2022 Ride Guide Vol II

There are a million little details that make every Cycle Oregon event unique. This volume will take you to the next level of planning – things you need to sign up for, a start on your packing plan and more. If you’re new to Cycle Oregon, it’s a great investment of your time to go over these details. Even if you’re a veteran, peruse the guide as a reminder of the things you’ll need to make your journey a great one.

Click to view VOL I & VOL III

The third and final Ride Guide will be sent in late-August with the final details you need to prepare for the ride, including menus, GPS links and route maps, community information, and more.

Packing

Take a look at our recommended packing list here and click here for some expert tips on packing.

Gear Bag – One person = one bag. All your stuff goes in one bag, including camping gear and personal items. The gear bag that you bring to store your belongings should be waterproof and made of a sturdy material so that it holds up through the week. You can only bring one bag, and it cannot exceed 65 pounds. Do not latch items together as items get separated and volunteers may injure themselves on clasps.

To conserve space in your bag, use wash buckets next to showers for washing out your cycling gear. Detergent is provided, hang dry.

Also, we cannot stress this enough, mark your bag in some manner like with a brightly colored ribbon or tape (don’t use pink, that’s how we know you’re riding the bus) to help distinguish it from the other 1,999. It is also helpful to put your name on your bag in case we need to know who it belongs to.

Weather on the Ride – September weather in the Pacific Northwest is usually beautiful, with average daily highs in the 70s and 80s and nightly lows from 30-45 degrees Fahrenheit. Bear in mind, however, that daytime temperatures could reach the upper 90s and plunge at night to the mid-20s. Be prepared for inclement weather — bring warm clothing and rain gear.

For the Bike – A helmet is required, and we recommend the use of a rear-view mirror. You also must bring two 20-oz. water bottles, minimum (or an equivalent hydration pack). Bring some simple tools with you such as tubes, tire levers, patch kit, and rag.

Baggage

While we do provide numbered labels for your bags, we suggest you attach your name and cell number as well.

Baggage Pick Up – Participants must pick up and deliver their own gear from the baggage trucks at each overnight camping area (except Tent & Porter). Truck trailers are color coded. Remember to note the trailer color in which you load your gear so you can locate it easily at the next site.

Community Porters – Local volunteers are available to help carry bags from the trucks to the campsite and, again in the morning, from the campsite to the trucks. We encourage you to tip the porters ($2 per bag is suggested), as this benefits local volunteer groups.

Baggage Truck Departure – Baggage must be loaded by 8:30 a.m. each morning and unloaded by 8 p.m. each night. Riders are responsible for getting their bags to and from the baggage trucks by the designated times.

Make Your Bag Easy to Identify – Although you will receive a baggage ID tag to match your rider number, please mark your gear bag with additional personal identification tags. A distinctive tag, such as fluorescent tape or a colorful ribbon (don’t use pink, we use that for bus bags), will also help you locate your bag among the 1,999 others.

Tent & Porter

Tent + Porter is still available here, but there are only about 30 spaces left, so don’t wait! (Need help adding to your order, click here.)

This is an additional paid service. A 9′ x 7′ Cycle Oregon tent will be set up for you at each location. You will get a tent number for the week with a corresponding sticker to put on your bag. The tent number and your rider number will be different –  both stickers need to be on your bag.

Leave your bag outside the tent in the morning when you are completely ready to leave. Do not leave items in your tent as we have two sets of tents for different locations. Tents fit one or two people (we will not assign you a tent-mate if you are solo).

Tents are generally set up by 2 p.m. each day, marked with your tent number. Your bag will be waiting outside.

We will reach out to T+P riders in early August regarding requests to get spots next to friends. However, we cannot absolutely guarantee that you will be next to each other at every location.

Transportation Reminders

As you start to think more about getting to and from the event, let’s review the two ways you can do that, and some details for each.

Taking a Bus – If you would still like to purchase a bus ticket, you can get one here before August 13. Tickets will be emailed the first week of September. (Need help adding to your order, click here.)

Buses will depart from and return to the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. If you’re staying elsewhere, check with your lodging provider to see if they will shuttle you to the Sheraton.

Staging for buses will take place on Saturday, September 10 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel at 8 a.m., departing at 9 a.m. Bikes will be wrapped in blankets and loaded directly into the baggage trucks. Be sure to bring your empty bike case with you, we will have storage at the start location. If your bike is still in a case, it can be loaded on the truck in its case.

Drive and Park – You will need a parking pass to leave your car in the nearby Cycle Oregon lot (click here to get one by August 24). There will be security on the lot from sundown to sunrise every day. Passes will be mailed in late August. Please leave your parking pass on the dashboard. If you do not receive your parking pass in the mail or did not order one prior to the deadline, we will have them for sale in John Day. (Need help adding to your order, click here.)

Directions – Directions will be included with your parking pass and in the third edition of the Ride Guide.

Ship Your Bike – If you’re flying or don’t want the hassle of dealing with your bike on the way to the event, ship your bike with BikeFlights.com to and from our event.

Click here to get started. Be sure to click the John Day link on their page to set the delivery address. Your bike will be shipped to a nearby UPS location and delivered to the starting line in advance of the event.

Accommodations in John Day

Planning to arrive early or stay late? We’ve got you covered. Book with one of the many local options in town, all located within about a half mile from the overnight site.

Dreamers Lodge: 144 N Canyon Blvd, John Day // (541) 575-0526

John Day Motel: 250 E Main St, John Day // (541) 575-9000

Sunset Inn: 390 W Main St, John Day // (541) 575-1462

Arriving

Check in and Packet Pick-Up – After your arrive in John Day and have settled in, you’ll need to check in and pick up your rider packet. Each rider will be asked to sign the ride waiver and show ID when picking up their packet. The ride packet contains a wristband, bike number, and baggage tag. Please bring a photo ID to show the volunteers in order to receive your packet.

The packets are given out in alphabetical order. Once we affix your wristband, it should not be removed unless you choose to leave the ride. Until you have checked in and are wearing a wristband, you will not be identified as a participant and will not have access to meals, course support, etc. If you leave the ride, it is important that you check in with Rider Services to let them know you are leaving.

Check-In Hours

  • Friday // September 9 // 7 to 9 p.m. (Tent and Porter will be available Friday night, but no meals or other services will be provided)
  • Saturday // September 10 //  11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Dinner will be the first meal served in camp.)
  • Sunday // September 11 // 6 to 8 a.m.

Arriving Early or Late – If you would like to arrive early this year, camping will be available at the site starting on Friday night. If you’re signed up for Tent + Porter Service, those tents will be up and ready to use on Friday night. No food will be available so you’ll need to go in to town to get what you need. We will be around, so find a Cycle Oregon staff member or volunteer if you have questions. The first meal served will be dinner on Saturday September 10.

If you arrive on Sunday, you must have your bag in the baggage truck by 8:15 a.m., as the trucks leave by 8:30 a.m. You can pick up your rider packet that morning at Rider Services.

No camping will be available on the last Saturday of the ride. If you would like to stay in the area that night, consider getting a motel room in the area or finding a nearby park.

Food

Cycle Oregon provides hearty and well-balanced breakfasts and dinners at each overnight site. On the course, there are two to three Rest Stops with a variety of prepared and packaged foods and drinks to keep you fueled. We know that riding all those miles requires a lot of calories, and we don’t leave you short on that count. We offer vegetarian options at each meal; if you have other dietary concerns, please let us know in advance. Our daily menus will be posted here as soon as they are finalized, usually by early summer.

Meal times

  • Breakfast: 5:30 – 8:30 a.m.
  • Dinner: 5 – 8 p.m.

Camp Services

Massage Services – Massage is one of the most popular services on Cycle Oregon. Massage appointments begin filling in May and June, so call ahead to be sure you get the times you want. Start with the Cycle Oregon Massage Team website, which lists individual therapists and their contact information. You can make appointments directly with your favorite therapist or sign up at the massage tent at each overnight site. Massage rates are $100 for an hour and $145 for a 90-minute appointment. A limited number of 30-minute appointments may be available the day of the ride. They accept VISA, MasterCard, check or cash.

Yoga – Come be a part of the Yoga Kula to stretch out the muscles that get tight during cycling. These yoga classes will help you stay close to your breath this week. Not only will this help you feel better, but stretching can also help prevent injury.  And you’ll meet other great people who like to do nice things for their bodies too. Mats are supplied on a first come, first served basis.

Days 1,2,4, and 6 will have sessions at 3:30 & 4:30. Days 3 and 5, the layover days will have a single session at 4:30. Check the schedule at Rider Services for updates.

Electronics Charging

The Community Cycling Center has been working for over 25 years to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits in Portland. In that time, they’ve helped you roll smoothly over breathtaking rural roads by offering on-site services at Cycle Oregon, such as solar-powered charging for all your phones, garmins, lights and more. In past years, your purchases and donations have helped raise an astounding $20,000 per year to support their community programs. Thank you!

We are happy to announce the Community Cycling Center is bringing back their electronics charging services via their solar powered charging trailer. Sign up in advance to guarantee that your gadgets will be powered up all week — click here to sign up today!

Please note: The Community Cycling Center Electronics Charging service CANNOT support the charging of e-bike batteries. 

Services include:

  • Pre-Purchase your Charging Pass, $100: Good for all week (days Zero through Six). This charging pass allows you to charge all your personal devices, two at a time.
  • Live Event Purchases
    • One-time charges can be purchased on-site for $10.
    • Power banks bigger than a phone will be charged $12 for a one-time charge.
  • Extend your support and donate towards Youth Bike Programs: We know you love your Summer Camp-like bike experience… So why not share the joy of wheels with a kid? The Community Cycling Center serves underserved youth all throughout the year through no-cost bike programs, teaching kids how to ride safely and confidently on city streets. Support the next generation of bicyclists today!

Click here to book now. Questions? Contact brittany@communitycyclingcenter.org

Helpful Hints

Musette Bag – Each rider gets a customized Cycle Oregon musette bag at check-in. (Repeat riders, bring yours and use it again!) You’ll be able to take the bag with you each day if you want (it folds down into a very small pocket packet) and use it at meals and rest stops. This change alone can eliminate more than 10,000 plastic bags from our week’s environmental footprint.

Gear Drop – Each day, you will have the opportunity to drop unneeded clothing, typically at the first two rest stops, check with Rider Services for daily Gear Drop locations. To keep our disposable materials to a minimum, our Gear Drop team employs reusable nylon bags for gear drop each day.

Event T-shirt – Each rider will receive a t-shirt for the Classic. In order to bolster sustainability on our event, Cycle Oregon partnered with Looptworks, an industry leader in low-impact design, to create our event t-shirts. Looptworks created the t-shirts out of premium textile industry excess that was destined to be incinerated or the landfill. Since they are made from what already exists, each shirt conserves the 400 gallons of water that are required to create a new cotton t-shirt. That’s almost a million gallons on the Classic alone!

License Plates – At check in, we will have small license plates that you can decorate and affix to your saddle. Tell people your CO name, where you’re from or whatever you’d like.

Passports – We will also have passports at check in. After each day’s ride, you can get yours stamped at Rider Services or the host community booth.

Cancellations

Submitting Cancellations: Please submit cancellation requests to info@cycleoregon.com. Please note we do not make exceptions in our cancellation policy (including COVID-19 related issues, family, medical or employment situations). Refunds will be processed through the credit card you used to register when possible. Processing fees incurred at the time of purchase are non-refundable. Please allow up to 30 days for processing.

Through July 16, 2022

  • A $100 fee for each rider registration (including accompanying products – Tent & Porter, Bus Tickets, Parking).
  • A $30 fee for cancelling only these services: Tent & Porter, Bus Tickets or Rider Guest Registration.
  • There is no refund for cancelling only Parking.

From July 17 to August 13, 2022

  • A $275 fee for each rider registration (including accompanying products – Tent & Porter, Bus Tickets, Parking).
  • A $50 fee for cancelling only these services: Tent & Porter, Rider Guest Registration.
  • A $75 fee for cancelling only Bus Tickets. There is no refund for cancelling only Parking.

After August 13, 2022

  • There are no refunds for cancellations after August 13, 2022.

Cycle Oregon may cancel or reroute an event due to the occurrence of any force majeure event or credible threat thereof, including but not limited to any Act of God, fire, earthquake, acts of civil or military authority, casualty, flood, war, terrorist attack, epidemic, insurrection, civil unrest, strikes or other labor activities or any other similar cause beyond the reasonable control of Cycle Oregon Inc., including environmental conditions that might threaten the health and safety of Event participants, volunteers or staff. I understand and agree that my registration fees and other costs will not be refunded by Cycle Oregon, Inc. if all or any portion of a Cycle Oregon Event is cancelled or rerouted due to a force majeure event. I will release and hold Cycle Oregon Inc. harmless for any costs or damages incurred as result of cancellation or rerouting of a Cycle Oregon Event due to a force majeure event.