Photo by Joe Keenan

Can a bike be faster than a speeding bullet? Maybe not, but it can dress up like one and give it its best shot.

Cyclists – or, more specifically, operators of human-powered vehicles – will gather this Memorial Day weekend at the Portland International Raceway for the Oregon Human Power Challenge, where they’ll compete in events like individual time trials, drag races, agility courses and sprints.

And their rides aren’t your average bikes. With HPVs, speed is the name of the game, so almost anything light, quick and aerodynamic goes – from sleek builds, to experimental rider positions, to features like windshields and carbon fiber shells.

Watch an amazing assortment of manufactured and custom-built recumbents, velomobiles, trikes and streamliners as they battle for high-speed glory on May 26 and 27. For more information, check out OHPC race page.

What would happen if you chose a six-mile route through a neighborhood and closed those streets to all motorized traffic on a fine Sunday afternoon?

You’d get all manner of people out – riding, walking, skating, who knows what – to mingle and laugh and relax and get some exercise. And that’s what Portland’s Sunday Parkways program is all about.

It started in 2008, and it’s grown every year. For 2012, five different regions of Portland will have their own Sunday Parkways day. Planned to go past parks and down pleasant streets, these routes connect not just neighborhoods but people. It’s a block party that goes for miles.

And it’s another reason Oregon is paradise for pedaling.

http://www.portlandsundayparkways.com/

Photo by Kristin Dahl, Travel Oregon

Put yourself out on the original Oregon Trail – only this time on a modern bike. The Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway has been designated as Oregon’s ninth official Scenic Bikeway.

This 134-mile ride encompasses sections of the original Oregon Trail and takes riders near historic small-town communities in northeastern Oregon. You can ride under a scented canopy of Ponderosa pine forests, past stunning views of the Blue Mountains and the Wallowa Mountains and across dramatic, sagebrush-covered rangelands near La Grande and Baker City.

The Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway is a great trip for riders of all skill levels – its roads are wide and have limited traffic. And this Bikeway’s proximity to all types of services and amenities means you can fashion a challenging non-stop ride or break your trip into leisurely segments.

Oregon’s groundbreaking Scenic Bikeways program is the nation’s first – designating the state’s best riding routes, nominated by local proponent groups and providing detailed maps, cue sheets and route signage so that visitors and residents alike can find and enjoy the state’s finest cycling experiences.

For more information on the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway, start here. For more information on the Scenic Bikeway program, check out this page.

Photo by Whit Bazemore

While the imposing Cascade Range separates the highly populated Willamette Valley from the lightly populated eastern half of the state, it also serves as a wonderful weather shield. Most of the gloomy rain clouds that keep the valley so lush and the mountain passes so green? They get snagged by mountain peaks before they get to Central Oregon – where there are more than 300 sunny days a year.

That means there’s plenty of riding in Central Oregon – year-round. Even when it’s cold, a sunny day and some decent riding gear can combine to produce a euphoric experience on two wheels. Check out some of the great riding up here – like the Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway, shown here.

Photo courtesy Boaz Frankel

That’s right – the show is done on a bike – a specially outfitted “desk bike.” It’s an Oregon-made contraption through and through. Phillip Ross and James Nichols of Metrofiets conceptualized the bike and built the frame by hand from aircraft-grade steel. Troy Susan of Bamboo Craftsman crafted the desk in his North Portland store. Finally, the wheels were custom-made by Jude Kirstein of Sugar Wheel Works in her N. Williams shop. The bike is eight feet long and weighs about 75 pounds. Construction of the bike was generously funded by the show’s pals at Portland-based Keen Footwear.

As the show’s website says: “With our pedal-powered production studio we can go anywhere and do anything, from talking to notable authors on the side of Mount Hood to interviewing local indie bands on a barge in the Willamette River.”

And on Sunday, March 11, the Pedal-Powered Talk Show is filming a special live version at the Bagdad Theater, from 3-5 p.m. (doors open at 2). Tickets are $10, and all proceeds go to benefit the Portland Hawthorne Hostel.  Guests include author Jon Raymond, authors/artists Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett, and director Ken Westby and actress Katie O’Grady from the Portland-made film “Rid of  Me.”

Boaz Frankel is a filmmaker, TV producer, world record holder, kazoo museum curator and native Portlander. You can learn more about him at www.GoBoaz.com.

Photo by Jim Moore

In January 2012, the number of official Oregon Scenic Bikeways expanded to eight, with the addition of the Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway (shown in photo above) starting in Bend and the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway, starting in Cottage Grove (shown in photo below).

The Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway shows off the rugged beauty of Central Oregon, starting in picturesque Drake Park in downtown Bend and extending out through rimrock canyons and high-desert range lands, with multiple crossings of the Deschutes River along the way. It’s a great one-day ride for anyone who wants a taste of Central Oregon riding.

Photo by Greg Lee

The Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway spotlights Lane County’s collection of covered bridges – the most of any county west of the Mississippi – as well as scenic Dorena Lake and its smooth and wide Row River Trail. The trail is a rails-to-trails conversion, and with its relatively flat profile and separation from auto traffic, it offers a great opportunity for riders of all ages and abilities to take a spin through both history and breathtaking scenery, starting from the historic downtown of Cottage Grove.

Oregon’s groundbreaking Scenic Bikeways program is the nation’s first – designating the state’s best riding routes, nominated by local proponent groups and providing detailed maps, cue sheets and route signage so that visitors and residents alike can find and enjoy our finest cycling experiences.

For a complete listing of Oregon’s Scenic Bikeways, start here. For more information on the Scenic Bikeway program, check out this page.

Photo by Russ Roca

If you want a realistic, on-the-ground perspective of riding a bike in Oregon, you couldn’t do much better than talking to Russ Roca and Laura Crawford. As part of a grand experiment they call The Path Less Pedaled, Russ and Laura have been combining multiple forms of “alternate” transportation (bikes, trains, buses) to tour the country as modern-day explorers.

Their website explains it: The Path Less Pedaled is an open-ended bicycle tour – and an exploration of what it means to live outside the lines. In March 2009, Laura Crawford and Russ Roca made the decision to drop out of the status quo and find something new in an open-ended journey.

And they’ve spent a significant portion of their time in Oregon; they describe the magnetic of attraction of Portland this way, but based on their tales of life on our roads, it could apply to Oregon as a whole: “We always seem to be drawn back here. There are so many things about it that we love, like bikes, beer, food and especially our group of bikey friends.”

We caught up with them a few months back to talk about what they’ve learned about biking, Oregon, and why Eastern Oregon is their idea of touring paradise.

Photo by Russ Roca

We started by asking an obvious question: Since not very many people can afford – in money or time – to take extended periods away from their jobs, homes, etc., how can others experience the same kind of freedom Russ and Laura do?

“Part of the reason for this trip is to say, sure, taking three months off is a great advantage – but if you only have a three-day weekend, you can still go out and have an adventure,” Laura says. “Because you’re pedaling, putting in the effort; you’re so alive, and it’s not uncommon for one day to feel like three days – a weekend can feel like a week away. And adding train travel to it allows you to hop on a train and go somewhere else to ride. It makes touring more affordable and accessible – it’s a good way to start.”

One of the reasons Russ and Laura have enjoyed Oregon so much is that they recognize it for the bike-friendly place it is – and not just in Portland.

“Oregon has a head start in terms of bike tourism compared to other states,” Russ explains. “Even in the small towns, the people seem accustomed to seeing bikes; our experiences were very pleasant. I think part of that has to do with the outreach Cycle Oregon does; they’re cycling ambassadors, and communities see the economic impact cycle touring can have. In other states the towns don’t see why they should accommodate bike tourists. But in Oregon we’ve found rural communities are as accommodating as cities – business owners are trying to meet cyclists’ needs.”

Photo by Russ Roca

And, after seeing large swaths of Oregon on two wheels, what have they enjoyed the most?

“The diversity of terrain,” Russ replies. “The coastal stuff, the good climbing, the high desert was pleasant. We prefer Eastern Oregon the most – wide-open roads, light traffic, really pleasant small towns spaced out 30 to 50 miles, which is good for touring.”

“We’d pass through these small towns, and they were thriving, with a real sense of community pride: Mitchell, Halfway, Dayville – tiny towns that are well-kept and really friendly.”

You can find many more impressions from Russ and Laura – including Russ’ sublime photography – on The Path Less Pedaled website. It’s likely to inspire you to come to Oregon to ride – or, if you’re already here, to find some new rides. And they hope you get out and do it.

“My general touring advice is that the toughest thing is getting out the door,” Russ says. “You’re hemming and hawing over equipment and logistics… but once you’re out the door you’ll have a great time.”

Photo by Russ Roca

The weekend will feature two USGP races on the Deschutes Brewery course in the heart of the city’s Old Mill District – site of the two national championships.

“Bend has established itself as one of the epicenters of North American cyclocross,” said Bruce Fina of the USGP.  ”As a community, Bend has proven they can host world class cyclocross events.”

The USGP is expected to bring 800 racers and an additional 2,000 visitors to Bend for the two-day event.  ”Cycling is a big part of Bend’s culture,” said Doug La Placa, President/CEO of Visit Bend.  ”Hosting the USGP is an honor for Bend, and will provide a much needed stimulus to our regional tourism industry during an otherwise slow time of year.”

More information on the 2011 US Gran Prix of Cyclocross presented by Greenware® can be found at www.usgpcyclocross.com.

Photo by Tina Buescher

For its fourth iteration, this one-of-a-kind event gets even one-of-a-kinder this year, moving to Bend for a blowout Halloween weekend that includes the show as well as the Day of the Dead Cyclocross Festival.