About Dean Rodgers
Dean Rodgers is a new addition to the Cycle Oregon team and is spearheading social media marketing efforts. While also a Cycle Oregon veteran, he represents the group of riders who are most often found at the back of the pack, and his posts will often come from that perspective. Dean is President of KoiFish Communications, a PR and Web marketing agency, and the author of http://pdxcyclingonline.com. He can be contacted at dean@koifishcommunications.com.
Posts by Dean Rodgers
No pavement? No problem.
There is a common misconception – particularly among those who are new to cycling – that road bikes are only supposed to be ridden on pavement. In reality, road bikes are supposed to be ridden on all kinds of road surfaces, including cobblestone, dirt and gravel.
Riding on gravel roads is easy, and developing the skill and confidence to do so is worthwhile. Below are a few helpful tips:
- Relax – The most important technique is the most simple. When you are riding on gravel, you may experience a little bit of lateral movement and your front wheel may want to wander slightly from side to side. This is normal. Just relax, let it happen and go with the flow. Keep your shoulders, arms and hands loose and maintain a normal grip on your bars.
- Maintain momentum – Keep pedaling and maintain enough speed and forward momentum to allow your front wheel to glide over the gravel and bumps in the road. A little speed makes it much easier to keep a two-wheeled vehicle upright, because the wheels act as gyroscopes. Use physics to your advantage.
- Moderate speed – Avoid excessive speed, particularly when descending. Gravel roads offer less traction than pavement. Brake early and often enough to maintain control.
- Brake carefully – Brake gently and try to prevent your wheels from skidding. Be particularly delicate with your front brake. If your front wheel starts to skid, release your front brake immediately.
- Choose your line – Look for the spots where cars have packed the gravel more tightly. It is often easier to ride in these areas. However, if other riders or oncoming traffic make this impractical, don’t hesitate to head for the loose stuff.
- Be considerate of fellow riders – Even if you are totally comfortable riding on gravel, be aware that other riders might not be. When passing, give others plenty of room (even if it means you have to slow down).
Before long, all this will become second nature. Give it a try.
Last week, a team of Cycle Oregon staffers went down to Monmouth to experience the 2010 weekend course as riders – a task that was both beneficial and enjoyable. This year, riders are in for a real treat. Here’s a preview:
Day One
Day one features six distance options ranging from 19 to 100 miles. Every option features lush farmland, picturesque vineyards, beautiful old houses, magnificent barns, mature trees, rolling hills, a wildlife refuge and a ride on the Buena Vista ferry. The longer options include two loops that give new meaning to the phrase “bucolic splendor.”
The Hanna Covered Bridge Loop is the most challenging and the most spectacular. It is the only section that has any significant climbing, the majority of which happens on a single, stair-step hill. There is a second climb steep enough that it might make you cry, but it’s short enough that your tears will barely get a chance to dry before you reach the top. The Hoffman Covered Bridge Loop has a lot less climbing and is only slightly less scenic.
Day Two
Day two is a lot like day one in that it’s also awesome. More fertile farmland, rolling hills, trees, orchards and vineyards await. Outside Dallas, there is a great loop that penetrates the eastern edge of the Coast Range. This section offers a few short, challenging and rewarding climbs that are best described as steep. Fortunately, the section is so pretty that you might not even notice them.
The road itself will play an important role on day two. There is not a speck of chipseal to be found. With the exception of a few gravel sections, the whole ride takes place on silky, smooth, sexy asphalt. There is nothing better than riding a properly tuned and lubricated road bike on this type of surface. The only thing you hear is the hum of your tires as the miles fly by. Those of you with squeaky cleats or bikes that rattle will be extra noticeable – and possibly a bit lonely – on day two.
Which day will you like the most? There’s only one way to find out. Good thing July is nearly here. In the meantime, if you’d like to see more photos, check out the Cycle Oregon 2010 flickr group.
Morry Fealy ready to ride
Morry Fealy has been an athlete most of his life. Until his early 60s, he was an active marathon runner and coach. At age 65 he completed his seventh marathon, just minutes shy of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. A year later, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and his doctors told him his days as an endurance athlete were over – and that wrestling a cat on the couch would be about the most strenuous activity he’d be able to sustain. Morry didn’t see it that way, and two years after giving his cancer a swift and definitive kick in the backside, he crossed the finish line of the Portland Marathon.
After the race, Morry was given a road bike by his son, who wanted to encourage his father to try a new sport that was a little less jarring. So began Morry’s love affair with cycling. It didn’t take long for him to set his sights on Cycle Oregon.
Morry followed the advice of many cyclists who say the best way to train for a big event is to log as many miles as possible. He discovered that a regimen of running 25-30 miles a week combined with riding 40-50 miles a week was enough to allow him to complete his first Cycle Oregon, but not quite what he needed to enjoy it as much as he had hoped.
The next year, Morry set some new goals for Cycle Oregon. These included getting to camp with enough time and energy left over to check out the host towns and to be able to snag a good spot in the beer garden. That’s when he contacted Michael Choate from Colorado Premier Training, a company that has partnered with Cycle Oregon to build customized programs designed to help riders get the most out of their training.
On the road with Morry
Michael, a certified U.S. Cycling coach, worked with Morry to develop a program tailored to his specific needs based on his experience, strengths and weaknesses. Morry’s program was geared toward making him a better climber and a faster rider. Michael used an online training program to outline individual workouts for the week. Morrry used this same program to “log” his workouts so Michael could monitor progress and plan for the next week. Each and every workout was designed to ensure Morry was able to maximize every moment spent on the road or at the gym.
Did it work? Of course! On a bike, Morry is now a force with which to be reckoned. If you want to know more about his training, you can ask him yourself at Cycle Oregon 2010 – that is, if you can catch him. If you can’t, look for him in the beer garden – he’ll be guy with the premium spot already staked out. Or you can just call Michael Choate at (503) 708-2997.
Podcasts have been around for several years, yet had never been of much interest to me. But last month I discovered The FredCast, and that has all changed. The FredCast focuses on anything and everything cycling, including gear reviews, news, advocacy, professional bike racing, training, safety and myriad other topics that anyone reading this blog is sure to find compelling.
I like The FredCast so much that I’ve gone all the way back to the first episode from December 2005 and started working my way forward. In a few short weeks – and a number of long plane rides – I’ve consumed two years’ worth of shows. Much of the content is timeless and is just as relevant today as it was then. The pro racing news is dated, but I’m finding it interesting (though a little depressing) to hear about the feats of racers like Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis or Jan Ullrich days or weeks before they get caught up in their various doping scandals. It’s also fun hearing the host rave about things like the first Garmin GPS-enabled cycling computers. I get very excited for him because I know full well how awesome the later versions of this particular product have become.
Just in case you don’t have the time to go through every single show, here are a few episodes that riders getting ready for Cycle Oregon might find particularly helpful:
Shows #5 and #7 feature tips on getting ready for your first century. Most of these tips apply directly to training for Cycle Oregon.
Show #29 features an inspiring story about a young cyclist who is winning the fight against cancer, and has the very real potential to bring you to tears. There is also a good segment about the value of professional bike fitting.
Show #51 features a long and informative discussion about nutrition with cycling trainer Graeme Street.
How to Listen
If you’ve never experienced a Podcast before, you’re in for a treat. There are lots of ways to listen to the FredCast. All of them are easy, and all of them are free. iPod or iPhone users can go through iTunes. MP3 users can download shows directly from the FredCast Web site. You can also access episodes directly from your PC. For more details on how to enjoy the FredCast using any of these methods, click here.
The event itself is only part of the journey. That journey begins today.
Now that we all know where we’re headed, I’m sure many of you are already counting the days until we converge in Elgin and begin what’s bound to be another epic adventure. But, as veterans of this event already know, in reality Day One of Cycle Oregon doesn’t happen in September – Day One happens today.
That’s because Cycle Oregon rises above the cliché – it really is about the journey and not the destination. It’s about a commitment to a lifestyle, and months of training, preparation and hard work. It’s about the great days in the saddle as well as the not-so-great days where you need to reach deep to keep on going. It’s about celebrating the rural Northwest and reveling in one the most beautiful places on Earth. And it’s about old friends, new friends and being part of a unique community with a shared passion.
So, whether you ride year ‘round or you’re just getting ready to get back on the bike for the first time this year, welcome to a new riding season – and welcome to Cycle Oregon 2010.
