Day 7 - Back to Sutherlin

And here we are - the end of 2011 Cycle Oregon. It's hard to believe that this is the last day. Today we a relatively easy cruise with a few short and crazy steep grinds - thrown in as a reminder of what has come before. Cruising into the finish is always hard. On one had it is a relief that its all over. On the other the sadness really starts to set in that until 2012, this is it.

 Bidding farewell to the final camp in Riddle.

A quick AM stop at the local grocery is always a must do.

rolling past piles of logs - the sustenance of these small towns.

Every time you say to yourself "I have seen it all!" on Cycle Oregon, you will be proven wrong.

Complete calm.

Bike art along the road into Sutherlin.

Crossing the finish. What a great year and already looking forward to what 2012 brings!

Day 6 - The Epic Climb

Here it is. The day everyone was talking about. After all was said and done though, it turned out to be one of the best days of the week. Yes it was slow. But the scenery and serene quality of being out on this day's epic journey was too awesome to deny. The last half of the day was nothing but a great cruise down some incredible downhills with a smooth flow into Riddle.

 When the day is going to be this beautiful and quiet how can you go wrong?

 Gear drop humor is the best.

 Nearing the top of the climb. In surroundings like these it's amazing how you forget about the time.

 When at the peak, a trike squat is a must do.

Before taking in the rapid downhills, a bit of roadside relaxation can be just what you need.

On the smooth and winding path to Riddle.

Day 4 - Picture perfect layover in Bandon

Today offered up a chance to rest and relax in Bandon or do the optional out and back along highway 101. We opted to stay in town and see what Bandon had to offer. We were not disappointed.

What an incredible little town with an amazing boardwalk, art galore, and some of the best seafood around. This is to say nothing of the
Beach in Bandon, which is breathtaking to say the least. Having been to Canon Beach several times I have to say - if you think you have seen awesome then you need to make a trip to Bandon.

Camp in Bandon. Very close to the massage tent, which can be very handy.




"Year of the rabbit" artwork along the Boardwalk in Bandon.





Bandon beach = all kinds of epic awesomeness.





Hidden coves and treasures abound at Bandon beach.





When this many cyclists show up to the Crab Shack it is time to fire up the fish and chips pronto!

Five Days Remain

It is finally here. The home stretch. Less than a full week before leaving for Cycle Oregon. It's all about the packing and monitoring the weather from here on out. Oh, and the excited sleepless nights. And also checking for the fifth and sixth time that the parking pass is still in the glovebox. Might have to set the tent up in the living room, just in case. OK, so the last one is a stretch (looks over at bag packed with camping gear...)

Not sure what it is, but not too many trips elicit a response like going on a week long Cycle Oregon. Sure other vacations are exciting, but something about a supported bike tour like CO is just different. It's going to be fun. All vacations (hopefully) fit that bill, of course. But Cycle Oregon is going to be fun AND hard. Fun, hard, AND sweaty. Fun, hard, sweaty, AND sad. Whole ranges of emotions come with the territory. One day you are zooming along in the perfect weather, the next you are in a downpour of your life wondering if you will EVER make it to camp and wondering if your poor bag is sitting in a mud pool. Yes, it can happen. There will be the day a climb comes and you wonder halfway up - if you should just ditch it off to the side, pull some branches or grass over yourself and wait for the wildlife to carry you away. Luckily these things do not happen often so life should err to the "fun" side 90% of the trip. But to know those moments will come and still be excited to go? That is a true testament to the power of goodness that comes from experiencing this trip.

This video below presented by OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) is a few years old now, but it covers it quite well. Given the hard economic times, it feels very very good to be part of CO this year bringing at least a bit of economic spark to the towns that play host.

Highly recommend taking it in. Even better, gear up for 2012 and be prepared to sign up. This years ride has not even started and I am itching for February already!

Two weeks plus one left!

That is - three weeks until Cycle Oregon. Two weeks for any last bit of training and one week of packing and pacing. 19 days before heading to Sutherlin. 9 days left before the "10 day forecast" can be checked and re-checked ad nauseam.

Cram it in!!!!!

Hopefully you have made that appointment to have your bike serviced (unless you do it yourself) and have ordered anything you need online to ensure you get it. It looks like a few of the LBS in Portland have begun to put out some of the cold weather gear, so if you need those replacement arm or leg warmers - there are probably some better choices at the local shops than a month ago.

Tick-tock!!

One Month Away...

Alas - Cycle Oregon 2011 is now 31 days away. The final sprint is now ON!

This last month you may find yourself doing a lot of frothy pacing - just eagerly awaiting the time to arrive! These last thirty days will travel quickly, so it is time - today - to put together the "must do this month" list so that come the morning of September 10th, all there will be to do is toss your bag into the car, strap the ride to the roof, hit the local coffee place for a jolt, and get thyself to Sutherlin STAT.

Over the years my list has evolved a bit, but here are 10 critical items that need attention in the next 30 days (some sooner than others):

1. Preview the weather

Yes, I realize predicting this a month out is near impossible around here, but you can take a look at the years past for a sense of what to expect. Look for patterns of weather in each town around the time the ride takes place. Use this information to narrow down/expand your packing/shopping list.

2. Make a shopping list and get 'er done

Need a new duffle? Need to pick up a wool jersey? New arm warmers? Leg warmers? Make a list now and start shopping. Buying online? Do it soon to ensure the gear you need arrives on time and you have a chance to exchange if needed.

3. Go over your ride of choice for mechanical issues

If you do your own maintenance, now is time for the 100% go-over. Fine tooth comb your steed. Check the tires for embedded glass, etc that can cause a flat. Need new tires? Get 'em now. Mechanically check everything. Check headset tension, pedals, fasteners, cables, etc. Better to do it now than have something fall out and cause a failure on day 1. Clean and lube your chain. If you don't do your own bike maintenance, get your bike to the local shop for a full tune ASAP as they can be busy this time of year.

4. Replace your patch kit(s)

If your patch kit is old, get a new one for the week - just in case.

5. Do a "test pack" of your gear

Bought a new duffle? New tent? Sleeping pads, etc? Make sure it will all fit in your duffle. Get together all the gear you want to take and pack it. Still not sure what to bring? Cycle Oregon has a great packing list you can print out. Edit it as you see fit for your needs. Weigh your bag to make sure you are not over the 65lb limit.

6. Make your duffle unique

There will be hundreds and hundreds of duffle bags in camp each day that all look (or are) the exact same. Yes, you will have your rider number tag on the end of it - but so will everyone else. A better way to play the daily "I spy with my little eye" duffle hunting game is to attach something colorful and/or garish on the outside handles like ribbon, duct tape, etc. Have a ridiculous looking tie you will never ever wear? Cut it in half and tie one section each to the ends of your duffle in tight knots.

7. Visit the bank

In camp there will be locals selling things. There will be handy local kids willing to carry your bag for a tip (Sherpas). The beer garden. Pizza. Local eateries, shops, and tours. Smoothies. Etc etc. Bring some cash in small bills for these things. Particularly for the sherpas - tip well. They pool tips for things like school equipment, etc. Plus getting up a 6AM to haul many 60 lb bags among a lycra clad crowd deserves a handful of bucks!

8. Assess your training

Time to face the mirror about your fitness. Are you there yet? Time is just about out. You do not want to do a lot of heavy riding and tearing up your legs the week before the ride. That is the rest week. Your fitness is not just about "I rode hundreds of miles" on a bike. Anyone can ride along for a lot of miles. What about other training you have (or planned on being) engaged in? If you are "there" with your fitness, great - you will do fine. If you are not - well believe it or not you will do fine too. Maybe not as "fast" but hey - this is vacation and not a race. If you feel the need to step it up a notch - you have three weeks left. Don't hurt yourself in the final week.

9. Stock up on spare tubes and maybe a spare tire

Run a special tire size other than 700c? Get a spare and bring it in your duffle. If you are riding ISO 349 or 406 or 650c size tires - or anything other than the "typical roadie" size - spares will probably NOT be available to you on the ride should you need one. Ditto that for tubes. Recumbent riders - unless it is a 700c wheel equipped recumbent you are likely ON YOUR OWN for spare tubes and a tire should the need arise. Plan accordingly.

10. Schedule your massage

A real treat while on Cycle Oregon - getting a massage. You may not know, but you need to schedule this NOW if you want a massage. If you think you can do it once you arrive in camp - think again. Take a look at the maps and decide what days you really might want the luxury that is a Cycle Oregon massage - then go here and send a few emails to set up a time. You can always show up and maybe someone will have cancelled or you can get in for a no-show... but it's a gamble.

Well, those 10 cover the main ones. Here's to counting down the days!

Cycle Oregon Weekend 2011 - The Video

Put the final touches on a video for the Cycle Oregon Weekend. Not near as many pictures on this ride, but that was particularly hard to do on Sunday with all the drenching rain. Captured the essence of the trip though. Fun times and as always - the eager wait for the 2012 trip has already begun!!

Enjoy!

Weekend ride done. Countdown to Going Coastal!

The weekend ride is over and done with. Man it was a strange one. A bit of the good weather, but the second day was as wet as I have ever been while riding. Here at home the drying out of gear continues...

At the final water stop the inside of my raincoat sleeves were full of water - ugh! Knock on wood but I am really really hoping for some more mild weather for the week ride. I realize it is on the coast so all bets are off, but wetness like that is hard to deal with for more than a single day.

The calendar as of today puts the week ride 52 days away. The time is now going to hit warp speed and September will be here before the blink of the eye. In the meantime, here are a few images from the last weekend. Also pleased worth the mount I had rigged up for the GoPro camera. It should prove to be very useful on the week ride for some great downhill footage.

 Local dog Harry guards the rest stop goodies.

 Crowds always gather to check out the trikes.

 Ride INTO the light!!!

 Camp before the soaking rain.

Saturday evening entertainment.

WHY Ride? WHY Cycle Oregon?

On the Cycle Oregon forum, some great questions were asked. Thought I would share...



Why do you ride?

I ride for health, but FIRST I ride for FUN. When on a ride I am taking the time to enjoy 100% the sights and experience of the environment from the recumbent position. There is nothing better. I ride fast and slow, but always for the FUN of it. I train hard some of the time while riding, but I have traded the "hardcore riding" for "fun riding" and keep my fitness level high via CrossFit. I suffer there so on the bike I can enjoy ALL of the time I have, which is never enough. When I encounter people who seem to have a "need" to ride at 110% pace 110% of the time, and treat every single ride as some kind of personal TDF and every rider in front of them whatever the age/gender/ability as a rabbit to chase down and smoke I just shake my head. Maybe thats one way to enjoy riding but for me that is just a waste of energy.

Plus, how can you NOT have fun on a rolling lounge chair????

Why go on cycle oregon?

Cycle Oregon is the ultimate fun on a bike. Period. Places I have seen from my bikes when on Cycle Oregon I will not/would not EVER see from a car. I just would never feel like driving to those places.

What is your favorite part?

The cruising each and every day and just realizing that 2000+ others are out there having FUN riding! It is hard for me to pick a favorite part... If I had to pick a "favorite day" for me it would be the 2007 loop up to and around around Crater Lake. Perfect weather. Awesome sights. It was a very challenging ride for me but finishing that loop brought tears to my eyes it was so awesome.

Could you have appreciated it 10 years ago?

I only wish I could have been turned on to Cycle Oregon 10 years ago... but 5 will suffice. :)

Less Than 100 Days... Cycle Oregon Week Ride (2011)

Much like last year, there seems to be a change in the space - time continuum when the timer ticks below 100 days for Cycle Oregon. As I type this tonight we are at 93 days. If it is to be like all of the previous years, these last 90 days are going to rip by and soon we will be "going coastal" on CO 2011!

Just one of the many sites to be had via bike (trike) - in less than 100 days

The image above was posted via the Cycle Oregon Facebook page, and is actually taken from one of the lunch stops. Well, I'll say that it looks like a killer place to have lunch with 2,200 of your great cycling friends if you ask me!

This begs the question - with less than 100 days to go, how is the training going? Riding the trike, I have not been into much mileage riding so far this year, but I am not too worried about it. Comfort is not an issue. Endurance? Maybe - but with scenes like that above to feed off of there could be an unlimited source of adrenaline just from the awesome Oregon views alone. After a few recent local training rides the legs are feeling the itch for those awesome open and quiet Oregon country roads.

Now is the time that you should be hitting some climbs. If you are going on this ride, take a minute to download the route profiles from the CO site and check them out. The detailed full maps are not out yet, but the profiles look to be complete. There will be some hairy steep sections this year - though no super long prolonged climbs. Still, when the map shows sections of 11% grade or more - and YES there will be short burst sections well over 11% - it is a wise move to find a hill of a similar grade and ride it. Ride it over and over and over to see how it feels. You will know right quick if you need to begin a leg strengthening regimen, shave some weight (off the bike or the engine), order up a triple (chainring not cheeseburger), or any combination of the above. 

How about your steed? Getting it dialed in I hope. For the diamond frame riders out there getting that seat time in is key. Gotta be "broken" in down there I guess.... :)

Fenders? Ill be sporting mine this year, we will be on the Oregon coast after all. 

Locked and loaded in CO 2011 dress

How about camp arrangements? Tent? Sleeping pads? Cot? 

With days counting down into the double digits time will start to pick up pace. I can already imagine myself taking in the views in person - having ridden there in the greatest cycling ride on Earth!

111:11:11:11

Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds. I happened to pop onto the blog to do some editing and messing with banner images just a handful of seconds before the Cycle Oregon countdown timer hit the once in a cycle 111:11:11:11. I had just a moment to get a screen capture just as the clock rolled onto it. Awesome.

Time is already going by quickly and soon we will be in double digits for going coastal. While sitting here looking at the seconds tick away - when I should be sleeping instead - I decided to reminisce via iPhoto a bit on past Cycle Oregon's. Here are a few images for your enjoyment.

After a while the cyclists get so used to the locals that everyone just goes about their business...

Coffee in.... coffee out...

Covered bridges + Little to no traffic = Awesome.

Sunrise... Sunset... All beautiful!

Even with many miles to go, looking ahead never makes me want to be somewhere else.

How many times can you ride a bike UP to Crater Lake and then AROUND it soaking in all the 

history at every turn? Only once.

Cycle Oregon Week 2010 - The Video

Well, finally here it is, my 2010 video for the Cycle Oregon ride. Watch it here in the embed of follow the link to Vimeo for a better HD quality.

Enjoy!

If you are looking for a week long cycling trip this is the one. Good times!

The Epic Moment

Every Cycle Oregon - particularly the week long ride - has them. The Epic Moment. Likely there are more than one, but always at least one that will define you in some way. It is near impossible to predict what the moment will be or when it will hit, but you know it when it happens.

On my first Cycle Oregon week - in 2006 - it was cresting one of the really long monster climbs in the mountains. I was at the end of my physical rope and wondered "What the HELL am I out here doing?!" Then there it was - the "elevation" sign up ahead. It was an Epic Moment - the achievement had been reached. One of those realizations where you feel weak and humbled by just seeing a little sign, and then feeling totally invigorated.

Sometimes the Epic Moment are ones you could live without, like getting a sudden front flat tire from a goathead thorn on a recumbent high racer at 35MPH. That is Pants Wetting Epic. A moment like that is even more Epic when on the next day you hit a new top MPH on a blazing fast curvy mountain downhill - and visions of that darned goathead are right there on the brain.

Pulling off the road for a break and being witness to incredible scenery that takes your breath away  - Epic. Especially when you think at that moment - "I would NEVER have seen this unless I was right here on Cycle Oregon." Truly Epic.

In anticipation of the upcoming weeks "Epic Moments" here are some from the past in no particular order.

Leaning hard at 50+ .. then leaning more.. and more... and more...
Epic Palpitations.

Goathead thorn flatting your front tire at 35MPH and you stay upright.
Scary Epic.

Eastern Oregon sunrise over the road less travelled.
Epic Sunrise.

Rest stop on a cold AM with a hot fire.
Epic Comfort.

Pausing on the climb to look waaaay down to see teensy-weensy cyclists methodically powering up on the road below.
Epic Climb.

Lunch with Jonathan Nicholas himself.
Epic Dining.

Friend hits cow in the road on his bike the day before (minor injuries) and forever earns the name "Cow Tipper"
Moooo Epic!

Looooong downhills where you can let it roll.
Epic Cruising.

Building crazy beer cup space needle architecture from the empty cups of you and your friends.
Epic AM Headache.

Low AM clouds riding deeper into the forest.
Epic Greenery.

Hitting 7,392 feet elevation during the ride. (Day 1 started at near zero).
Personal Epic Accomplishment.

Scenery that takes your breath away
Simply Epic.

Cousin with healing knee riding Cycle Oregon 2008 on a hand cycle with zero previous miles on it.
Crazy Epic.