Sutherlin is ready as the first riders are already finishing. The last mile is lined with American flags and a massive version of Old Glory is suspended between two fire trucks just above the finish line. There’s something about the whole scene that serves as a fitting reminder of how very special rural Oregon really is. The forecast at the finish calls for chocolate milk and extra lumpy throats with a very high probability of ocular moisture. Don’t bother holding back — there’s simply no need.

Thanks to the Cycle Oregon staff, the army of volunteers, the host towns and, of course, the riders for making it all possible and another year to remember. See you in February.

In Riddle a huge cheering section was ready and waiting to greet the hammerheads who began arriving just before noon. That same group remained until the course closed and cheered for the stragglers as enthusiastically as they had the overachievers hours before and everyone else in between. In the evening Main Street teemed with activity. The few bars and restaurants were packed to overflowing but no one seemed to mind having to hang out a few extra minutes for their beer and burgers. Only a few more miles back to Sutherlin remain.

Many will ride on Wednesday but plenty of others will enjoy a perfect day in Bandon.

On Sunday the riders were treated to cooler temperatures for their long and scenic ride to Reedsport where they had the bucolic back roads all to themselves. In town they were greeted with a warm welcome and a cold carton of chocolate milk. Those who ventured into Bedrock’s Chowder House were rewarded with some incredible local seafood.

Bandon, here we come!

So today’s blog post is courtesy of Mr. Greg Lee. Thanks Greg for all you do.

Thanks Bike Gallery!

Ken Chichester does many things for Cycle Oregon. In addition to his leadership role in route planning, he’s also in charge of obtaining road-use permits from city, state and federal agencies. During the event, he’s all about keeping riders safe. Here’s what he has to say about the small contingent of folks that make the ride a little less enjoyable for the rest of us.

In the 1960s, to combat a perception that all motorcycle riders were dirtbags and criminals, the American Motorcycle Association issued a statement saying 99 percent of all motorcycle riders are decent and lawabiding citizens, and the true bad apples only made up 1 percent of the riding public. Unfortunately, various “outlaw” motorcycle gangs enjoyed the notoriety of being such a rare species, and quickly began referring to themselves as one-percenters.  To them it was a badge of honor to be recognized as a problem.

Similarly, the majority of Cycle Oregon riders are wonderful, conscientious and courteous folks and are a pleasure to ride with. However, there is always that small number of riders who through arrogance, indifference or simple ignorance act like idiots whenever they get on a bike. These riders threaten the safety and enjoyment of the ride for everyone around them. They also are responsible for a growing number of motorists who have legitimate reasons to dislike cyclists.

The Cycle Oregon one-percenters are not hard to spot. They’re the ones who don’t bother to slip into a single-file line when cars approach from behind. They’re in pacelines that are way too big to exist safely in a group ride. They’re the ones who don’t wait even a second to overtake other riders, and pull into the traffic lane in front of cars and trucks. They’re also the ones who won’t move to the right when they know they’re being passed. They’re the ones who ignore traffic laws. Unfortunately, they can occasionally be spotted in herds, which can result in even less courteous behavior. Strangely, some of the worst offenders are the most experienced riders in the bunch.

Volunteers who spend time on the course in vehicles are usually shocked to see how blatantly lame these riders can be.  Even hard-core cyclists can be converted into belligerent motorists if they follow a group riding four abreast long enough (ask me how I know).

The good news: That kind of behavior does not need to be tolerated. And when we see it, we can take action. We encourage the motorcycle officers who follow the course each day, and local police officers, to ticket those who flagrantly disregard traffic laws. Cycle Oregon staff can and will pull people from the ride who repeatedly violate safety rules.

Cycle Oregon is a great time. And a little consideration on everyone’s part makes it even better.  We can all be positive ambassadors for cycling by riding lawfully, courteously and  safely.

Steve Shulz on the Hunt for One Percenters

Through the magic of smartphones, it’s pretty easy to access the Internet and get on Facebook or Twitter – or at least take a few photos. But there’s only so much you can do on a phone (and, of course, some phones don’t work so well out in the sticks).

Fortunately, there’s The Blogmobile, which is back and better than ever. Every day from 3 until 9:00 p.m. we’ll have a table full of laptops available for riders to update their Facebook profiles, tweet, blog, post about the day on their favorite cycling forums and add comments to the Cycle Oregon Facebook page. The Blogmobile will be staffed by the friendly folks of KoiFish Communications, who will be able to answer any questions you might have.

Working Together to Chronicle Cycle Oregon

Cycle Oregon has a few professional photographers on the course who ride and shoot. Many of these images will be shared after the event. But this year there will NOT be a photographer shooting and selling rider photos. The best way to chronicle our collective experience is to do so collectively. This means sharing with your fellow riders as well.

When you see someone taking a group photo, consider stopping to ask the photographer if she’d like to be in the shot too (then ask her to do the same for you). And if you wind up with some great photos, consider sharing them with everyone. If you get a good one on your mobile device during the ride, you can email it to copix@koifishcommunications.com and we’ll post it to the Cycle Oregon Facebook page that day.

After the ride, be sure to visit the Cycle Oregon 2011 Flickr page and the Cycle Oregon Facebook page. If you’re a Twitter junkie, please use the #cycleoregon hashtag.

Together we can make a collection of photos that will allow you to relive the ride whenever you wish. Don’t worry if you’re a little late to the party from a technology perspective but think you’d like to give it a try. This beginner’s guide to mobile social media can show you the way. Or stop by The Blogmobile and we’ll give you a short tutorial.