The Friday shakeout ride at GRAVEL is more than just a ride; it’s a way to find your rhythm for the weekend ahead. Led by Our Mother The Mountain (OMTM.cc) founder Ron Lewis, this optional and very casual 11-mile loop offers a mix of sun-drenched gravel and shaded canyons, serving as the perfect staging ground to dial in your setup for the weekend ahead.

Meet the Weekend: Friday Shakeout Ride

• Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
• Time: 5:00 pm roll out.
• Distance: 11.3 Miles
• Terrain: A mix of gravel and pavement.
• Elevation: Modest gain; designed as a warm-up.
• The Vibe: A socially focused, no drop course preview.
• Ride Leader: Ron Lewis from OMTM.cc

Ron Lewis is a writer, photographer and “backcountry wayfinder” based in Portland, Oregon. Since 2015, he has curated OMTM.cc, a project dedicated to “Full-Spectrum Analog Adventurism” that has redefined adventure cycling in the Pacific Northwest. Part route-catalog and part creative journal, OMTM focuses on the “dark art” of route-crafting—designing multi-sensory experiences that blend gravel, mountain biking, and bikepacking into something Ron describes as a “symphony where nature meets cycling.”

A former touring musician and music supervisor, Ron brings a curator’s ear and eye to the bike. The name “Our Mother the Mountain” itself is a nod to the 1969 Townes Van Zandt album, reflecting his belief that the best rides should have a sense of rhythm, tension and release. For Ron, a route isn’t just a GPS track; it’s a narrative arc through a landscape, whether he’s exploring the “andesitic minerality” of Mt. Hood or the “sun-kissed” gravel of the Tygh Valley.

Ron’s Tygh Valley Shakeout Ride Vibe Guide

Tygh Valley is a soft landing in rugged country, an idyllic gateway to Oregon’s wild side. Monolithic volcanoes dominate a skyline of rolling oak-dappled foothills, ponderosa pine, and blackrock canyons. It is semi-arid, but not quite desert, elevated but not exactly mountainous. To call it hill country would be a step in the right direction. As a basecamp for adventure, Tygh Valley hits all the right beats—sunkissed gravel backroads, shady creekside campgrounds, and backcountry doubletrack for days. Just don’t forget to bring your bike!

Explore the Wild & Scenic White River watershed with its glacier-fed basaltic river gorge and delightfully untouristed 30,000-acre wildlife conservation area. Mid-May balsamroot and lupine detonate across the hillsides. Gold. Violet. Everywhere. And the riding? Absolutely resplendent. A satisfying mix of rambling gravel, seldom-ridden descents, quiet canyons, and rolling farm roads offer cinematic sightlines across the Columbia plateau into the Cascade high country and beyond.

Friday’s shakeout ride will be a casual introductory warm-up. Expect 11.3 miles of mixed gravel and pavement with modest elevation gain and a bit of front-end overlap with the weekend’s larger routes. Call it a socially-focused course preview and an opportunity to dial in those tire pressures, snacking strategies, and gearing ratios. This one is going to be a blast, so come early, stay late and most importantly—have fun.