COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 | 11A
Fondo
from A1
from Italian to “big ride”
and traces its origins to
1970 in Cesenatico, Italy.
While many serious riders
participate in such events
to push their limits, they
are open to riders of all
abilities. As such, Gran
Fondos are considered
less of a race than an op-
portunity to bring com-
munities together and ex-
perience the joys of riding
on the same course as pro-
fessionals.
“It’s really just about
having a good day on the
bike,” said event director
Mike Ripley. “It’s a group
ride.”
Ripley is owner of Mud-
slinger Events, a con-
sulting and coordinating
company which specializ-
es in running and biking
events and has managed
the Oregon Gran Fon-
do in Cottage Grove for
about eight years.
Around 70 local vol-
unteers helped run the
event, which included
the Cottage Grove Bohe-
mia Sunrisers Kiwanis,
the Cottage Grove Aqua
Lions, the Rotary Club of
Cottage Grove and other
community members.
Riders began trickling
back into town around
noon and continued
through the day as Plank
Town Brewing podium
glassware awards were
given out to top finishers.
While the Gran Fondo
attracted many from out
of town, more than two
dozen local businesses
participated in a “Show
Your Race Bib” program
in which participants
and spectators were en-
couraged to shop, eat and
drink locally.
The promotion pro-
gram offered discounts
and deals to customers
who showed their race
bibs and spectator cards to
participating businesses.
“Since the first time that
the Gran Fondo has been
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cool. I’ve never been down
here. It’s really beautiful,”
he said. “Everybody’s real-
ly friendly and it’s a really
scenic route, so it’s been
fun.”
The community nature
of rides like the Gran Fon-
do is part of what attracts
Rens to them.
“It’s fun to see how fast
you can do it, but for the
most part it’s just like a big
group ride that has sup-
port. It just makes it more
fun,” he said. “It’s a little
easier when it’s a group,
so it’s a different dynam-
ic that you don’t usually
get without going to an
event.”
Ripley echoed the sen-
timent that these events
bring a lot of positivity.
“It’s just a good day of
getting outside and un-
plugging,” he said. “That’s
what people need more
DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
than ever right now.”
On top of the personal
Cottage Grove local Rick Bondeson crosses the finish line Saturday afternoon,
benefits,
Ripley hoped to
completing the Medio route.
see positive local impact.
in Cottage Grove, we’re fi- tive director Travis Palm- sponsorship will contin-
“These
businesses
nally starting to see some er. “It’s what we’ve been ue to grow in the coming downtown, they need
community buy-in to hoping for all along.”
years.
support,” said Ripley,
help create more activity
The Oregon Gran Fon-
“I think it was around mentioning that he puts
and generate some traffic do event has also made a 20 percent of sponsorship on similar events in other
down there,” said Cham- commitment to donate to goes back to the fundrais- Oregon cities. “Commu-
ber of Commerce execu- Project Hero, a nonprofit ing,” he estimated.
nities don’t have nearly
supporting PTSD aware-
Cycler Jesse Rens from as much local support as
ness and physical and Portland included Project they used to.”
mental health treatment Hero as part of his reason
Exposure, he said, was
for first responders and for participating.
a big part of energizing a
The Lowest Rates in Lane County
military veterans.
“I’ve been cycling for town.
The group hosts its own quite a long time and
“It puts Cottage Grove
PUBLIC MEETINGS,
rides nationwide, but Rip- it’s always fun to just do on the map,” Ripley said.
ley, a veteran himself, was events here and there,” he “We had a couple from the
TRUSTEE NOTICES,
moved to find a way to said. “And I’m loosely af- Netherlands last year start
PROBATE,
help its Portland-based filiated with Project Hero.” their first American expe-
AUCTION &
affiliate.
Rens is a also veteran rience in Cottage Grove.”
“We set up just a and works with the Veter-
Ripley sees the capac-
FORECLOSURE
third-party fundraising ans Affairs office.
ity
for exposure like this
NOTICES,
platform that allows all
“I’ve seen first-hand to give magnetism to the
AND MORE.
the money we raise just the positive changes that community.
to go straight through to cycling can have for peo-
“People see the poten-
Published weekly in the
them,” he said. “So it’s nice ple,” he said. “It’s really tial in things and want to
Cottage Grove Sentinel
that it can be earmarked therapeutic; it’s physically make it their own,” Ripley
and online at cgsentinel.com
and used for the Portland good. You automatical- said. “And so I think that’s
area and greater Willa- ly have community. So what’s really cool about
C ottage G rove
mette Valley to connect I think for veterans, it’s Cottage Grove is that peo-
people to cycling.”
kind of priceless if we can ple do have the chance to
Fundraising efforts col- get them in there.”
make Cottage Grove their
Contact: Meg Fringer
lected close to $3,000 for
Rens cycled the Medio own and that’s a wonder-
Project Hero, according route for Saturday’s event. ful thing.”
541-942-3325 x1200
mfringer@cgsentinel.com
to Ripley, who hopes that
“The course is really
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