port Angeles City Pier or the Heart of the Hills Ranger Station.
• Ride Time — The road to Hurricane Ridge will be closed to motor vehicles until noon, but it will be extremely busy with vehicles when it opens, so please try to get down the hill by then. Check the route link for distances and elevation gain to estimate your time. The ride takes anywhere from 2-4 hours depending upon conditioning and starting point.
• Parking — will be available at both main starting points: Heart of the Hills park entrance and Port Angeles City Pier. If you’re staying at the Red Lion hotel, the advance check in location and official start to the route are right next door. There is plenty of free parking downtown and it will be widely available on a Sunday morning.
• Masks — We will not be requiring masks while you ride, but please keep a mask on your person so you can don it if you need to speak with a volunteer or another cyclist not in your group. The Maska included in your registration packet works great for this.
• Photos — A professional photographer will be available at the summit to take a photo with an elevation sign, which will be available for purchase. There are examples in the gallery.

Please use the comment form below to ask any additional questions so that we can post the answers here. If you have a question about something, chances are someone else is wondering too.

Photo courtesy of Karen McDonald

Edited to Add: We have been authorized to move forward with this event while Clallam County remains in Phase 2. We’ve made significant modifications to the organization of this ride in order to comply with current restrictions and regulations. If you’ve done it before please be aware that it will be very different from past events, but we know that you share our gratitude that we’re able to do it at all. We’re counting on your flexibility and understanding in helping us coordinate an event that is safe, healthy, and enjoyable for cyclists and volunteers.

Clallam County is currently at Phase Two of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start Reopening plan. In order for Ride the Hurricane to proceed, we must be at Stage Three. We are following all the information coming from the Clallam County Department of Health, as well as the Sate of Washington, and we continue to plan the 2020 ride in anticipation that we will be at Phase Three by August 2nd.

• In these uncertain times, it is important to note that the details of the ride may change as the current health situation unfolds in Clallam County, and as health officials may add restrictions or adjustments. Of course the focus of this event is the opportunity to ride up to Hurricane Ridge and back down on the National Park road when it is closed to motor vehicles. We will do everything we can to make that experience as safe and healthy as possible.
• We cannot guarantee that the ride will proceed, although we anticipate that it will go forward at this time. If Ride the Hurricane must be postponed or canceled, we will issue a full refund to those who have registered.
• Prior to the ride we will send each registrant important information about how to be safe and healthy, as well as how to participate while following our state and county health restrictions.
• Masks are strongly encouraged at this time, but not required while riding. Each rider will receive a Primal Maska gaiter which can serve as an excellent mask during the event.
• The Canadian government announced that the closure of the border between the U.S. and Canada has been extended through the end of July. The Blackball Coho ferry is currently not running between Victoria and Port Angeles. We will continue to update you here as we get new information.