People & Places

What Else is There to Do in Pendleton?

While there is something to be said for riding every single day of Cycle Oregon, sometimes it’s nice to give your butt a break and simply enjoy the hospitality of our host towns. And with so many interesting things to do and see in Pendleton, the decision to become a non-rider for a day is one you are unlikely to regret.

The Round-Up activities alone are enough to provide a full day’s worth of entertainment, but those looking for alternatives won’t have to search very hard or travel very far. Just a few blocks away from where we’ll be camped is Main Street, which will be closed to traffic and full of street performers, vendors and good times. The Main Street Diner is a reasonable facsimile of a 1950s soda shop and a great place to replace all those calories you burned on the road at one fell swoop.

Right around the corner is Hamley & Co., which has been selling Western wear, custom saddles and other goodies for more than 100 years. Today they also offer a wide array of Western art, gifts and a very nice collection of period firearms.

For train buffs, there will be an authentic steam engine parked at the south end of Main Street, right across from the Pendleton visitors center. For beer buffs, there’s a brand-new brewpub just a few blocks up the street from Hamley & Co. called The Prodigal Son. I’ve personally tested the beer and food and give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.

The Pendleton Underground Tour provides a look into Pendleton’s infamous and entertaining past. The network of tunnels under the town was home to the Chinese laborers who built the railroads. It was also the home of thriving businesses including Hop Sing’s Chinese Laundry, the Empire Meat Market and the Empire Ice Cream Parlor as well as numerous card rooms, opium dens and bordellos. Space is limited and reservations are required (for the tour, that is – alas, the card rooms, opium dens and bordellos no longer operate).

The Pendleton Woolen Mills can be found several blocks to the north of Main Street, with tours of the facilities all day. A few miles east of town is the Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. The casino is pretty much what you might expect it to be; the Tamastslikt Institute exceeds expectations. It highlights the unique perspective and history of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes and absolutely warrants a good long visit. See the map below for details on how to get there by bike.

There are several bars that will feature live music and plentiful opportunities for rowdy good times until the wee hours. Riders are encouraged to review and take a copy of Saturday’s ride profile with them before heading out for the evening, as a gentle but constant reminder of the virtues of moderation.

Getting around town will be effortless. Most attractions can be reached easily on foot or by bike. But if you’re feeling lazy, there will be shuttles running all over town and out to the casino/cultural institute.

Frankly, a single day isn’t enough time to take in the complete Pendleton experience. If you decide you’d like to return for a longer visit, I suggest you consider Memorial Day Weekend, when the Century Ride of the Centuries (C.R.O.C) takes place. This is a great three-day biking event that, while very different from Cycle Oregon, is every bit as enjoyable.

Getting to the Tamastslikt Institute and Wild Horse Casino by bike is a very pleasant ride. Follow the map below. On Confederate Way, look to your right for the paved cart path, which leads to the back door of the institute as well as the Wild Horse Casino golf course.

1 comment

Pendleton Round-Up 101

Part of the new Round-Up remodel

For many, the Friday we spend in Pendleton will be one of the best days of their Cycle Oregon experience. And, while the Round-Up itself doesn’t start until the afternoon, there are related festivities that promise to keep a smile on your face from the moment you arise until the moment you (attempt to) go to sleep.

The day begins at 9 am with the Westward Ho! Parade, which pays tribute to the early days of the West and the pioneers whose descendants participate in the Round-Up. To commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the event, the parade will be led by 100 flag-bearing riders on horseback, followed by a procession of covered wagons, Mormon carts, buggies, surreys and all manner of authentic Old West transport.

Then it’s off to the Round-Up, where we’ll be treated to an afternoon of bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, steer roping, barrel racing and bull riding. We’ll also enjoy a procession of the area Tribes and Native American dancing.

Each day the Round-Up will also feature a “throwback event” from years gone by, and on Friday we’ll also get to see the serpentine, which is a magnificent procession of horses that snakes its way through the grounds. The serpentine begins before the official 1:15 Round-Up start time, so plan to get there early.

Request a wine spritzer at your own peril

Those who want to mix it up with the crowd during the rodeo are sure to love the world-famous “Let ‘er Buck Room.” At this particular watering hole you can have any beverage you like as long as it’s hard liquor. Requests for beer will be politely declined and requests for wine or umbrella drinks are likely to end badly.

If this is your first experience with rodeo, you’re in for a treat. The basics of each event will be outlined in the Round-Up program. If you’d like to “learn the ropes” before you arrive, this primer is a good place to start. There’s also a lot of great information on the Round-Up website.

Just across the street from the Round-Up grounds is a gift shop and a great Round-Up Museum and Hall of Fame that is highly worthwhile.

The final event of the day is the Happy Canyon Night Show. This historical pageant tells the story of how the West was settled, from the perspective of the pioneers as well as the local Indian tribes, and it effectively showcases and celebrates both cultures. In many cases, different roles in the show have been passed down through multiple generations of family members. Happy Canyon is punctuated by a fireworks display and, for the daring, music and dancing at Goldie’s at the Canyon followed by general revelry that should be winding down at about the same time we need to saddle up for Saturday’s epic climb.

Let ‘er Bike!

0 comments