Oregon Cycling News, Tales and Perspectives
In a state so chock-full of cycling opportunities, it takes more than an events calendar to stay on top of everything that’s happening on two wheels. We’ve compiled information on upcoming events, travel stories related to cycling, relevant blog posts and more, to keep you up to date on the Oregon cycling scene.
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Old West Bike Vacations at TREO Ranch
Biking. Hunting. Pheasant pot pies. Eastern Oregon has become more popular as a cycling destination in the last couple of years, and it just got even more exciting: Heppner’s TREO hunting ranch is launching a new set of cycling tours and retreats this spring, complete with gourmet meals full of locally sourced ingredients and lodging on the 300-acre ranch, where visitors can enjoy a six-person hot tub, billiards, beer on tap and a shooting range…
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Introducing Two New Scenic Bikeways
May 2013 sees the addition of two new Oregon Scenic Bikeways, bringing the grand total to 11. The newest designated routes are Madras Mountain Views, which is a beautiful loop through Central Oregon, and Tualatin Valley, which winds through the northern Willamette Valley and features the Banks-Vernonia State Trail. Oregon’s Scenic Bikeways program designates riding routes nominated by local proponent groups, and makes it easier for locals and visitors to experience the state’s best riding with…
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Self-Guided Bike Touring
Interested in bike touring, but don’t know where to start? For first-timers, planning a touring route, along with all the gear and resources you’ll need, can feel overwhelming. Yet with all the amazing bike routes in Oregon — including our pride and joy, the fantastic Scenic Bikeways — multi-day bike vacations appeal to riders with all kinds of experience. A lack of expertise should never stop you from enjoying Oregon’s world-class road-biking routes. If the idea of…
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Spring Ride on the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway
The Union County Chamber of Commerce is offering a great opportunity to experience the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway this spring. On May 4 and 5, the chamber will host a supported ride on the 134-mile route, which was designated in April 2012 as part of Oregon’s Scenic Bikeway program. The event will kick off at Mountain Works Bicycles in La Grande with check-in and snacks on Friday afternoon, May 3. On Saturday morning, riders will…
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Hop in the Saddle: Bikes and Beer
Everyone knows Oregonians love bikes. Most know we also love beer. But what many people may not realize is how effortlessly the two blend together here. Enter Hop in the Saddle: A Guide to Portland’s Craft Beer Scene, by Bike from writers Ellee Thalheimer and Lucy Burningham and designer Laura Cary. We caught up with Ellee about the production process and the Portland bicycling and brewery scene, and got the scoop on her personal favorite bike-to-beer hotspots.…
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Portland: Biking on the Off-Beat
What happens when you create an entire culture centered on cycling? Creativity, imagination and energy take over, and the result is a cornucopia of events and happenings that celebrate all the possibilities of life on a bike. In Oregon you’ll find groups of cyclists in evening wear riding a tour of Portland’s fine dining. You’ll find rides celebrating the coldest and hottest days of the year, midnight rides, bicycle film festivals, ride-in movies and a…
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Floating Petals and Whirring Pedals
In a very special region of Oregon, at a very special time of year, seemingly endless fields of flowers flaunt the vibrant colors of summer. The Willamette Valley is famous for its excellent wineries and abundant fresh produce. Tucked within this bounty is Silverton, the friendliest town on Earth, surrounded by extensive tree farms and floral nurseries. The quaint town is like a page out of a magically progressive storybook, complete with ornate Victorian homes,…
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Ride the North Umpqua Trail
The NUT Oregon is home to some of the best mountain-biking destinations in the world, and the Umpqua National Forest is no exception. Southern Oregon’s 79-mile North Umpqua Trail, with its old-growth forest and technical single-track, is a long-time favorite of Oregonians and visiting mountain bikers — so much so that it’s included on the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s exclusive list of IMBA Epic Rides. Drier, sunnier weather perfect for trail riding is just a few months…
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Take the Survey: Make Cycling in Oregon Even Better!
Like riding in Oregon? Yeah, we thought so. Want to make it even better? Travel Oregon is dedicated to doing just that – and we’ve created a great new cycling survey that we’re using to make Oregon an even more fantastic place to ride, for both visitors and residents. Travel Oregon is teaming up with bicycle and tourism partners throughout the state on the survey, which will provide useful information on the economic impact of…
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Ride with Bike Clubs
There’s a lot to be said for taking to the open roads alone — just you and your favorite bike. But if solo riding is the only kind of riding you do, you’re missing out on something pretty amazing. We live in a state where riding is valued highly, and thriving cycling communities exist within every region. Getting together with other people who are stoked about cycling inspires, challenges and builds community in ways going…
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Cycle Oregon 2013
Oregon’s premier cycling event, Cycle Oregon, has set its tour dates for 2013: The Week Ride will take place Sept. 7-14, and the Weekend Ride will be July 12-14. The summer still seems like it’s a long way off — but if you’re hankering to participate in this year’s ride, either as a first-timer or a repeat rider, now is the time to decide. After all, last year’s Week Ride sold out in just 31…
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2013 Worst Day of the Year Ride
When you live in a place that offers so much lush green-ness, you live with the winter rain that makes it possible. And if you ride here, you ride in it. But in Portland’s bike-crazy culture, you also celebrate it! The Worst Day of the Year Ride is Portland’s annual you-can’t-stop-us celebration of year-round riding. The Feb. 10 event will draw 4,000 riders who show up in costume (there are prizes!) or not, enjoy belly-nourishing…
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Winter Road Riding
In some areas, bikes and their riders part ways at the start of each winter season. Lonely bikes huddle in dark garages, waiting for that first 70-degree day when their humans will wipe the cobwebs off their handlebars, pump air into their tires and start their stiff gears moving. But this is bike country. And in bike country, cycling is an all-weather activity. The Ride Oregon event calendar doesn’t slow much during the winter months,…
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Winter Cycling Events
In most parts of the country, the temperature drops, rain starts to fall and people garage their bikes in favor of heated cars. But not so in the Pacific Northwest — at least for a tough minority. Winter-season cyclocross is well underway in Oregon. It’s a huge craze — and a little crazy — and it thrives in our wet, muddy, hilly environment. It even includes beer, one of our area’s best-known natural resources. Cold-weather…
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Halloween Cyclocross Festival
Halloween has a way of bringing out the crazy in people. And as a cycling aficionado, what better way is there to celebrate your own breed of crazy than at a Halloween cyclocross festival? From October 26 to 28, Bend will host the Halloween Cyclocross Crusade (formerly Day of the Dead Cyclocross Festival), with festivities that include two full days of Cross Crusade racing in the Old Mill District, a beer garden, live music, family…
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Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show
“Hands, hammers, files and fire make bicycles.” “We can build it.” These slogans get at the heart of the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show’s simple mission: to showcase the talents and wares of Oregon’s independent frame builders, while drawing attention to the special process of custom and small-production bicycle-building. The 2012 OHBS will take place in Portland this weekend. The exhibition will feature close to 40 frame builders, along with parts suppliers and bike accessory vendors.…
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Fall Foliage Rides
Nearly half of Oregon is covered in forests. And while most of these forests are made up of evergreens, you can almost always find a deciduous tree (or several!) peeking through between the pines. Come fall, it’s a beautiful sight — entire pine forests dotted with red and gold, or streets lined with leaf-shedding trees that add a little autumn magic to Oregon neighborhoods. We’re enjoying an extended dry season this fall, and the crisp…
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Hood River Harvest Ride
Harvest time is in full swing in the beautiful Hood River Valley! Experience the excitement by bike at the Hood River Harvest Ride on Saturday, September 29. This family-friendly ride features five loops — four for anyone, and one just for kids — that can be ridden separately or in combination. Stop along the way at farm stands, museums, a brewery and a winery, and have any purchases made at fruit stand pick-up points delivered…
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Feast Portland Brunch Ride
It was bound to happen: Since Portland is known as both a cycling mecca and a hub of all things fresh and foodie, it’s only natural that a group bike-and-brunch ride has been built into the schedule of events for this fall’s Feast Portland festival. Dubbed “a celebration of Oregon Bounty,” Feast Portland will take place September 20-23 and will offer classes, demonstrations, expert panels and a dinner series featuring an imposing lineup of Oregon…
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A Closer Look at the Old West Scenic Bikeway
Visiting Eastern Oregon by bike is like traveling back to a simpler, slower time. Ten small towns, 174 miles of wide-open road, and a whole lot of wild blue yonder are both the journey and the destination for those lucky enough to tour the Old West Scenic Bikeway, which starts and ends in John Day. The loop offers some challenges, along with the rewards of beautiful vistas, peaceful riding and friendly people in each of…
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Cyclocross Culture: A Muddy Good Time
Maybe it’s the quirky fusion of bikes, crowds, costumes and cold beer that has cyclocross gaining popularity by leaps and bounds. Or maybe it’s the leaps and bounds themselves — heady cuts through deep mud, hard rain, cold air and rough track. It’s the fastest-growing cycling sport in the nation, and Oregon is a veritable hub of all things ‘cross. What can we say? Our cup of mud poureth over, our hills are lofty, and…
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USA Cycling National Championships in Bend
More than one thousand cyclists and many more excited spectators are gearing up for the USA Cycling National Championships in Bend this week. About 60 titles will be up for grabs at the Masters Road National Championships from September 5 to 9, and 14 champions will be honored less than a week later at the Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships on September 15. Central Oregon’s stunning scenery and enthusiastic cycling culture make it a perfect…
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New Oregon Scenic Bikeways Brochure
Locals know best when it comes to calm roads, gorgeous views and inspiring rest stops. The Oregon Scenic Bikeways program mines that valuable local knowledge and shares it with you — whether you’re a state resident, a tourist or a visitor just passing through. As of August 2012, nine routes suggested by Oregon residents have been tested and designated as Scenic Bikeways. And the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and Oregon Tourism Commission (Travel…
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Portland’s Neighborhood Greenways
Portland reclaimed bragging rights earlier this year as the most bike-friendly city in America — and it feels good to be back on top. Maybe we’re biased, but most Portlanders will tell you the Rose City is pretty much a shoo-in for the designation, which is based on a city’s “robust cycling infrastructure” and “vibrant bike culture.” The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has been on a mission for many years to create safer, calmer,…
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Blue Mountain Century Group Ride
Heppner is rolling a red carpet through the Blue Mountains next month for Eastern Oregon cyclists and visiting wheelpersons. The occasion? A group ride on the Blue Mountain Century Scenic Bikeway, one of the state’s most beautiful and challenging Scenic Bikeways. The ride will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23. It’s a 108-mile loop starting and ending in Heppner, with few services and a long climb between Heppner and Ukiah. This…
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