Oregon was the first state to designate Scenic Bikeways.  This tour will give participants the opportunity to ride some of the best of Oregon’s Scenic Bikeways.  During this tour you will see some of the best natural wonders in Oregon from the saddle of your bicycle, from the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline to the high desert lava fields.  You’ll ride through old growth forests and expansive valleys with vineyards that source the grapes for some world-renowned wines.  You’ll ride along the shores of pristine lakes and enjoy the sound of bubbling brooks as your wheels and gears spin in the quiet surroundings.  You’ll do all this by riding primarily on low traffic roads.  Of course, no premier Oregon bike tour would be complete without riding the stunning Crater Lake National Park Rim Ride which circles the caldera of an extinct volcano that holds the deepest and cleanest lake in the US.

 

During this 16-day tour we will ride 11 scenic routes starting from 8 different base locations.  To accomplish this diverse sampling across the state, we will use a slightly different format.  Participants will self-drive their own vehicles (or a rental from the airport) with their own bikes and luggage from one base location to the next.  At each base location we will ride one or more of the Scenic Bikeways or other scenic routes.  The drive time between base locations is about 2 hours.  This self-drive feature has other benefits.  It gives participants the opportunity to explore other Oregon sites and attractions along the way, as well as on rest days.  Another feature of this self-drive format is that it allows participants to select the distance they want to ride on some of the routes by customizing their own starting and/or ending locations.  Your Oregon-based Ride Leaders have ridden each of the routes several times and will be able to provide guidance on the various options.  Customarily, we will gather together each day to provide an orientation to the next day’s route, have some discussions, and enjoy the stories and fellowship that comes with adventure cyclists.  Your Ride Leaders are excited to share the beauty of their home state with you!