PORT ANGELES — Registration is open for Peninsula Adventure Sports’ Gravel Unravel 2022 and other long-distance events on the Olympic Peninsula.
The Gravel Unravel, a three-race series of gravel bike courses, returns with some changes. Riders are warned that these endurance courses “are not a joke,” as even the short courses contain thousands of vertical feet of climbing.
The first is the Hoh-ly Roller in the Hoh River area on May 14. The second is the Bon Jon Pass Out on June 18 in the mountains between Quilcene and Blyn. The third is a new event, the Why-Not-Chee around Wynoochee Lake just south of Olympic National Park, to be held on July 16.
The Hoh-ly Roller has redesigned courses, which begin and end on the Hoh Mainline Road near the Coppermine Bottom Campground. There is a new course on the long and medium races that includes a traverse of Mount Octopus. The short course is 25 miles long and climbs 3,600 feet. The medium course is 48 miles long and climbs 4,900 feet, and the long course is 75 miles long and climbs a staggering 9,000 feet.
The Bon Jon Pass Out is roughly the same at the old Bon Jon Pedal Bender, only with two additional water stations. The three races begin and end at Worthingon Park in Quilcene.
The short course is 32 miles long and includes 4,000 feet of climbing. The medium course is 55 miles long and has 6,000 feet of climbing, while the long course is 80 miles long and has 9,000 feet of climbing.
The title sponsor of the Hoh-ly Roller and Bon Jon Pass Out is 11 Winery.
The Why-Not-Chee replaces the Sol Grinder, which had been held in and around the Sol Duc Valley. The Sol Grinder had to be canceled due to road washouts, which will not be repaired by July.
The Why-Not-Chee has four courses which begin and end near Coho Campground along Lake Wynoochee. There is a “micro” course of 17 miles that circles the lake, a 36-mile race with 3,200 feet of climbing, a 51-mile medium race with 4,600 feet of climbing and an 87-mile race that climbs 8,400 feet.
Title sponsor of the Why-Not-Chee is Honda of Grays Harbor. Oly Pen Real Estate is a sponsor and the beer garden is sponsored by Hoquiam Brewing.
If people had already signed up for the Sol Grinder, they will receive notification that the race has been changed to the Why-Not-Chee. People can either receive a refund or transfer their registration to the new race.
New this year will be series awards and for individual podiums, there will be team points.
Peninsula Adventure Sports’ Big Hurt 2022 will be held in and around Port Angeles on Sept. 24 and the Little Hurt will be held Sept. 25.
The Big Hurt contains four legs — mountain bike, kayak, road bike and running. People can compete solo or as part of a relay team of two to four people. All the transitions from one leg to another will take place down on the Port Angeles waterfront. The area this year will include music, food and a beer garden.
The Little Hurt is for children in fourth through ninth grades. Kids will ride BMX at the Lincoln Park BMX track for the bike leg, row on rowing machines for the kayak legs and do a train run around Lincoln Park. Distances will vary by age.
Peninsula Adventure Sports also operates the Olympic Adventure Trail run on April 16, the Great Olympic Adventure Trail run on Sept. 10 and the Pacific Northwest Extreme Cyclocross (date to be determined) at the Extreme Sports Park.
To register for the OAT run, Gravel Unravel, GOAT run, the Big Hurt and the Little Hurt, people can go to www.peninsulaadventuresports.com.
North Olympic Healthcare Network is a community partner for these events. Sponsors include Sounds Bikes and Kayaks, Delta Dental of Washington, Angeles Millworks/Hartnagels and Red Lion Port Angeles Harbor for the Big Hurt. Bike Garage, Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts, Lincoln Park BMX and Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association all help create the Little Hurt.
