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Quilcene GRAVEL UNRAVEL canceled due to COVID -19
A remarkable experiment is unfolding along the north Hood Canal in the small coastal town of Quilcene. A volunteer effort to restore a Victorian mansion, begun in 2012 by the Quilcene Historical Museum, and the result of over 30,000 hours of volunteer effort, is nearing completion.
Worthington Park joined forces with another first-of-its-kind, the Quilcene Gravel Unravel, to hosr an endurance bicycle race into the Olympic National Forest. Gravel races have soared in popularity largely because of both evolving bicycle technology and the changing landscape of the sport. There are far fewer cars on unpaved roads so you can ride for hours without seeing a car during many gravel events or off-road rides. Unfortunately this event was forced to cancel due to Covid.
This event was designed for those who wish to challenge their physical abilities to the maximum while enjoying the lushness of the Olympic National Forest. Participants could;ride 32, 55, or 80 miles on a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, while enjoying towering evergreens and vivid green moss and ferns and summiting the Bon Jon Pass. There were both competitive and non-competitive Gran Fondo style divisions.
Cullin photos
Race Directors Lorrie Mittmann and Tim Tucker put on five other races on the Olympic Peninsula every year. They include The Big Hurt which is a multi-sport race: mountain bike, kayak, road bike, run; two running trail races (OAT Run and GOAT Run), an 80-mile relay called Frosty Moss Relay and a new one for this year, the Salt Creek 24 (24-hour race). There is a great deal of professional experience coming into the Unravel.
Worthington Park (a property of the Quilcene Historical Museum, a 501(c)3 organization), is perfectly situated at the foot of the Olympic Mountains and along scenic Quilcene Bay to support such an event.
The Park is no stranger to hosting competitive athletic events as it opens its doors for the eighth year on September 20 to the Oyster Races Half Marathon. That race, that includes a 10K, 5K and kids sprint, includes trails that offer striking views of the mountains and bay. The Oyster Races raise money for local scholarships through Quilcene-Brinnon Dollars for Scholars.
The inaugural launch of this extraordinary endurance race from the grounds of beautiful Worthington Park may be canceled in 2020 but it iis only the opening salvo of many more exciting events coming to the north Hood Canal as Worthington Park completes this year. Information at www.worthingtonparkquilcene.org
