Cycle Oregon, a nonprofit bicycling advocacy group, announced its 2020 lineup.
The group has been offering fully supported bike rides since 1988, when the seven-day Classic ride debuted. Since its inception, over 62,000 cyclists have participated in the Classic, and the ride’s popularity in exploring Oregon spurred three other rides.
The four 2020 rides are:
• Classic (Sept. 12-19): The seven-day ride is headed to Eastern Oregon, home to geological wonders. The ride includes stops in the towns of John Day, Monument and Fossil. New this year, the ride offers a range of route lengths (with weeklong totals ranging from 272 to 443 miles), plus 60 miles of optional gravel detours.
• Gravel (May 15-17): In its third year, the Gravel ride offers roads less traveled, both gravel and paved. This year’s ride, limited to 500 riders, is based out of Tygh Valley. Gravel grinders will experience challenging hills as well as easy rollers through the wildflowers, wheat fields and forested roads east of Mount Hood.
• Joyride (June 20): A one-day celebration of women and bikes returns to Independence. Women cyclists of all ages and levels of experience can choose among three fully supported rides (18, 40 and 64 miles). Joyride offers smooth roads, hills, gravel road options, scenery and aid stations.
