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Wednesday, January 18, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Bike trail advocate to speak
By Craig F. Eisenbeis
Correspondent
Mountain bike trail advo-
cate Mike Ripley will be the
guest speaker next week for
the Bjarne Holm Memorial
Speaker Series, which is
put on by the Sisters Trails
Alliance (STA).
Ripley, owner and opera-
tor of Mudslinger Events, will
speak on trail advocacy from
the perspective of someone
who puts on a variety of trail
events every year. He typically
organizes about 13 moun-
tain bike events per year. For
example, in just the next few
months, some of those events
will include the Mudslinger
XC, the Sisters Stampede, and
the High Cascades 100. He is
co-founder of the Corvallis
Mountain Bike Club and
founder of the Team Dirt
chapter of the International
Mountain Biking Association.
STA Board Chairman
Chuck Humphreys is enthusi-
astic about Ripley’s upcoming
visit.
“Working with Mike is
rewarding,” he said, “because
he understands the value of
trails for such a wide range of
users — kids, recreationists,
competitors — and he is as
dedicated to supporting work
on trails as he is to using them.
We are lucky to have someone
with his energy and creativity
working with us in Sisters.”
One of Ripley’s signature
accomplishments was the
development and design of
the Alsea Falls trail system
in the coast range southwest
of Corvallis. This trail sys-
tem was completed in June
of 2015 and saw more than
12,000 users by the end of its
first year.
“We just think it’s a great
thing to be able to get people
to be out in the outdoors,” he
said. “People are losing con-
nection to the outdoors; so,
if I can provide a conduit for
people to be able to get in
touch with nature and have a
good time on their bike and
get home safe, then I’m super-
excited. That’s why I guess
that’s my profession. I just
love building trails...”
The son of Oregon mill-
workers, Ripley is a native
Oregonian and a veteran of
the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Based in Monroe, Oregon, he
and his wife, Andi, have three
daughters.
Oregon Trail Runs is the
“running wing” of Mudslinger
Events, and Ripley says, “Our
goal is to provide fun and
challenging events for any
range of runner in your fam-
ily. I love the outdoors and
am active in trail work state-
wide.” Upcoming trail running
events include the Cottage
Grove Half Marathon, the
Spring Fling Trail Run, and
the Mary’s Peak Trail Run,
with distances of 50 miles,
and 50 or 25 kilometers.
The STA’s speaker series
on environment and recreation
is offered quarterly. Next
week’s program is the 12th in
the series, which was recently
named the Bjarne Holm
SPRD offers watercolor
pet portraits class
PHOTO PROVIDED
Mike Ripley will speak next week
on trail advocacy, mountain biking.
Memorial Speaker Series, in
memory of the late founder of
the popular series.
These free public presenta-
tions are designed to promote
outdoor public recreation and
education in Sisters Country.
This event will be held on
Thursday, January 26, in the
Sisters Camp Sherman Fire
Station Community Hall in
downtown Sisters at 355 S.
Elm St. Doors will open at 6
p.m., and the formal program
will begin at 7 p.m. The pro-
gram is free and open to the
public. Snacks and refresh-
ments will be provided.
For further information
about STA or performing
volunteer work on trails or
other outdoor-related proj-
ects, contact the organization
at 541-719-8822. More infor-
mation can be found at www.
sisterstrails.org or on
Facebook.
Sisters Park & Recreation
District will offer watercolor
classes by Jodi Schneider
McNamee.
Jodi is an accomplished,
credentialed art teacher, pho-
tographer, author of several
published books, and journal-
ist, specializing in true animal
stories as weekly featured
articles, along with her pet
column in The Nugget.
“I believe it was my early
years spent in nature that
inspired me into painting
animals. Watercolor is my
choice of medium, there is a
softness with watercolor that
I enjoy,” she said.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Artist Jodi Schneider McNamee will teach at SPRD.
Great place to hang out,
use the wi-fi , meet up with
old and new friends and
eat some freshly prepared
food. Or take it to go!
HIT A POTHOLE?
WE CAN HELP!
WARM UP WITH US!
Alignments, Shocks, Struts, Wheels, Tires
DAVIS TIRE
Jodi Schneider McNamee
is a member of the Sisters
Arts Association, and spent
over 15 years teaching art in
Pomona Adult Education, and
watercolor classes at Napa
Valley College, Napa Valley.
Classes will be held
at SPRD on Thursdays,
February 9, 16, 23, and March
2, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Supplies are included with
your registration of $50. Early
sign-up is recommended. All
levels are welcomed. All that
is required from participates
is a photo; Jodi offers an easy
technique to transfer your
photo to watercolor paper.
541-549-1026
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188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage
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p 541-549-9486 f 541-549-9110
410 E. Cascade Ave. • P.O. Box 1027 • Sisters, Oregon 97759
Hours: Mon., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Thurs., 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
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Variety of daily soups
110 S. Spruce St. | 541-719-1186
Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Every Day