Even if you are just getting started, you'll be looking like a pro in no time if you do your homework.
While a large percentage of Cycle Oregon participants are repeat offenders, there are also more than 800 first-timers – and some aren’t just new to the ride; they’re new to cycling. If you are one of these lucky people, congratulations and welcome to the tribe. You’re in for the experience of a lifetime.
But you’ve got a lot to learn. One of the best things you can do is to hook up with a professionally run training group such as STRADA, which does online coaching as well as group training rides. Many bike shops also offer clinics and group rides for new riders. There is a lot of knowledge to be gained by books and magazines as well. The faster you pick up the basics, the more fun you’ll have training.
Much of the information you’ll need can also be found on various blogs and websites. www.livestrong.com contains a wealth of great information on exercise, health and nutrition. Livestrong also has a good YouTube Channel. There are many great videos from Lance’s old coach, Chris Carmichael, but they are so deeply buried that they are hard to find. Most of them can also be accessed via a great promotion Nissan did with Chris a few years ago.
www.sheldonbrown.com is another good place for all kinds of general and technical information, and there’s even a series of articles for beginners. It’s also worthwhile to go back through the older posts on this blog — particular the monthly series on training from a few years back (which is also featured in the newsletter) and the “Ask the Veterans” posts.
Bicycling Magazine puts a lot of excellent articles from the print magazine on www.bicycling.com. It also has a good blog directory at http://www.bicycling.com/bloglisting. Bicycling also recently began offering a version of its magazines on the iPad Newsstand.
Each of these blogs and websites should be perused as time permits. Below are links to specific posts from some of my favorite blogs (including my own personal cycling blog) on subjects with which a new cyclist will definitely need to become familiar ASAP:
Rules of the road/general cycling safety
Pre-ride bike check
How to shift
How to fix a flat tire
How to avoid the dreaded “bonk”
Paceline riding tips
How to ride on gravel
Tips and tricks for using a GPS bike computer
Building a relationship with a good mechanic
Packing and getting ready for Cycle Oregon
Do you have a favorite resource or blog post you’d like to share? If so, please let us know by commenting on this post.
Photo by John Spooner
We’ve written about bike fit at length in the past, but it’s a topic that’s important enough to mention again. Proper bike fit makes your ride a whole lot more comfortable and also reduces your chance of injury or discomfort — particularly to the sensitive knees. It’s something everyone is encouraged to do.
According to our friends at the Bike Gallery, far too many people put off doing this until just before a big ride or event. This is a mistake. The time to do it is now — before you subject your body to a season of training. It takes the average rider a minimum of two weeks to get muscles and connective tissue used to a new riding position, so getting it done ahead of time also gives you the opportunity to make tweaks and adjustments.
Most bike fitters guarantee their work for a full year, so even if your body changes over the course of the season (getting more flexible because you ALWAYS stretch or shedding some of your gut for example) they’ll continue to work with you at no extra charge.
So what are you waiting for?
Once again this year, you have the chance to ride one of Oregon’s premier cycling routes – for a great cause. The 2012 Ride for Two Rivers in Sisters June 16 will take you up the majestic McKenzie Pass Scenic Route, a singular pleasure on two wheels.
The event, sponsored by The National Forest Foundaton, Cycle Oregon and others, is a fundraiser for restoration on the Metolius River and Whychus Creek, two wild waterways in need of help to return them to their natural splendor. The event includes a post-ride feast at Five Pine Lodge in Sisters.
Your first Cycle Oregon is filled with moments you’ll remember forever. It’s a pretty safe bet your first few miles, your last few miles, the big climbs and the moment you cross the finish line will be among them, but there will be others you simply can’t anticipate.
One my favorite Cycle Oregon moments was the instant it occurred to me that Ashland was one of the most magical places on Earth. Frankly, that moment nearly ruined my ride, because I SERIOUSLY considered spending the next few days exploring this glorious oasis of culture, beauty and culinary delight in favor of climbing back on that two-wheeled torture contraption called a bicycle. Luckily for me I resisted temptation, because the next day I learned how much fun it is to latch on to the perfect paceline, and how much stronger your body becomes as the week goes on.
It didn’t take me long to answer Ashland’s call to come back and investigate it properly, and that’s been something I’ve done once or twice a year ever since. I can tell you for sure that one day and two nights isn’t nearly enough time to enjoy its bounty. Pleasure and action make the hours seem short, so careful planning is a must.
Below are a few suggestions:
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players
Ashland is best known as the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. During our stay, there will be three opportunities to check out an OSF production. If you have even the slightest bit of interest in the performing arts, you owe it to yourself to see at least one. They are spectacular.
There are three theaters, and each has its own charms. The New Theatre and the Angus Bowmer Theatre are smaller and more intimate. The Elizabethan Stage/Allen Pavilion is an enclosed open-air venue. If you’re only going to see one production, the Elizabethan Stage is your best bet. Watching daylight fade over the stage just as the play begins and whiffing the clean, crisp Ashland air adds tremendously to the experience.
Shakespeare plays are best enjoyed with a bit of preparation. While you might get flashbacks of junior high and high school, one of the best ways to study for an evening of Shakespeare is to read the script line by line, along with notes and definitions. I’ve become partial to the books published by Folger Shakespeare Library based, on the way the information is presented.
If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you’ll want to get on it ASAP.
Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers
New Sammy's, a family affair
Ashland is loaded with great restaurants. If you’re in the mood for fine dining, Amuse and Chateaulin are two top choices right downtown. New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro is a few miles out in Talent. This is an extraordinary restaurant run by a husband and wife with some serious cooking credentials. Reservations are mandatory, and they only seat 6 people per half hour. I don’t consider a trip to Ashland complete without going there.
If you’re looking for something a little less extravagant, Greanleaf, Thai Pepper and Larks are all great choices. There are also a number of other places along North Main Street worth checking out.
For pizza, there’s the Creekside Pizza Bistro, which is in a cool little spot down by Ashland Creek.
The Village Baker is a good spot for breakfast, and if you aren’t afraid to venture a little bit out of downtown, the Breadboard is another breakfast gem.
Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used
Oenophiles will love Ashland. The wine selection at Chateaulin and New Sammy’s is quite nice (particularly New Sammy’s, which has a DEEP cellar and extremely reasonable prices). Liquid Assets is a fun wine bar that also has a good beer selection and a limited but very respectable food menu.
I would give all my fame for a pot of ale
Caldera is one of the most popular beers made Oregon. It is particularly beloved by the adventuresome, because the beer, though delicious, is sold in cans. They are as portable as they are potable. Caldera’s Tap House is relatively new. It’s located by the creek on Water Street. Unfortunately, it’s pretty small and there won’t be room for everyone at once.
Fortunately there’s another good brew pub right around the corner called Standing Stone Brewing Company. Both are sure to be “hopping” during our stay.
Tell me where is fancy bred, in the heart or in the head
If you prefer shopping to, say, eating, drinking and then drinking some more, Ashland’s got you covered as well. There are endless book, gift and clothing stores as well as bead shops, galleries and all those other things one might expect to find in a town that caters to locals as well as tourists. There’s also a great music shop, a fly-fishing store and skate shop, and a shoe store that focuses mainly on ugly but comfortable footwear.
To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first
Riding your bicycle is another way to spend the layover day, and might be the best way to resist Ashland’s many temptations. Climbers are going to love it. Think Larch Mountain… followed by a long climb. Fun, fun, fun.
If you want to do something mellower involving your bike, Jacksonville is a good destination. When you get there, you’ll find several restaurants, including Los Palmas, which is one of the best Mexican Restaurants EVER. They’ve got a seafood chimichanga that defies description, and serve very respectable margaritas, the largest option being a 42-ounce megamarg. Two or three of those and you might be taking a cab back to Ashland – or the ICU, depending on how well you hold your liquor.
If you’re willing to add a few more miles to your trip to J-ville, you can swing by the Rogue Creamery, makers of the world-renowned Rogue River Blue and many other cheesy delights. Next door to Rogue Creamery is Lillie Belle Farms, an artisan chocolate maker that’s only really worth visiting if you enjoy having your mind blown.
You can thank me for these great recommendations on the following day’s climb. I’ll be easy to find at the back of the pack. If you hit the Los Palmas/Rogue Creamery/Lillie Belle Farms trifecta correctly, that’s where you’ll be as well.
Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel?
Truth be told, it would take a whole book to write about every bit of awesomeness that is Ashland. There’s a lot more info at the Chamber of Commerce website, which is has already been modified to welcome us specifically.
Can one desire too much of a good thing? If your first (or 20th) Ashland experience is anything like mine, the answer could well be “yes.” If you do it right, parting will be sweet sorrow. But part we must. Just remember, as tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure.
There are a thousand reasons why Ashland is one of the greatest places on Earth (and we’ll get into the details soon). One of the biggest reasons is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. There are a number of great plays that will be happening on the days we’re there — what’s more, we get a pretty nice discount!
The plays:
9/12
At 8 pm
Animal Crackers (Angus Bowmer Theatre)
The Very Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa (Elizabethan Stage)
9/13
At 1:30 pm
All the Way (Angus Bowmer Theatre)
Party People (New Theatre)
At 8 pm
Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella (Angus Bowmer Theatre)
Troilus and Cressida (New Theatre)
As You Like It (Elizabethan Stage)
To purchase tickets:
1. Go to OSF website at http://www.osfashland.org/ and create an OSF account. If you already have one, go to step 2.
2. Go to the Availability page at http://www.osfashland.org/browse/perfsearch.aspx
3. Click on date of performance (evening of 9/12 and all day on 9/13)
4. Check all the boxes for the plays you would like to attend
5. Click on Buy to purchase tickets and then enter promo code of 10248 underneath the spot where you type your user name and password.
6. BUY TICKETS EARLY!!!
Please note that the promo code HAS to be entered as part of step 5 or you won’t get the discount.
