I am sending this news letter to you with the idea that it will inspire
your cycling. I participated in Cycle Oregon in 1999 and rode it on a
Trek MTB with slicks, areo bars and a non-stock 52 tooth big crank. I
bought the areo bars on day two because there were lots of head winds.
When I say fully supported I mean bike shops bring trailers full of
parts and accessories to help you along if something breaks or you
forgot something or you just want to try something new. I had a blast.
That year we looped Crater Lake and I did my first back to back to back
100+ mile per day. I have wanted to do this ride again and since my
accident I decided to start planning for 2015.
Cycle Oregon to me is a well planed and supported ride. The more
cycling events I ride the more I come to realize that Cycle Oregon is a
world class event. There is a handbook on how to train and what to
bring. Check out this event even if you do not plan to go because this
organization sets the standard on how to run a cycling event from
logistics to graphic communication. The food is prepared by local chefs
and includes local produce. Full meals are prepared, not just junk
food snacks. In 1999 one lunch was at a huge 1,000 acre cattle ranch.
We stopped to have steak sandwiches that were so big I could not finish
mine so a packed it in my bag. There was a big John Deer tractor
sitting nearby and the wheat farmer was letting cyclist get in the cab.
This was a huge machine that cost $400,000 with GPS, satellite radio
and a refrigerator. It was designed for the operator to be in it got 8
to 12 hours plowing fields. One of the nights in a small town Cycle
Oregon hired Susan Tedeschi and her band to play a concert.
You can per-schedule a post ride massage from from the Oregon School of
Massage that travels with the tour. Several bike shops are also
supporting riders on the road and at the stops. These shops have more
inventory in their vans than the local bike shop here in Albany. Bike
manufactures are also on hand. Do you want to test ride a new bike for a
day. You can give them your bike and they will haul it to the next
stop and you can ride a fitted bike (sized frame, adjusted seat, handle
bars) to see if you really like it.
The weather in Oregon in the fall is awesome. The event selects this
time because all of the vacationers are back home and folks with kids
are all back in the city lugging kids to school. I got spoiled by how
nice and wide the roads are in Oregon. I did not realize what I had
until I left. Anyway the bike that I will be riding next was
specifically engineered for riding tours like Cycle Oregon.
Anyway if you are interested in doing Cycle Oregon great, peer pressure
is good when it involves planning or training for a cycling tour. By the
way, most of the folks riding this tour are not youngsters. I was 47
when I rode it and I was surprised at the diversity in age of the
group. Sure there were a lot of thirty somethings speeding along, but
out of the 2,000 riders there were a lot of riders older than I was.
Hope we can plan to ride together soon.
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Climbs, Community and Congratulations
Cycle Oregon 2014 has come and gone and what a week it was.
This year was a tough one but for most, a greater challenge meant a
greater sense of accomplishment. At the top of the most challenging
climb we’ve ever thrown at you, we heard many people (after catching
their breath) referring to the hill as a “career highlight.”
Of course, there was a lot more to it than a few hard ascents. With perfect weather, daily views of majestic mountains and mile after mile of glorious pavement all to ourselves, “magnificent” was a description that could be adapted to several purposes.
Better still is the fact that, with your help, we were able to help fund a lot of great community projects
including a theater group, scholarships, an educational trip,
rebuilding grandstands for a rodeo venue, leadership classes, school
projects, art projects and cycling promotions.
As always, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our community and Cycle Oregon volunteers and a big thanks to all the riders who made 2014 one of the all-time greats.
Thanks for being a part of Cycle Oregon this year, and we hope to see you in 2015!
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Two Years Later, The Mark Bosworth Fund Proves to be an Overwhelming Success
Mark Bosworth, a two-time cancer survivor who was battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma, began volunteering for Cycle Oregon in 2007. He went missing
on September 16, 2011 in Riddle, the last stop on that year’s Cycle
Oregon Week Ride and was never found. In 2012, to honor Mark’s memory,
his wife, Julie, and their daughters, Claire and Kelly, created the Mark Bosworth Fund to help new riders experience Cycle Oregon for the first time.
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What a week! The ride is over, but the stories live on.
We’ve heard several themes on what it is that makes this event special
and keeps riders (and, luckily for us, volunteers) coming back year
after year.
The Scenery -
Cycle Oregon gives you seven straight days of being immersed in scenery
that you just don’t see every day. Getting up early, being kissed by
the sun, working hard, breathing fresh air and just being out there is
so soothing to the soul it’s a wonder any of us go home at all.
The Connections - Many
lasting friendships are forged on Cycle Oregon (there have even been
more than a few weddings too). Some of these friendships continue
outside the event and others exist solely in September. Cycle Oregon
also lends itself to building connections with the host communities and
creates memories on both sides.
The Changes –
We also hear stories about ways that riding a bike can change people’s
lives for good. Cycle Oregon can help people recover from health issues,
aid in sobriety, or create a foundation for a healthier lifestyle.
The Challenge – That transformation from “I don’t know if I can” to “I did it!” is a mighty big one.
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It's More Than Just a Ride...
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Where do we go next?
- The 2015 Kickoff Party will be February 4th from 6-8 p.m. (Registration time TBD)
- The 2015 Week Ride will be September 12-19th.
- The 2015 Weekend Ride will be July10-12th.
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AAA for Bikes?
AAA Oregon/Idaho has been a sponsor of Cycle Oregon for six years. But what, you ask, does AAA have to do with bikes?
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Check out BikePortland
Their
coverage of this year's Magnificent Seven ride, was excellent. There's
even a discussion with our Executive Director on bridging the
urban/rural divide.
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Post Your Ride!
Anyone
who has been on Cycle Oregon knows that we are all about showing off
the scenic beauty of this great state and the people that make Cycle
Oregon special. Well, now we invite you to share your favorite CO pics
by posting them to flickr or Instagram. Be sure to follow us too! Our handle is @cycleoregon and you can tag all your best images and videos #cycleoregon.
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