The January-in-Portland drizzle couldn’t dampen the spirits of excited cyclists waiting for the doors to open at The Loft at 8th Avenue, this year’s home for the 2020 Kickoff Event.
Inside this hip new venue, the vibe was casual, the crowd was stoked, and anticipation was in the air. A great selection of sponsors and Portland cycling brands came out for the event to give us a look at all that’s new for 2020. After a brief period of catching up with old friends, grabbing a beverage or two, and talking shop with sponsors, it was time for the show.
Up on stage, Executive Director Steve Schulz offered thanks to Cycle Oregon’s amazing volunteers and sponsors, then spoke a little about the organization’s impact on Oregon. Some of the things we were able to accomplish just by riding our bikes were helping to fund a new fire station in the 175-person community of Seneca, restoring a historic schoolhouse in Creswell, contributing to a new track and field facility in Maupin, putting a new roof on the McKenzie River Clinic, and giving the community of Power, Oregon shiny new pickleball courts. These wonderful Oregon communities, along with many more, received support from Cycle Oregon last year, and we are proud to play a role in their continued success.
After the feel-good, no – make that feel-great, portion of the presentation, it was finally time for the big reveal. “Where will we be riding in 2020,” was the question on everyone’s lips. Steve wowed the crowd with beautiful photos, rocking video, cool jersey designs, and adventurous route profiles projected eighty-feet across by twenty-feet high, it was a Cycle Oregon event like none before.
GRAVEL will return to the backroads of Tygh Valley for another two days of wide-open riding. Joyride will be returning to the down-home community of Independence for our annual celebration of women and bikes. WEEKENDER is back and we’re taking over the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis.
And Classic rolls to John Day, Monument, Fossil, Mitchell, and Dayville to ride The Painted Hills. New for this year there’s going to be multiple layover days and options galore! There was hooting and hollering, gasps and groans (just look at some of those elevation profiles!), and lots of applause for the unbelievable cycling adventure Cycle Oregon has laid out with the re-imagined Classic.
If you couldn’t make it to the kickoff or you just want to relive the presentation and hear all the tempting details straight from Steve one more time, you can view a recording of it here.
2020 is going to be an amazing year and we can’t wait to see you all out there!
