GEARs Rides - Looking Beyond Tomorrow!
Larry Diffie
Hello GEARs Group!
And The Survey Says:
Here I go, trying to build some interest and excitement some “Beyond” Rides and at the same time provided some GEARs Survey requested Riding options!
A reminder:
On May 14 – 16 (Wednesday thru Friday), Craig and Theresa Congdon are planning a three-day train and Scenic Bikeway outing and they say company would be welcome!! Two nights at McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove. Then Riding a 30 mile flat route on Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway. Day #2 would be a 70-mile Ride on Banks-Veronia Scenic Bikeway with stopping for lunch after a 35 mile, 800’ gain, then return with only 400’ gain on the TVSB.
On Friday thru Sunday, May 30th – June 1st, I am tentatively planning on leading an overnight gravel/mixed surface bikepacking journey on the Aufderheide – this may be in conjunction with a Media Event designating the Aufderheide as the newest Oregon Scenic Bikeway. I need to work out details as where to safely park vehicles and will campgrounds be open and available. (If you have knowledge of these things, please share!) This Event in Westfir would start at 11:00/11:30 a.m. (Friday), last an hour or so and then we would Ride approximately ½ way on the route and camp. Then Day #2, Ride to the 126 and camp out again on the trip back. This is a To Be Determined speculation…………..I anticipate this will be a 10 to 12 mph adventure…….maybe slower…..***and this adventure could be determined by snow and weather in higher places
On a warmer note – on Saturday, July 12th, we will be looking to Ride a GEARs Favorite – “The Siletz Loop”, almost 70 miles, where we leave Newport, Ride inland thru Siletz and along the Siletz River towards the 101, then South, back towards Newport. There is 23 miles of shoulder (mostly wide, but needing repairs in a couple of places) along the 101, with a few off-shoots that will provide some amazing views and away from 101 traffic. Many of us meet and eat after the Ride. John R. & Kayna know a place that can seat large groups and serve us timely. More info coming……
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 27th thru 29th, we will be Bike Packing our way back down to Cottage Grove on Friday, staying at Schwarz Park in 2 side-by-side campsites (8 campers per site) and then Riding either the Row River out to the Wildwood Falls and back (10 to 12 mph) or the “2 Lake Loop” Route (probably 13 to 15 mph) on Saturday, returning on Sunday. Note: we did get rained out last time we held this event in June but decided to do it again – just because! The rides to/from town will be at a 10 to 12 mph pace.
Are you tired of me yet? Have I mispelled anything yet? And Beyond!
On August 22nd thru 24th, Friday – Sunday, we will be joining forces with Mid-Valley Bike Club for a Campout and Gravel Ride Experience for the 2nd Year! Only this year will be at Honeyman Campground, south of Florence. We have 4 campsites reserved that can hold up to 8 campers per site. There is limited space for vehicles……. Saturday’s Gravel Ride has options, “Honeyman Gravel” = 52 miles with 5,144’ gain, or & 23rd, and “Ring Around Siltcoos Lake” = 34 miles with 2,896’ gain. You finish your chosen Ride, come back to camp, shower and relax and have an evening of Cyclist Community. Then, on the drive home, there could be a stop for another Gravel Ride on Old Stagecoach Rd 30 miles, 1486’ gain.
And then, there’s still more! On either Saturday September 6th or 13th, we are looking to have a GEARs Scheduled “Ride the Rim around Crater Lake”! In my GEARs History, although we’ve had quite a few GEARs Members go and Ride this Route, it has not been a scheduled Ride, so why not do something different – we’ve had a couple of Ride Leaders = Mark LaPage and me step up to lead even though I’ve never ridden it, which means I'll need help with logistics and turns. Mark’s group will ride at a faster pace than I will. I will be enjoying the vistas and the views and taking photos. Details still have to be worked out – parking, possibly meeting for lunch after the ride, etc.? If you have experiences, please share.
I also believe there will be more Gravel Rides, probably starting in May. These will be at various speed levels, some short, some longer. Most will have some climbing involved, but very doable.
Most of these events have been in the works for a while, and with the recent survey, hopefully there will be the interest to want to keep moving forward with these kinds of Rides. All our scheduled Rides must have a Ride Leader, as Kayna alluded to in the GEARs Newsletter, and that Kentucky Bob requests and recruits for……………..so, if you are interested in these types or different types of Rides, are you willing to step into a Ride Leader Role and make the difference to make them happen!
A little over 4 years ago, in January, a group of us Rode on our 1st Gravel Ride (at least in recent history) – it had rained the whole week prior, was cold, the dirt road was like Riding on Brylcreme, yet it was exhilarating and fun and beautiful out on the Westfir and we had a small group of folks who stepped up to become RLs so we could have these Rides! And every year since, the number of Gravel/Mixed Surface Rides have increased – thank you Sam, John R, Howard, Kayna, Danielle, Steph, Mark and me who have been most active in leading these Rides for us.
It only get’s better! But only if we have Ride Leaders to make it happen! And Riders to sign up!
Have you noticed that we seem to be having more and more 10 to 12 mph Rides lately – is it weather or more of an interest?
A special thanks to Kentucky Bob Lewis for the job he is doing as Ride Coordinator – he has to reach out to our Ride Leaders, gather their availability and Ride interest info, sort it, figure out how to make it work, finesse it, alter it and get it all on a calendar – and make sure that it never rains or ices up on a Scheduled Ride Day! He has been amazing in this role that he volunteered for! Help him and the Club and offer to help out. Being a RL is fun and rewarding – you get to schedule the Ride you want and then take all your Riding Friends with you - what could be better than that!
Stay tuned for updates and confirmations! And who knows what other kinds of Rides will be scheduled between now and…….??? Come Ride With Us!!
Peace,
Larry