March 13, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PUMP!
ORbike wishes the Portland United Mountain Pedalers a very happy birthday and a huge congratulations! This Portland-based mountain bike club is celebrating their 20th anniversary this month. Not only does PUMP do a great job of getting more people on bikes to explore Portland's trails, they're dedicated to maintaining the trails of Forest Park.
Here's the message from newsletter editor Amy Singmaster:
The Portland United Mountain Pedalers will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Sunday, March 30th, 2008, with a fun ride in Forest Park followed by a party at Lucky Labrador Brewpub, 1945 NW Quimby. All riders are invited, from relaxed to speedy - either way you will be sure to have fun!
Bob Crispin of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame will ride the Northwest's first mountain bike, Tankagnolo, and riders are encouraged to ride vintage bikes and dress in vintage clothing to celebrate the start of recreational mountain biking in the city and the founding of PUMP. Admission to both events is free. The ride will be ending with good times at the Northwest Lucky Lab.
Riders will meet at the Lucky Lab at 1:00 p.m., break up into groups according to desire (fast, intermediate, slow, family) and go for a spin up Thurman into Forest Park. PUMP will regroup at Lucky Lab around 5 p.m. for our birthday party! Fun, games, a fix a flat contest and or course a birthday cake will be part of the festivities. Tankagnolo, the Northwest's first mountain bike, will be on display at the Lucky Lab along with other history of the mountain bike and PUMP.
PUMP was founded twenty years ago by Theo Patterson to prevent a mountain bike ban in Forest Park. Although very few singletrack trails in Forest Park are available to mountain bikes twenty years later, the twenty-nine miles of pathways and trails provide a rare mountain biking experience in the city limits of Portland.
PUMP advocates for recreational access on public lands, performs hundreds of hours of trailwork on trails in and around Portland, Tillamook, Mount Hood and Southwest Washington for the use of hikers, bikers and horseback riders and organizes rides and classes to train and educate mountain bikers.
PUMP hosts a Forest Park ride for all rider levels every Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. during daylight savings time, women's rides and Mountain Bike 101 classes. For more information on PUMP or the 20th birthday party, see the website or email susan [at] workforce-dynamics.com.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 8:35 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
December 7, 2007
Syncline Non-Motorized Trail System
On December 12, 2007, 6:00 p.m., the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, USDA Forest Service, will continue the public participation process for planning a trail system in the Coyote Wall (Syncline) and Catherine Creek area. It will be the second of a series of three meetings to collaboratively to formalize a trail system in the area.
Area Manager Dan Harkenrider says "The purpose of these collaborative meetings is to develop a proposed trail system (non-motorized) that would recognize and address current uses, respect private property, provide a variety of recreation experiences, protect adjacent sensitive resources and be sustainable (minimize resource damage)."
The meetings will be held at the Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St., White Salmon, WA. The Forest Service has acquired several thousand acres of land since 1987 in the Burdoin Mountain, Coyote Wall and Catherine Creek areas. The area has become a very popular destination for recreational users, particularly mountain bikers and hikers. Numerous user trails and routes have developed over the past several years. The trails are located on a mix of public and private lands with some trails showing visible signs of erosion and impacts to adjacent natural and cultural_resources.
The proposed system would then be analyzed through the National Environmental_Protection Act (NEPA) process. For more information please contact Stan Hinatsu at 541-308-1708 or by email shinatsu@fs.fed.us.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 11:55 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
October 19, 2007
Check out Alpine
This is a clip from the Alpine Trail, one of the highlights of Mt. Bike Oregon. Check out the quality of the trail. Oakridge, where Mt. Bike Oregon is held, is known for having some of the best maintained trails, thanks to the Disciples of Dirt, the Eugene-based mtb club.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 11:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 18, 2007
MBO Report: Wish you Were Here!
Favorite trails? Depends.
Wish you were here!
Comments (6) | Posted by orbike at 9:06 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 13, 2007
Heading Back to Oakridge
Another Mt. Bike Oregon weekend is coming up and I'll be heading down there. I'm looking forward to four days spent relaxing under the tree canopy, hanging out with dirty, tired mt. bikers and, sure, chilling in the beer garden every night.
There are still a few spots left for this dream weekend getaway. If you like riding, and you want to just ride, and not worry about anything other than riding, then come on down to Mt. Bike Oregon. You ride, they take care of the rest. I can't emphasize that enough. You ride. They shuttle you, cook your food, provide nightly entertainment and FREE BEER, clinics, mechanical support and demo bikes/an expo from top bike manufacturers. Everything is included, you don't have to pull out your wallet all weekend long. But if you can't make it, tune in to ORbike for photos from the trails and camp, stories of riders and all the fun you're missing.
If you decide to come last minute, just show up in camp, but check the website first. The front page will have a notice when the event is full.
More info | Register
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:14 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
July 29, 2007
Mt. Bike Oregon - 250 Riders Rock Oakridge!
The July weekend of Mt. Bike Oregon rocked the trails in Oakridge with 250 riders. The epic Middle Fork trail was as popular as ever. Limited to 40 riders a day, this awesome ride was in high demand. So was the Alpine trail, with riders begging to get on the shuttles every day. While the number of riders is limited in order to maintain the condition of the trails, there is certainly no lack of riding options throughout the day.
Read more about the event on BikePortland.org here and here and check out these photos.
Riders awoke early every day and were eagerly awaiting hot coffee to get the day started. After a hearty pancake-sausage-eggs breakfast, it was off to the shuttle sign up table to contemplate the day's rides, then over to the yellow school buses to load up for the trail. Riders were gone all day, riding as many trails as time or their bodies would allow. At night, exhausted riders returned to camp for a shower, a refreshing dunk in the ice-cold river and a dinner that was rushed to make way for the beer garden. Free beer was served all night long.
Tanya from Cannondale came up to lead clinics for women and Jason Bietz from River City Bicycles in Portland provided ascending and descending clinics in the evenings. The Bike Gallery crew wrenched on bikes to keep them in working order and a team of 60 guides - mostly from the Disciples of Dirt Eugene club - kept riders safe on the trails.
If you missed out, don't worry, there's still another session in August.
Comments (5) | Posted by orbike at 4:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
July 22, 2007
Live From Mt. Bike Oregon
Jonathan Maus, of the very popular blog BikePortland.org, will be down in Oakridge for Mt. Bike Oregon. Jonathan is a long-time mt. biker, but with all of his urban reporting for BikePortland.org, he hasn't hit the trails much since he moved to Portland from Santa Barbara, California.
Here's where it gets really cool:
Jonathan will be reporting daily from Mt. Bike Oregon. If you're not signed up for this weekend mt. bike getaway, you can tune in to BikePortland and see what you're missing. It's also a bonus feature for the event participants who come from Canada and all parts of the US - their friends and family back home can virtually share in the adventure. Jonathan will post photos and recaps of each day on the trails.
BikePortland.org is a daily, online news magazine that covers the Portland, Oregon bike scene. Jonathan founded the site in 2005 soon after moving to Portland Santa Barbara. Jonathan got his start working on marketing and PR in the bicycle industry, but once in Portland it quickly became evident there was a need for fast-paced, relevant reporting on the quickly-evolving bike culture. Cyclists in Portland pull a lot of weight in local government and they have the potential to influence major decisions. Jonathan has been at the forefront of local-gone-national issues such as the story of a bike commuter punched by a bus operator, legislation and tickets for fixies not having brakes and a story about a radio DJ on Jammin' 95.5 who advocated road violence against cyclists.
BikePortland also features a forums section for discussion, stolen bike listings through which many bikes have been recovered, a calendar of events, bike industry job listings and other resources. Sure, it's Portland-based, but the breadth of bicycle information Jonathan covers is fascinating to readers from around the globe.
So why is Jonathan excited to head to Oakridge? " I used to to have great trails and epic riding right outside my door," he explains. "I used to do big, backcountry overnighters on the weekend right from from my front door. but when I moved to Portland I pretty much had to cut out that part of my life (I don't like driving to ride)... So I'm very psyched get dirty and get back in the groove of real trail riding. It's sort of like getting back to my roots... mountain biking is where my real obsession with bikes began. I smile just thinking about getting back out there...I hope I haven't lost all my skills but I'm eager to find out!"
And what is he most looking forward to? "Fast, narrow, technical singletrack with lots of turns and switchbacks (hope they have some of that) and I especially like technical singletrack climbing, it's like an anaerobic chess game, you have to think of your moves and strategy ahead of time while you can hardly breathe! And also just getting out into the woods, away from the noise of the city, and of course the camaraderie that riding always brings."
So from July 27-29, tune in to BikePortland.org and get your daily MBO fix!
Comments (6) | Posted by orbike at 4:27 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
July 2, 2007
Rider Profile: Tara Clawson
Last year Tara Clawson had so much fun at Mt. Bike Oregon with her friend that this year she bought a gift pass for her husband. "I know he'll dig the riding," she says. Tara says her favorite trail is Alpine, and she can't wait to get back out there.
On a typical week, Tara, a 49-year-old from Sandpoint, ID, rides 2-3 times on singletrack that's - get this - right behind her home. She says it's only a 3-4 mile ride, but we say, still, it's right behind your house. How great is that? "When the snow melts off of Schweitzer mountain," Tara adds, "I try and ride their trail system at least once a week."
Tara enjoys riding all over her region. "Up here in the northern panhandle of Idaho we have some great riding. A little bit of everything. Our bike club, Pend Oreille Pedalers, has done a great job building new singletrack and buffing out existing trails. Our ski resort has some really challenging downhill rides. It's mostly tight technical riding, not a lot of wide open trails. Great scenery."
This photo is of Tara and her kids riding in Nelson, B.C. She adds, "Girls rock!!"
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 9:57 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 22, 2007
Rider Profile: Iris Riggs
Iris Riggs, the Bicycle Recreation Coordinator for Oregon Parks and Rec., is one of the many riders gearing up for Mt. Bike Oregon. "It just sounds like a great event!" she says. "Good food, nice people, and great rides."
Iris is mostly a city rider. She lives in Salem and rides to work, to the store, downtown and for fun - but her roots are on the trail. "I grew up in the woods so my first bike was a mt. bike. I learned to ride on dirt trails and old logging roads. It was two miles to the nearest slab of asphalt, so needless to say training wheels were little to no help for me. Momentum and sheer will were the best teachers." But Iris hasn't done much mt. bike riding since those early days and she says she'd like to do a lot more.
So it's no surprise that what Iris is most looking forward to about Mt. Bike Oregon is the all-day opportunity to get back into mt. biking and learn more about it. "Not to mention fun, oh and free beer" she adds.
Iris says she is hoping for a really positive event with a lot of trail options and beautiful scenery. Just wait till you get there, Iris - you're in for a real treat.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:19 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 14, 2007
Canadians Invade Mt. Bike Oregon
For the last six months, Craig Hunt's wife has been begging him to sign them up for Mt. Bike Oregon. "Actually, we plan almost all of our vacations around riding somewhere," he says. " I've heard good things about this event and haven't ridden in this part of Oregon so this is a good opportunity." Craig and his wife are from Delta, British Columbia, which is south east of Vancouver. They have spent a little time riding in the Hood River, Bend and MacKenzie River trail and they really like Oregon.
Craig is a huge mt. biker. He says he also does some North Shore stuff, but hasn't been doing it as much lately. He mt. bikes about twice a week and he and his wife take a few one- or two-week mt. bike trips every year. He and his wife moved further away from their work and he misses the bike commute, so once a week he rides 25 miles home from work.
On top of all that, Craig shows his mt. bike stripes as a moderator on the MTBR online bulletin boards. After so much time online, he says he's excited about Mt. Bike Oregon because it's a chance to "meet some people that I only know virtually from MTBR and socialize after the rides." We know what you mean, Craig, you mean beer garden.
Craig is also really looking forward to the singletrack riding on the Alpine trail that he's heard so much about, and we're sure he won't be disappointed.
Look for Craig in the beer garden and buy him a cold one. No wait, you can't do that because the beer garden is all free! Saddle up next to Craig and ask him about riding in B.C. He'll tell you all about his favorite places: Burnaby Mountain, the North Shore, Squamish, Whistler or the Sunshine Coast.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:58 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 11, 2007
MBO Profile: Juntu Capistrano
Mt. Bike Oregon is filling up fast with riders from all parts of the US and from Canada. Not only is this a chance to tear it up on some of the world's best trails, you can meet some awesome people also. Like Juntu Capistrano. Juntu, a 34-year-old from Portland, says she's riding Mt. Bike Oregon as a way to get in some good mt biking while she's on her mini-vacation. She's more of a cross-country biker who trys to find the time to mtb as much as she can. So what is Juntu most looking forward to?
"Riding, eating, drinking and sleeping," she says. "Then doing it all over again the next day!"
Juntu has never been to Mt. Bike Oregon, but says, "it was highly recommended from one of my friends/riding buddies." Juntu, you're in for a great time! You won't be disappointed.
Look for Juntu out there on the trails... or in the beer garden.
Coming soon: profiles from Canada and Idaho
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 7:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
April 25, 2007
Win a Free Pass to Mt. Bike Oregon
Show off your skills! We know you can tear it up on the trail, but what can you do with a jersey? Mt. Bike Oregon is looking for a special design for this year's jersey. Send in your design by May 1, which is coming right up The winning designer will receive a free pass to the 2007 MBO. For more info on the contest, see the MBO website.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 24, 2007
Forest Service Training Weekend
If you're looking to lean more about how to build and maintain trails, the Disciples of Dirt (DOD) mtb club has an oppportunity for you to attend a US Forest Service volunteer training weekend for free. The weekend training is in Oakridge May 19-20. There will be two levels of trail maintenance classes, plus first aid and other trail-related classes. It's all free, including a dinner saturday night and camping with showers on Friday and Saturday nights.
Matt from DOD says it is a great opportunity because, "You will learn a lot, and show the forest service that the mtb community cares about volunteering in the forest." For more information, see the DOD website.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:26 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 21, 2007
Awesome Trail Video
Check out this awesome trail video shot by Chad Sageser of Back Country Productions for Mt. Bike Oregon. If you've been toying with the idea of going on Mt. Bike Oregon this year, just watch the video. It will give you a good sense of how great the trails are there.
The early registration price for Mt. Bike Oregon ends on April 30th, so register now to get that deal. The Saturday Middle Fork shuttles are already sold out and the tide is filling up fast on both weekends (July 27-29 and August 17-19).
[ watch the video ]
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:39 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
January 25, 2007
More Shuttles for 2007
The shuttle schedule for the 2007 Mt. Bike Oregon has just been released. It's jam packed. You've got some serious deciding to do. They're all great, but which combo will leave you exhaused and exhilirated at the end of each day? Ride guides who truly know those trails will be at the event to help you pick, and to tell you more about each ride.
In the meantime, take a look at this incredible shuttle list.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
January 19, 2007
North Cali Represents at Mt. Bike Oregon
Mt. Bike Oregon has always been popular with riders from Northern California. Last year they represented a huge percentage of all Mt. Bike Oregon Riders. So what do they have up their sleeves for this year? We just saw this come in on the North Cali MTBR forum.
Just registered. :thumbsup: My wife is counting it as an early bday present even though I'll get it after my birthday. Any news/info on the charter bus? I would only need a ride back but would be willing to pitch in. ... Travis
That's right, they're renting a charter bus. Mt. Bike Oregon is truly the mt. biker's dream getaway. Have you registered yet? The event isn't until July and August, but like so many of our other great local rides, it will sell out, so register early.
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 11:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
December 29, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Returning Rider Deal Ends Sunday
If you participated in Mt. Bike Oregon last year and you haven't yet registered for either of the two 2007 dates, hurry up! You can register at any time, but the discounted price for returning riders is only good until midnight on Sunday. The code went out in a special Mt. Bike Oregon newsletter. If you didn't get the newsletter, contact the staff ASAP at 503.459.4508 or Info@MtBikeOregon.com, but over the weekend they may not answer.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 1:51 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
December 14, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon is Open - the Internet Goes Crazy
The regional forums on the MTBR.com website are always abuzz with the latest and greatest area mountain biking news. So perhaps it's no surprise the North Cali (where about 35% of last year riders live) forum is going crazy over yesterday's announcement that Mt. Bike Oregon registration is open for 2007.
The poster LemurianGuy says "Wow, I'm def. in. Would like to know when the rest of you guys are going, preferably. I'm thinkn July, but not positive yet. Def down to go, though! Maybe I'll try an ellsworth, see if all the fluff really pans out..."
85% of last year's riders at the sold-out event said they were planning to return with friends and riding buddies this year, so this year there are two weekends (July and August). There will also be trails, more shuttles, more food and more exhibitors. The price will go up in April and this event will likely sell out, so register early!
Comments (5) | Posted by orbike at 12:33 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
October 20, 2006
MTB Film at Clinton St. Tonight
This announcement just came through on the ORbike calendar:
The Fat Tire Farm is proud to present New World Disorder 7: Flying High Again at the Clinton Street Theater. One night only, Friday, October 20th at 7:00 and 9:00 pm. Please note that the 9:00 pm show is 21 & over only!! Anyone under 21 will NOT be admitted, no exceptions! There will also be a raffle and prizes given out! Tickets are $10.00 and are available now at the Fat Tire Farm. Buy early, last year sold out fast!
[ full listing ] [ New World Disorder 6 - peak ]
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 20, 2006
Pack in the Riding : MBO Day 4
Today is the last day of Mt. Bike Oregon for most of the riders, so they're packing it all in, riding as many trails as they can. It was a slower start in the morning, however, after a night of beer garden activity. We watched extreme videos, checked out photos of them on the trails and did our best to put a dent in the remaining 12 kegs we tasked with emptying. About 50 riders are participating in a personalized, extended version of Mt. Bike Oregon which we call the Hardcore. The smaller group will be shuttled around to more trails, like Waldo Lake, over the next few days. These folks are stoked. The other folks are sad.
Stay tuned for a full photo gallery from the weekend. If you were out there with us, expect a newsletter in your e-mail box very soon.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 9:33 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 19, 2006
All Day Riding : MBO Day 3
We rocked out in the beer garden last night after an excellent BBQ chicken dinner grilled up right here in camp. There were extreme videos projected on the wall of the amphitheater and plenty of cool, much-needed beer.
Today it's all about the shuttles. Camp is pretty much empty as riders are out on the trails. We're constant shuttles to Larison Rock, an awesome short, fast ride with an easy two-mile ride back into camp. 90% downhill on cross-country singletrack. It's only 4.5 miles of riding, but packed with excitement. Middlefork - the epic, far out, 45 miles of riding trail - sold out and full bus left camp at 8:30 this morning. We expects to see exhausted riders streaming back in throughout the afternoon.
So what do the riders think of the trails?
Well, I think one rider summed it up best when he rode back into camp looking for, as he put it, "That guy who planned the Alpine ride so I can hug him. That was the best trail I've ever ridden, where is that guy?"
Tonight it's a salmon bake and fresh corn, and of course another night of course more rocking out in the beer garden. If you're reading this, I bet you're not down here with us, and I bet you wish you were! Don't worry, there's always next year. And who knows, after selling out this year, maybe we'll even do two Mt. Bike Oregons.
[ click for larger views ]
More photos to come!
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 2:17 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 18, 2006
Shuttles Begin : MBO Day 2
Welcome to Day Two of Mt. Bike Oregon! Hundreds of ecsstatic riders have moved into camp and are scoping out the trails. Campers spent yesterday setting up their outdoor homes for the weekend, complete with lanterns, tables and a seemingly endless supply of snacks. They awoke to a hot fresh breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausages, eggs, pancakes: the works! We started running shuttles at 8:00 am this morning. The first group was taken out to the covered bridge to ride up to the top of Alpine Trail. It was their choice to start at the spot that requires 12 miles of riding uphill on gravel. Ambitious way to start the weekend, especially considering the next shuttle would have taken them to the top. Our ride guide experts are wandering through camp to give insider advice on choosing the best trails.
Probably the most exciting part of the day so far has been the women's clinic presented by Tanya from Cannondale. Tanya is a professional mt. biker who is on staff with Cannondale to help teach clinics for women throughout the year. The women in her clinic (which was held right on the bank of the river - see photo) were hanging on her every word as she encouraged them to stick their rears out while going up hill and cruise down with their stomachs on the saddle for the best posturing. Check out these photos:
[ click for larger views ]
More photos to come!
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 12:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 17, 2006
Ahhh, Oakridge! MBO : Day 1
Eating a delicious breakfast while sipping good coffee, sitting outside of the Trailhead Cafe surrounded on all sides by a view of tall, lush green trees. This is Oakridge, and it's good to be back. I'm here for Mt. Bike Oregon. Shuttles to the trails don't start until tomorrow, but people have already started to roll into town. I was awoken this morning by a big crew of people who were planning out their morning of riding. Sitting across from me right now are two guys pouring over the local trails map while drinking coffee. There are cars with bikes on top and on back everywhere. To get into the spirit of things, Ben, a local creative jewelery maker, outfitted his retro Ford Falcon with bike racks and mounted a Schwinn Stingray on top. He rides something much more trail-worthy for the most part, but couldn't resist the urge to cruise around town with this showy ride.
This is an event that even the roadiest of road riders can appreciate: a weekend of riding through beautiful scenery, on remote trails, with a campground full of bikecentric people and a free beer garden at night.
Mt. Bike Oregon is just about sold out but there will be enough slots for those of you who want to just show up here and register on site.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:30 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 16, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Starts Tomorrow!
In a couple of hours I'm heading down to Oakridge to scope out the scene for Mt. Bike Oregon and start setting up the event. There is still time to register: registration closes this evening. What do you have going on this weekend? Come join us for an dream mt. bike getaway weekend. We've got shuttles every day to some of the best trails in the nation. There are routes for every skill level, so if you're a beginner you'll still get in some awesome riding without being over your head. Oakridge is gorgeous and just being there for the weekend is pretty spectacular.
Free beer in the New Belgium Beer Garden every night, clinics, mechanical support, demo bikes and products from Canondale, Litespeed, Haro, Ellsworth, Shimano, and many others. Tons of cool stuff, including a freezing cold river that I'm really looking forward to jumping into. It's one of those rivers that you really can't stand to be in, but it is just about the most refreshing thing to do after a long hot day.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 10, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Gets Closer
Mt. Bike Oregon starts next Thursday. We can't wait! We'll be reporting daily from our base camp at Greenwaters park in Oakridge, Oregon. We'll be test riding some hot bikes from Cannondale, Ellsworth, Haro, Litespeed and more. In the evenings, I plan to kick back in the New Belgium beer garden with 350+ riders from 20 states to find out what mt. biking is like in their areas of the country.
As a special perk for you fans of the ORbike blog, here's a sneak peak at the hot-off-the-press Mt. Bike Oregon EPIC TRAILS NEWS, usually reserved for just the participants.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 4:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 8, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Newsletter
Hey are you going out to Oakridge for Mt. Bike Oregon? The event, which starts on August 18, is nearly sold out but there are still a few slots open. A newsletter will go out this week to all you who have registered. We're looking forward to heading down there for a weekend of fun on the trails.
If you're a Mt. Bike Oregon participant, keep your eyes locked on your e-mail box for more information. If you're not signed up--- what? We understand if you're just not into mt. biking, but if you ARE, then you need to be down there!
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:18 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
August 6, 2006
States Represent at Mt. Bike Oregon
Check out this list of the states that are representing at Mt. Bike Oregon:
Riders and Clubs From:
Redding Mountain Biking Club
Contra Costa County Fire Department
Are you coming?
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:09 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
July 26, 2006
Get the Mt. Bike Oregon Special Price!
For just a few more days, you can register for Mt. Bike Oregon for only $180 (3 day) / $300 (5 day). That's a pretty sweet deal for a full weekend of riding, free shuttles to the trails, meals included, FREE BEER AT NIGHT, camping and a great crowd of mtb enthusiasts. The event happens in Oakridge, an area with some of the very best trails in the US. It's just east of Eugene. The prices will go up on August 1st so get in on the deal while you can and sign up today.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 4:41 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
July 24, 2006
Bike Crash Videos
Someone sent me a link to these videos. I almost don't want to pass them on to you because they're on YouTube. Do you know about YouTube? If you don't, you may not want to go there. When my housemate first got his own laptop he discovered YouTube. Two hours later he was still at the site, looking at the short video clips people have uploaded (on every topic imaginable) to others to see. YouTube is addictive, and it's also full of great bike videos.
I included some I like in this list, along with the ones that were passed on to me:
Crash #1 | Crash #2 | Crash #3 | Crash #4
But if you want to see really good bike footage, you should check out the Mt. Bike Oregon video. Full of tight singletrack helmet cam shots and amazing scenery. You can get a free copy if you go to the Mt. Bike Oregon website and click the free DVD e-mail link.
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 10:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 16, 2006
Portland Mt. Bike Short Track Series Starts Sunday
This Sunday kicks off mt. bike race season at Skibowl with a full day of short track, downhill and cross country mt. bike races.
Here is some more info on the short track races from race organizer Kris Schramp:
Start Times and Race Duration :
10:00am - Pro/Elite and Expert - racing for 25' + 1 lap
10:30am - Sport and Singlespeed riders - racing for 25' + 1 lap
11:00am - Beginners and Juniors - racing for 45' (*) + 1 lap
Noon - awards for beginners and juniors.
(*) This race is the Beginner/Junior XC and short track race rolled in one. It will be a lot of fun and perfectly suited for riders who have never raced mountain bikes before.
Course:
total distance per lap - 1 mile
total elevation gain per lap - 125 ft.
photos: http://www.portlandracing.com/skibowl-shorttrack.html
Race Fees:
$15 short track only
$10 if you also race XC and/or DH
No late fee!
Location: The short track races take place around Multopor Lodge (Skibowl East). Race registration is at the main parking lot of Skibowl. After you are registered, you can either ride your bike or drive your car to the Multopor area.
Click here for a race flyer
We will be done in time with short track races for everyone to witness the start of the XC races at 1pm. The XC start will be one that spectators don't want to miss out on, as it will send XC riders up a steep road right next to the area where downhill MTB racers will be bombing down the mountain. Plenty of action (of different nature) to witness!
The weather forecast for Sunday looks great (partly cloudy, then sunny) and Petr just told me that the trails are in excellent shape (snow is pretty much all gone).
Any question, feel free to contact Petr Kakes at 503-272-0146 or shoot me an e-mail.
Hope to see you on Sunday at the mountain!
~Kris
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 8:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 2, 2006
Meet the Mt. Bike Oregon Riders
Mt. Bike Oregon draws people from all over the US for a weekend of epic riding in August. Take for example Janice Alexnder who is coming from San Francisco with her husband and her one year old daughter. Janice says she is excited to spend "summer in Oregon, biking as well as hiking and camping and still hang out as a family."
Janice usually rides in the San Francisco Bay Area: China Camp, Annadel and Mt. Tamalpais state parks, as well as Sea Otter in Monterey. She says she rides "woefully little these days, more road than trail. Maybe once a month in the dirt, but more in the summer (hopefully)", which I suspect is a result of that little one year old.
Janice describes her riding area as having "a mix of challenges and riders so that you can pick a trail to suit your mood and know that there will be lots of different kinds of riders out there with you." She likes that her husband, who she says is more experienced, can go off on a technical adventure while she picks "a trail that is swoopy and fun and beautiful, but still doable at my level."
Janice and her husband will undoubtedly find some good trails to ride at Mt. Bike Oregon!
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:43 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 31, 2006
Bicycle Trails Meeting
Roger Louton, president of PUMP just sent over an announcement about an important bicycle trails meeting on Thursday from 6:30-8pm at the Portland Building. There are 221 miles of regional trails planned (some complete), and Roger wants to know "How many will be open to bicycles, and of that how many could be classified as singletrack?" He's striving to pack the meeting with mtb-enthusiasts to show Parks and Rec there is demand for singletrack.
This file contains Portland Parks and Recreation's presentation about the project.
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
You are invited to a presentation on the Strategy for Regional Recreational
Trails within Portland.
Thursday, June 1, 2006
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Portland Building - Second Floor, Room C 1120 SW Fifth Avenue Portland, OR
June 3rd is National Trails Day! What better time to think about Portland's
trail system?
Toward the end of June, Portland Parks & Recreation will be taking our Regional Recreational Trails Strategy to City Council. Regional Trails connect our city to adjacent communities and to regionally
significant features such as rivers and streams. Portland has 22 existing and planned Regional Trails, totaling 221 miles. Of those, 146 miles (66%) are complete!
Now, working within the context of other regional planning frameworks, Portland Parks & Recreation has developed a 20 year strategy for completing Portland's Regional Recreational Trail System. Please join us to learn about the strategy and how it will be used to guide future regional trail development decisions.
This presentation is intended to provide trail advocates and other interested citizens with an in-depth overview of the draft Strategy and an opportunity for Q & A and further discussion.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:17 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 23, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Draws From All Over
Mt. Bike Oregon is going to be awesome this year and people are coming from all over to ride the excellent trails in Oakridge. I've had a chance to speak with a lot of people over the phone who are wondering:
I'm a new rider, will there be trails for me?
Yes, there are a few very beginner trails and Randy from Oakridge says there are other trails that are great for beginngers if you just start part way down the trail, which is an option we offer.
What's the campsite like?
It's beautiful - right on the river and nice and shady. There's an open area where we'll have the beer garden and nightly activities, but mostly is very green and cool from the shade.
Can I bring my dog?
That's a tough call. All of us involved in organizing the event are big dog lovers and dogs are welcome at the park if they're leashed, but you have to think about what Fido's going to do all day while you're on the trails. Also, the campground will be full of people and activity. I wouldn't bring my dog.
What kinds of people come to this thing?
All sorts of people are coming, from very experienced hardcore riders to people new to mountain biking., People are coming from all over the country. Our latest list includes California, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 5, 2006
Pump Club Turns 18!
Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) is a mountain bike club that works to promote and enhance quality mountain biking recreational opportunities in Oregon and Washington. They're celebrating 18 great years and want you to come to the party.
Head on out to Sellwood Public House, 8132 SE 13th Avenue, on Saturday from 7-10. $5 suggested donation gets you a beverage (beer), all proceeds go towards PUMP's work to keep trails open and improve riding opportunites.
A lot of people know about PUMP because of their annual swap meet at Friendly House, but they do so much more. Whether on the trail or on the internet, the PUMP members share info on trails, alert the community to important trail issues, ride the heck out of the trails and work on clean up and advocacy. They really do some admirable work and are quite an asset to our bike community.
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 9:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 3, 2006
Reserve Some Time: Portland Bike Summit
Bicycling Magazine calls Portland the number one bicycling city in all of North America. The League of American Bicyclists rates Portland "Gold" along with four other U.S. cities. The next level is platinum and no large city has gotten there yet. Commissioner Sam Adams and the bicycling community want to Go Platinum! and they want your help.
On Saturday, June 17 from 8:30 to 1:30 pm, you are invited to join neighborhood and bicycling advocates at the Portland Bike Summit at PSU's Smith Hall. It's an opportunity to learn how we got to be the best in the U.S. and find out about all the exciting and fun ways you can get involved to make Portland a world-class bicycling city.
Workshop topics include:
- Portland's I Share the Road campaign
- Innovations in Bikeways Here and Abroad
- Who Put the Fun in Bike Fun? From Breakfast on the Bridges to Pedalpalooza
- New Laws for Bikes - What Strategies are on the Horizon
- Why Do People Not Ride - Really (or How to Get My Next Door Neighbor/Co-worker/Friend on a Bike)
FREE and lunch is included.
Should you attend? PDOT is encouraging attendance from anyone who bikes, likes bikes, wants to bike, owns a bike, etc.
[ More info ]
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 1:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
April 13, 2006
Do Bikey Bunny Things This Weekend
What is it with bunnies and bikes? I don't know, but this weekend you've got options.
Chasing the Rabbit is a mt bike race in Grants Pass on 50% logging and 50% singletrack. There's also an easter egg hunt for the kids. Proceeds from the race will benefit Pistis, a non-profit cycling ministry. April 15.
Bunny on a Bike is a fun, three-year-old, unsupported urban ride. This year's theme is Bunnies on Bridges and they'll cross many of the bridges. Free, all ages, and bunny costumes are expected. April 16.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 11:32 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
April 7, 2006
In the Mud at Sea Otter
After 30 straight days of rain, the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey presented exhibitors with a field of mud to hang out in. Thanks rain. Luckily for the Oregonians that headed down there, they've got the rain tolerance necessary to still have a good time. Our own Randy and Porter from Mt. Bike Oregon are down there now letting people know what a great event Mt. Bike Oregon is going to be this August. Porter reports that yesterday was sunny and 80 degrees and the mud is starting to dry out, but the paving stones Randy bought for then to stand on are still coming in handy.
Read more from Cycling News on the hot new gear on display at Sea Otter.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 12:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
April 4, 2006
Improve your Karma - One Race at a Time
"Smack" over on the Team Ugly Stick blog gave a good report on this year's Mudslinger.
In addition, he says "That Mike Ripley puts on one heck of a race. Excellent support, a well-marked course, and a very respectable pile of schwag. For those of you who don’t realize just how much work it takes to get people to give you free stuff to give away at your race, it was impressive....Mike said it was a labor of love, and he means it. It’s not like you can make a good living doing that sort of thing. But you do get some really good karma."
Erik Tonkin (S and M) took first place.
Alice Pennington (Desalvo) dominated the Womens Pro/Expert division.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 12:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 30, 2006
Tell me About the Trails
Mt. Bike Oregon is a great three-day riding and camping event we do in Oakridge, Oregon (there is also an extended five-day option). A lot of people are wondering what the trails are like and if newbie riders will have a lot to choose from. Well, that's what makes Oakridge so great. There's lot of everything for everyone. Some trails have varying degrees of difficulty depending where on the trail you start.
I thought it would be good to put together a list of the trails, so I asked Randy from Oregon Adventures for a little advice. Randy is an Oakridge resident, a mt. bike expert in the region and he helps us organize Mt. Bike Oregon. Here's what we put together:
There are many trails in Oakridge, but these are he ones we'll feature on Mt. Bike Oregon:
Alpine Trail (20-50 miles) – The Crown Jewel
Smooth and fast, with breathtaking panoramic views. To earn the thrill, you climb 8-12 miles on forest service roads. Once you hit the trail, there is a little work, some minor technical, and then it’s all downhill for over three hours! Lots of loops and offshoot options including; Tire Mt, Cloverpath, North Fork and more. Moderate. Throw in Tire and Cloverpath and it goes up to Difficult.
Larison Creek – Highly technical single-track, particularly at the top.
The ride starts from camp, up three miles of paved road, then ten of gradually climbing fire road to the trailhead. The Creek ride is the perfect test of skill and courage. Extreme switchbacks, exposed roots, and stream crossings are a few of the challenges. About halfway down, it opens up and lets you ride, almost continually. Around two hours on the trail then a couple miles of downhill pavement back to camp. Expert most of the way, though it mellows out in the middle and at the end.
Larison Rock – Fun, short, and quick, with patches of technical.
A five-mile paved climb from camp puts you at the trailhead. The trail winds down the hills over camp. Although mostly smooth and fast, it slows down for some steep narrows and tight spots. Plan for 2-3
hours, round-trip from camp. Beginner, unless you take the shuttle to the top then it is moderate becasue you get going really fast.
Heckle Tooth (20-50 miles) – The other epic ride.
An easy ride from camp puts you on the Salmon Creek Trail. Then it is up the fire lane, how far is your
choice – the higher, the harder. The 20-mile loop climbs for six-miles before you enter the trail, a
speed zone through the rolling hills and generous switchbacks. The 35-mile loop adds elevation plus
climbing. It is only a steep climb in a couple of spots early and the reward is that you ride down the
edge of the mountains. The 50-miler is a rider’s ride – tight, technical switchbacks and obstacles reward the extra climb. Not for the weak!
Moderate if you take the shuttle. Special ride hosted by expert rider Bert is Expert level with a major work out including technical and hike a bike.
Salmon Creek – A beautiful flad ride ride up the river to the Salmon Creek Falls.
This flat, groomed trail runs right through camp and includes a variety of local points of interest along the ride. There are no hills or obstacles. A straight round trip is about 12 miles. For a harder Option: Cross the Salmon Creek Bridge for rolling hills with some technical patches. Gain some vertical with a trip up Dead Mountain then back on the Flat Creek Trail. Total beginner ride on the north side. South side is slightly more advanced as are the optional ad-ons mentioned above.
Willamette Pass – Steep technical slopes.
You can attack the technical steeps of the winter slopes and the downhill mt. bike race course or choose a cross-country route through the miles of trails in the national forest.
Additional Trails
There are many additional trails as part of the event or for exploring on your own. Oakridge is just loaded with great options for riding - no matter your skill level.
1-4 Routes: There are over 30 trails covering nearly 500 miles of single track within an hour and a half of Oakridge.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:01 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 24, 2006
Can you Reach the Beach?
In May, all roads lead to the Pacific City beach. Hop on your bike from one of four different start locations on Reach the Beach, a fundraiser for the American Lung Association of Oregon, and join us for a sink-your-toes-in-the-sand party on the beach. This is my third year helping organize Reach the Beach and I can tell you it's an amazing ride.
Registration is only $25. You are also required to raise a minimum of $50 in donations for the American Lung Association of Oregon, and the website offers easy to use fundraising tools that make it fun and simple to send out messages and exceed your goal. Motivated fundraisers may qualify for great prizes such as a free pass to Cycle Oregon, a Trek bike, a ride on STP and more. Every dollar you raise helps the ALAO promote lung health and keep our Oregon air clean. They're working hard and they're saving lives and they need your help.
How does this sound: a beautiful route, breakfast, two lunch stops, 10 rest stops, dinner at the finish line, a brew pub on site, music, prizes and the backdrop of the ocean. Yes, I think it just doesn't get much better than this.
Reach the Beach also features a mt. bike course for those who want a little off road challenge.
Each of the five routes is a different distance, the most challenging being a century ride out of Portland. If you want to challenge yourself and you've never done a century, training rides led by the Portland Wheelmen will help you build up to that century.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 9:57 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 8, 2006
Reach the Beach
I was talking to someone recently and when I mentioned that I help organize Reach the Beach he said, "Oh, good ole Reach the Beach. I love it. I ride it every year." He's not the only one. In fact, we're expecting 2,000 riders to join us this year.
There are five different routes with different lengths, including a mountain bike course and all routes lead to a gigantic beach party in Pacific City. The party features music, an opportunity to sink your toes in the sand, beer for sale at the award-winning Pelican Pub and free prizes. With breakfast, two lunches, many rest stops and dinner at the finish line, you'll be well taken care of on this ride.
Reach the Beach is a fundraiser for the American Lung Association of Oregon. In addition to having a great time on the ride, you can feel good knowing you are promoting cleaner air and lung health in Oregon.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 11:02 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
February 22, 2006
Mt. Bike Oregon Party People
Our list of who is coming to Mt. Bike Oregon is growing. You should see what they're bringing to the party. Check out this great list of participants. We've got everything from bike demos by Cannondale and Litespeed to New Belgium bringing free beer and River City Bicycles offering mechanical support.
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 2:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
January 18, 2006
Logo Contest - win FREE passes to Mt. Bike Oregon
We're looking for the perfect logo for