David Ripp

Eighth "Pedal The Pinchot" Set To Aid Gifford Pinchot National Forest And

Surrounding Communities





The Rotary Club of Woodland, in partnership with the Gifford Pinchot

National Forest, will hold the eighth annual "Pedal the Pinchot" bicycle

ride to raise money for Forest and community projects. Four separate rides

near Mount St. Helens -- two road and two mountain bike -- are scheduled

between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, 2005. All rides begin and

end at Swift Forest Camp, 17 miles east of Cougar, Washington.



Rides vary from a:

 30-mile moderate road biking (over 1,000-foot elevation gain) to

Lower Falls,

 88 miles of intense climbing (over 8,200-foot elevation gain) to

Windy Ridge for road bikers who love the challenge of climbing to the edge

of Mount St. Helens,

 32 miles of moderate mountain biking (over 1,000-foot elevation

gain) on the Lewis River Trail to Lower Falls, or

 49 miles of EXTREMELY difficult mountain biking to Windy Ridge

(over 5,000-foot elevation gain).



"You can't believe the incredible scenery," "This ride should be a Northwest

classic," "What an incredible challenge to climb over 8,200 feet on the road

bike route to Windy Ridge," and "Every mountain bike rider that wants an

incredible challenge should ride the 49-mile loop to Windy Ridge--it's a

crime that every mountain bike hard-core enthusiast doesn't know about this

ride!" "The waterfalls and forest views on the Lewis River trail are

beautiful--what a great way to experience the outdoors." These are just a

few of the comments riders shared after completing the event in the last

couple of years.



The $35 registration fee includes a T-shirt, food at rest stops, hot lunch

served by the Rotary Club, and support on the ride.   The monument pass

recreation fee normally required at some viewpoints on Forest Road 99 will

be included also. Riders identified with a rider number and identified

volunteers will be allowed at sites free of charge on July 16.



More information is available by calling Dave Ripp at (360)225-6555, or for

route maps and a detailed description of the ride, visit the web site at

www.pedalthepinchot.com



Registration can be completed on the web site or by clicking the Active.com

link from the site.