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One of the tasks I was asked to accomplish at Cycle Oregon was to go out and find someone with an interesting story and write about them. The plan was to case out Tent City or the beer garden and observe. The story, I kept telling myself, would find me – and find me it did. As it turned out, I didn’t even need to leave my post at the Blogmobile for it to happen.

It was there I had the good fortune to meet a journalist from The Netherlands by the name of Ronald Jacobs. Ronald is one of those rare people who knows exactly what he wants out of life AND has figured out what he needs to do to make it happen… while he’s young enough to enjoy it. In essence, he’s living his dream, which makes him an inspiration and an absolute joy to be around.

Ronald was covering Cycle Oregon for Fiets, the most popular cycling magazine in Holland (as it turns out, cycling’s rather popular in that part of the world). Although he was working on a major feature article, he wasn’t there with a crew. Riding, writing and photography duties all fell on his shoulders, though none appeared to be particularly problematic for him. As it turns out, there are few jobs he can’t do or hasn’t done.

One of his very first “real” jobs was as a professional soccer player, though he quickly concluded it wouldn’t be a long-lasting career and then enlisted in the police academy. He took up running and swimming as a way to keep fit. This led him to triathlons, which he enjoyed so much he was soon doing one or two a week. Cycling was his least favorite part of the three-leg competition, but once mountain biking came onto the scene that he soon realized the joys of the bike.

Later he began working part-time for a travel agency to promote scuba diving vacations. Part of his job involved visiting dive locations around the world so he could photograph and write about them. His work drew the interest of a travel magazine, and before long he was writing for several travel and cycling publications.

After 15 years of working as a law enforcement officer and a journalist, Ronald came to an important realization: He was spending too much time working and not enough playing. That’s when he decided it was time for a change. He immediately scaled back to working part-time and quickly discovered that by saying “no” to a bigger house, a new car and many of the material trappings that drive people deep into debt, he could do more of what he loved and still live comfortably.

Today he and his wife, who is also a journalist, are able to travel the world and write about their experiences and the people they meet. They set their own schedule, travel wherever they please and write the stories they want to write. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ronald believes this level of contentment is something anyone with the courage and commitment to pursue can attain. His formula is seemingly simple:

• Figure out what matters most and what you truly want to accomplish
• Make a list of goals
• Think spiritually instead of materialistically
• Focus on your strengths
• Start working on achieving your goals and dreams right now

Obviously it’s a lot easier to write about this philosophy than to live it, but I’m glad to have had the chance to see living proof that it’s possible. As I embark on my own career, I hope to be able to follow a similar path. In the meantime, Ronald and his wife will be living their dream. Their next adventure involves spending four months living in an RV, exploring, riding and writing about lesser-known cycling destinations throughout the western U.S. and Canada.

Karly Osten is a recent graduate of Linfield College and is (thankfully) overseeing operations at The Blogmobile this year.

As I was immersed in the culture of Cycle Oregon I quickly realized why more than 2,000 people make an annual pilgrimage to the roads of rural Oregon. The energy is intoxicating; the cyclists are in high spirits and the volunteers abound with vitality and tireless enthusiasm. It’s amazing to see how the towns we visit prepare for our brief stay and how so many people willingly get involved to help everything go as smoothly as possible. I am in awe at how well organized the event is executed by a team that is made up primarily of volunteers who sacrifice vacations year after year to make the magic happen.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet many engaging people so far, and I am eager to expand my new circle of acquaintances (OR FRIENDS?) throughout the rest of the week. It’s fascinating to learn why people have decided to participate in Cycle Oregon; to have an adventure with friends, to celebrate overcoming serious illnesses, or to see the results of a new training regimen. The scenery is also a big pull since every day brings new and spectacular vistas.

So far, this has been a remarkable experience and I know everyone else is having as much fun as I am. The live music makes the evenings lively, the chow is good and the people are incredible.

There’s a wealth of great information on each community in the Rider Handbook (if you haven’t taken a good look at it yet, you can download it here). And, of course, every town has been featured in depth through newsletter articles.

Just in case you missed them, here are some highlights:

Sutherlin

Sutherlin is located in one of the many valleys between the Cascade Mountain Range and the Costal Range and is a sportsman’s paradise. Its proximity to rivers, creeks and ponds makes it a serious draw for fishermen, boaters, hikers and campers. It’s also enjoyed by oenophiles, with many of Oregon’s best wineries within striking distance (including Abacela, which makes mind-blowning Tempranillos and is the namesake for my dog).

There’s even a boxing event scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, put on by the Sutherlin High School’s booster club and the James Gang Boxing gym, at Sutherlin High School.

Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove is nestled in the forests and farmland at the southern end of the Willamette Valley. In 1926 silent film actor Buster Keaton directed and starred in The General, which he shot in Cottage Grove. The film is considered to be one of the greatest in movie history. The highlight of the film was the destruction of a locomotive as it steamed onto a burning bridge. Long before the days of CG and special effects, the scene was shot on the Row River and the train remained there until it was recovered for scrap during WWII.

While the train and bridge are gone, there are plenty of other bridges to enjoy around Cottage Grove. Just want to stay in town? No problem. Downtown Cottage Grove is a National Historic District, so there’s plenty to take in right there.

Reedsport

The ride from Cottage Grove to Reedsport will make for one of the longer, tougher (and most spectacular) days on this year’s Cycle Oregon. The reward at the end of the day is a fantastic coastal town that begs to be explored for a few days rather than a few hours. There are many great coffee houses, restaurants and attractions close to camp, so there are plenty of options for those that want to venture out. Winchester Bay is only three miles from Reedsport, so if you’re itching to dip your toes in the Pacific for the first time, that’s where you’ll want to be.

Bandon

Like Reedsport, there’s no shortage of fun to be found in Bandon. Golfing, horseback riding, fishing, birding, art workshops, wine tasting, hiking and local theater are all viable options. Information on all these activities and more is available in the Rider’s Handbook as well as the Bandon Chamber of Commerce’s website. The optional ride on the layover day is a nice one, but no one can fault you if you choose to do the tourist thing instead.

Powers

Like Sutherlin, Powers is a powerful draw for hunters, fishermen and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It’s a small community, and the entire downtown can be walked in a matter of minutes. But it’s still a downtown worth exploring, and the high school and Senior Center are providing bus service from camp for those who don’t feel like making the one-mile trek. You will have done a lot of climbing to get to Powers, so there’s no reason to feel bad about giving your getaway sticks a quick break.

Riddle

More small-town goodness awaits in Riddle. A river runs behind the fields/park where we’ll be camped, for those who want to take a dip. The old Hanna Nickel mining/smelter site is on the route to town, and if you’re into sawmills there are several within two miles of camp (modern sawmills are actually pretty impressive).

And if you’ve had enough of the small-town thing, the Seven Feathers Casino is five miles away. There’s a wine tasting there from 5-7 on Friday and, if you didn’t get enough rodeo last year, there’s one right at the casino on Saturday afternoon. Something tells me it’s not going to be as amazing as Pendleton, though.

On Saturday rain threatened to moisten the more than 1,800 participants, but it ended up being a great day to explore the extreme beauty the south Willamette Valley has to offer. Rain did a lot more than threaten riders on Sunday, and a few chose to seek ark-building materials instead of taking to the roads. However, torrential downpours failed to dampen the spirits of those who opted to saddle up and brave the storm.

Congratulations to all, and thanks to all the riders for making this one another great success.

The mounted posse is just one example of the eclectic mix of groups Cycle Oregon encounters – and supports financially – at each stop of the event. And they’re certainly representative of all those groups, in that what we do for them tends to resonate far beyond their ranks. We spoke to Deby Hackney, the current Captain of the Umpqua Valley Mounted Posse, to find out some details.

This group has its genesis in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Posse, formed in the 1940s. Several generations of horseback riders contributed their efforts and expertise, and when the newly elected sheriff decided in 2003 that a government agency mixing horses and the public was a liability concern, he disbanded the group. But the folks involved saw too much good in what they provided to just let it die – so in 2004 the Umpqua Valley Mounted Posse was formed to carry the torch.

Their mission is simple and broad: “We’re volunteers who are dedicated to the community,” Deby explains. The group currently has 12 members (“We’re always looking for more, and you don’t have to have a horse,” she adds). They provide a variety of community service, including search and rescue, mounted security for events including rodeos and concerts, and horsemanship education to keep youth interested in horses so they’ll continue the tradition.

But one of their most fulfilling activities is their involvement each June in Camp Millennium, a facility for kids affected by cancer. “We have a Horse Day every year,” Deby says. “We go out and provide a day of riding. Kids can ride horseback or in carts, or they can just pet the horses. It’s a fantastic event; we see some of the same kids year after year, and they’ll tell us, ‘You taught me to ride!’ We look forward to it every year.”

For Cycle Oregon, they’re planning a yeoman effort – first they’ll be guiding arriving riders to parking spaces in a huge field they’ll arrange to have mowed; they’ll be working on foot and mounted. And then they’re going to patrol that lot, 24/7, while riders are out on the road for a week.

“We’re going to set up trailers called ‘living quarters horse trailers’ – kind of an RV in the front and horse trailer in the back,” Deby says, “and we’ll have a corral for the horses. We’ll share four to six different horses, taking shifts. It’s no problem – we’ve all ridden each others’ horses!”

And when it’s all over, they’ll take the money Cycle Oregon pays them for their duties and use some of it to upgrade their equipment and uniforms for the numerous parades they attend – and they’ll also spread it around among their favorite causes:

• An annual scholarship for a third-year student at Oregon State University who is interested in large-animal veterinary studies;

• Fingerprinting and Child ID kits for local families;

• Adopting a needy family for the holidays, providing food and gifts, or adopting a local senior citizen year-round.

Deby sums up her group, and their activities, like this: “The best part is just being able to provide something for people – kids petting a horse, or helping on search and rescue for law enforcement. Everyone in the group has a passion for our horses, plus serving the community. It’s a great combination.”

To get a little feel for what this team does, we talked to volunteer John Milliken. Here’s what we learned.

What is your role on Cycle Oregon, and how long have you been doing it?

I’ve been on the Green Team for one year.

How did you come to be involved with Cycle O, and has it evolved over time?

I met Jonathan Nicholas back in the mid-90s after I rode a tour of Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon. I traveled internationally for work, and was up and down the West Coast until 2009. Home base is now Portland, and so I re-connected with CO.

Tell us the details of what you (and your team, if applicable) do.

I’m a recycle team member for rest stop number two – our job is educating riders and local volunteers on recycling event waste (our target is 80% recycle-reuse-return).

What skills or traits are important in your role?

I am a LEED-accredited professional (green designer-builder), and I transferred those skills and philosophy directly to my volunteer work with CO. I’m supporting CO’s effort to “get off the grid” with photovoltaic panels on our vendor-supplied shower/kitchen and supply trailers.

My most important skill is that I engage and encourage riders, fellow volunteers, local folks and CO staff in recognizing that we create a sense of a mobile community, which fosters a connection with the communities we visit.

Why is what you do important for riders, and how does that impact your approach to doing it?

What I do, how I present myself and how riders/volunteers/staff perceive what I do is critical to the mission of CO. Though this is a bicycle event, I sense that the staff and volunteers are all aware on one level or another that this event transcends simply being a tour. The secret of the success and longevity of this event is that each of us focuses on the details of “getting it right.” That attitude is, in my opinion, what makes CO more than a well-run, highly enjoyable bike ride. Call it “Zen and the Annual Bike Tour of (a Piece of) Oregon.”

What would a rider be surprised to know about what goes on behind the scenes on Cycle O?

Most of the riders I engage with, either in my role as Green Team or registering riders, do understand the tremendous amount of coordinated effort and energy that goes into putting CO on the road.

Why do you keep coming back?

Bottom line, it combines my recreational hobby – biking – with a very personal sense of self-worth.

How would you describe Cycle Oregon as an event to someone who’s never heard of it?

The best bike-centric event of ambassadorial goodwill – and it imbues a sense of well-being to all participants. Ride it!

Tell us about a favorite moment and host town from along the way.

My favorite episode was last year in Waitsburg, Washington. The local high school social studies teacher sent her students out to interview riders who represent many U.S. states and even foreign countries. The freshman students had a script of questions, and they learned how to approach and interview us, and learn and exchange information and perceptions. I was amazed to see that all three of the Waitsburg school buildings had been expertly re-habbed over the past 5-6 years – which is a testament to wise investment and knowledge of where the future of their community resides.

What year has been the most memorable for you, and why?

I thoroughly enjoyed last year as a rider on the Weekend Ride, and got the chance to get in about 100 miles during volunteering time off on the Week Ride. Most importantly, I met and enjoyed the company of great folks like Bob Manfull, Ingrid Nylen, Gerta Eck, Steve Schulz, Roger Sanman, Sam Lee, Tom Dorzweiler and Lea VanLue.

Just ask Julie Miller, with the Bandon Chamber of Commerce. Raised a city girl, she moved to Bandon and “took two years to acclimate – and now I wouldn’t ever go back.”

A lot of people have that experience with Bandon, Julie says – even the ones who don’t stay. “We’re kind of hard to get to,” she admits. “But once people come here, they fall in love with it.”

Maybe that’s because Bandon combines the coziness of a small town with the lure of a revitalized old town district, all on one of the prettiest stretches of coastline in America.

And it all started with a shipwrecked Irishman. Although the earliest white settlers established a site called Averill in 1853, it was George Bennett and his sons who washed up from Bandon, Ireland, in 1873 and soon after changed the town’s name to honor his hometown. Within 10 years there was a post office, a sawmill, a church and a store, cheese-making was ongoing, and the Corps of Engineers began building a jetty. In 1896 the Coquille River lighthouse was built, ensuring safer passage for ships and proving a boon for the local economy.

Although devastating fires in 1914 and 1936 (the latter burned down 484 of Bandon’s 500 buildings) set the town back, the strength of the local cheese factory, cranberry growing, a woolen mill and the shipping business kept Bandon bouncing back.

And then a man decided to build a golf course nearby. Bandon Dune Golf Resort’s first course opened in 1999, and it now encompasses four golf courses –all four ranking in the top 15 of Golf magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.”

So more people have discovered Bandon – but it still retains its small-town character.

“It’s amazing how uncrowded it is here,” Julie says. “You can walk the beach here and sometimes be the only person out there.”

That small-town status also means that Cycle Oregon coming to town is a pretty big deal.

“For us having Cycle Oregon stay here is a huge boost,” Julie adds. “It’s not just the number of people coming through – it’s also the recognition for having the layover here.”

And boy, will they have some fun things ready for us on that layover. You’ll get a complete list in your Rider Handbook later this summer, but here’s a sample: horseback riding on the beach; agate-hunting and a chance to turn your find into jewelry; deep-sea charter fishing and an evening river cruise; a guided nighttime beach walk with a campfire and s’mores; birding at Bandon Marsh; wine and “dessert fetish” tastings…

And how about this one: “You can crab right from the dock,” Julie relates. “Drop a ring in the water, go get a beer, come back and give your catch to Tony, who will cook ‘em up for a dollar a crab while you drink your beer.”

Sounds like the good life, eh? Julie says the locals have a real appreciation for the life they enjoy. But it’s also a life of limited resources and self-reliance. “We take kind of a duct-tape approach here,” she explains. “We make do with what we have.”

That’s one of the reasons the locals are so excited about what Cycle Oregon brings to town – including money, which will be put to good use. Cycle Oregon funds will help with everything from purchasing lights for the local baseball field to buying a new furnace for the Odd Fellows Hall so the gals in the local quilting club can make more quilts for military personnel and children in crisis.

Julie sums it all up: “We’re extremely excited, the whole community. We’re going to roll out the red carpet for Cycle Oregon.”

DAY 4: LAYOVER DAY – BANDON

Why did you choose this route?

For a layover day option ride from Bandon, there are three choices. We used the available roads north of Bandon to arrive in town the day before. We’ll ride the one available road heading east that’s safe for bicycles when we leave Bandon the next day. That leaves a route south of Bandon – a loop ride to Port Orford and back that has quite a bit to offer.

What planning challenges were involved with this route?

Because the options for a loop route in this area are so limited, there weren’t many planning challenges. There is a road leading east from Langlois that looked attractive on the map, but exploration showed that the road turns to gravel, and part of the road is actually privately owned. Once that potential route was discounted, the only other question was how to limit the amount of time spent riding on Highway 101. Those who choose to ride on this day will be off the main highway for nearly five miles at the beginning of the ride, and a little over five miles at the end of the ride.

Can you provide a brief point-to-point description of this route?

The route leaves Bandon traveling south on Beach Loop Drive, which provides wonderful views of the ocean, with small state parks and viewpoints along the road. Riders will then turn onto Highway 101, continuing on the state highway to Port Orford for lunch, and then returning on the main highway until nearly back to Bandon. The traffic volume on Highway 101 should be moderate, requiring cyclists to pay attention when passing other cyclists and, when not passing, riding on the shoulder as far to the right as practical.

Fifteen miles from the start is the unincorporated community of Langlois (according to old-timers it is pronounced “Langless”), where we’ll pause at the community library for a rest stop. On this section of the coast, cranberry bogs are abundant. Cranberries have been grown commercially on the West Coast for a century, and Oregon now ranks fourth among the states in cranberry production – tops among Western states. Most are “wet-picked,” meaning growers flood their bogs with water and then use mechanical harvesters to loosen the floating berries from the vines.

After leaving Langlois, riders will pass Denmark (yes, a community did exist here, founded by Danes) and the Sixes River before arriving at the Cape Blanco Highway turnoff. For another spectacular view of the ocean, the five-mile ride to the end of the road at the Cape Blanco State Park and lighthouse is well worth the effort. Cape Blanco is the most southern of Oregon’s lighthouses, and is the westernmost point in Oregon. It was the first lighthouse in the state outfitted with a first-order Fresnel lens, in 1870. Two of the lighthouse keepers were James Langlois and James Hughes, stationed at the Cape Blanco Lighthouse for their entire careers, which lasted 42 years for Langlois and at least 33 years for Hughes.

Hughes was the second son of Patrick and Jane Hughes, whose 2,000-acre ranch bordered the lighthouse station property. The ranch is now part of Cape Blanco State Park, and the Hughes’ home, a two-story Victorian built in 1898 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, remains standing and is open to the public for tours. This home is down a short road about a mile before reaching the lighthouse access road.

After returning to Highway 101 from Cape Blanco, a four-mile ride leads to Port Orford, the oldest town on the Oregon coast and the most westerly in the 48 contiguous states. Rather than going directly to the lunch location by staying on Highway 101, the route takes a short detour, going straight onto the street with the large hand-painted “viewpoint” on the pavement, for a view of the harbor. The natural harbor at the north end of Port Orford Bay has one of only two ” dolly docks” in the U.S. and six in the world, where boats are lifted in and out of the water by cranes and parked on large, custom-made trailers on the dock.

Lunch is at the Battle Rock Wayfinding Point Park, with an ocean view and access to the beach. The park is named for a battle between the first landing party of white settlers and a local band of natives in 1851, which was the beginning of the settlement of Port Orford.

For those who might want to spin up a pretty steep hill for about a mile, a visit to the Port Orford Heads State Park is available. The park houses a Coast Guard lifeboat station and free museum with a wood lifeboat on display. (Watch for the sign, and take 9th Street from Highway 101 to get to the park.)

The return to Bandon is again on Highway 101, with another rest stop in Langlois at the Blanco School grounds. Prior to arriving in Bandon, the route leaves the highway, traveling on county roads to return to the overnight camp.

DAY 5: BANDON TO POWERS

Why did you choose this route?

The second reason for the week’s route is the Glendale to Powers Bike Route – so we needed to get to Powers. The most direct route to Powers from Bandon is by using state highways, but the primary highway from Bandon is heavily traveled, with many curves and no shoulders. A secondary county road parallels the main road on the other side of the Coquille River, leading to another state highway just north of Coquille.

After arriving in Coquille, a series of county roadways are used to avoid the heavily traveled state highway to arrive in Myrtle Point. From Myrtle Point, the only road available to get to Powers is a state highway.

What planning challenges were involved with this route?

The use of North Bank Lane to avoid Highway 42S was obvious, and using Highway 42 to arrive in Coquille is the only option. The challenge for this day was finding the best way to get to Myrtle Point on county roadways (avoiding the state highway) from Coquille, without road signage, or with confusing signage. We believe we’ve selected the best roads from among the array of choices.

Can you provide a brief point-to-point description of this route?

To avoid the busy highway leading to Coquille, the route travels north on Highway 101 across the Coquille River, and leaves the state highway near the Bandon Dunes Golf Course entrance. This road, North Bank Lane, follows the Coquille River through farmland to its end at Highway 42. We need to travel on the state highway (with wide shoulders) for four miles before arriving at Coquille’s Sturdivant Park for a rest stop.

After leaving the city park, the route travels through farmland in the Coquille Valley through the small community of Arago and then to Myrtle Point for lunch. After lunch, the only roads available leading to Powers are state highways. The highway leaving Myrtle Point can be busy, but has good shoulders for the 2.5 miles before turning onto the Powers Highway.

The state highway leading to Powers has low traffic volume, and continues to follow the Coquille River. We have one stop at the Coquille Myrtle Grove State Park before finishing at Powers County Park. This state park is in a myrtle grove and has a sandy beach along the Coquille River. From this last stop of the day, it is only seven miles to Powers.

That’s in large part due to the skills and effort of Jenny Soyke, Cycle Oregon’s lunch coordinator. To get a little insight into what she does, how she does it and why she does it, we talked with her recently. When you read her answers, you’ll understand why things run so smoothly – this is one organized and dedicated volunteer.

What is your role on Cycle Oregon, and how long have you been doing it?

On-course Lunch Coordinator – this will be my fourth year.

How did you come to be involved with Cycle O, and has it evolved over time?

My husband, Jeff Willensky, suggested we volunteer as a way of hanging out with cyclists together, because our bicycling abilities were diverging – he was getting better and going longer, and I was less able to, due to a back injury. We volunteered as a team for two years, then he just had to ride. I’ve continued to volunteer in the same job, last year with a wonderful volunteer co-coordinator, Mary Watts.

Tell us the details of what you do.

Arrangements for the on-course lunch stop sites have been made in advance by the Cycle Oregon staff. The lunch coordinators arrive at the designated lunch site by 7 a.m. on most days, meeting our local volunteer team – new each day – for the first time. We confer with the ride director for any special information about the community, the site, the resources and the volunteer team. We walk the site, look at entry and exit points, and consider the best flow through the site that will keep things moving to feed people efficiently and avoid traffic jams. We make final decisions about where all the components of the on-course lunch stop will go: bike parking, food, drinks, recycling, water bars, Blue Rooms, bike repair, music, seating, gear drop and parking for Cycle Oregon vehicles, our reefer truck and local volunteers – all strategically placed. We then mobilize the local volunteer team of about 20 people to unload the truck, and set up the lunch stop, ready to serve the riders from around 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 or 2 p.m. We then pack it all away, and try to leave the site as clean or cleaner than we found it.

What skills or traits are important in your role?

Organization, tact, patience, understanding of human nature, teaching, understanding of food and water hygiene, appreciation for cyclists, appreciation for our local hosts, and a sense of humor!

Why is what you do important for riders, and how does that impact your approach to doing it?

I want the riders to have a smooth, restful and enjoyable lunch experience with as little hassle as possible. My approach to achieve that is to focus on three goals: 1) easy navigation of the site by keeping bike parking in the periphery and out of traffic flow so riders can easily enter, exit and walk around to all components of the lunch site to get what they need; 2) I don’t want the riders to have to spend time waiting in lines, so we do our best to ramp up and serve faster when it gets busy; and 3) responsible handling of food and drinks for both safety and convenience. The importance of food, water and Blue Rooms is evident.

What would a rider be surprised to know about what goes on behind the scenes on Cycle O?

The amount of time spent by both Cycle O staff and volunteers preparing for this event, and the dedication of the volunteers, many of whom use vacation time from their “day jobs” to come and work their tails off for the riders without pay, year after year.

Why do you keep coming back?

Cycle Oregon is a great organization with principles I believe in: cycling, being outdoors, economic stimulation of rural communities, sustainability, and fostering the next generation of cyclists. Add to that the opportunity to have a “guided tour” of some of the most beautiful and interesting areas of Oregon and neighbor states, while traveling with and meeting a lot of interesting people. Cycle Oregon is a true athletic achievement for the riders, and I enjoy watching and learning from the athletes who take it on.

How would you describe Cycle Oregon as an event to someone who’s never heard of it?

Seven days of having fun outdoors in some of the most beautiful sites in Oregon, hanging out with cyclists, and getting to know the true blood of Oregon, the citizens of the rural communities.

Tell us about a favorite moment (or two) from along the way.

First: In Enterprise, Oregon in 2008, we were setting up the lunch stop and one of the local volunteers suggested blocking a street by City Hall with the Blue Rooms. “I don’t think we have permission to block that street,” I said. The group of local volunteers burst out laughing, saying, “Oh, we give you permission!” I learned something about rural communities. The volunteers helping us were the town leaders – that’s the way it works in small rural communities. Cycle Oregon was going to benefit the town, and they were going to do whatever they needed to do to help it happen. That’s the Cycle Oregon-rural partnership.

Second: A rider approached me as we were packing up one day about 3 p.m., anxious and a little agitated, worrying that her family members coming behind her wouldn’t get to eat. I assured her that we know who’s out on the course, thanks to a great Cycle Oregon system, and that if we leave the site we leave bagged lunches and drinks at the site for those still out on the road. I know what it’s like to have a hard day and ride in late. She came back to me a few minutes later with an apology for her original approach and gave me a big hug and a thank-you.

What year has been the most memorable for you, and why?

Probably the first year, since Jeff and I were new to this volunteer job with Cycle Oregon, and every day was such a challenge. It was such hard work, yet at the end I felt like I’d had a vacation because it was such a complete change of pace and place from my usual daily life. And meeting all the wonderful people in this organization for the first time – that was really memorable. I can’t say it’s ever an easy job, but with each year, I have more systems in place and more insight to make it a little easier. This year promises to be memorable because I have ties to about half of the areas we’re traveling through, and I look forward to seeing them in the light of Cycle Oregon.

Is there a host town that really made an impression on you? Why?

I couldn’t single out one town without feeling I was neglecting multiple other towns who absolutely gave their all. Cycle Oregon experiences the “kindness of strangers” extended from our hosts to the whole moving town of 2,500 riders plus volunteers. The can-do attitude of the hosts and their delight in our presence moves me each day of Cycle Oregon.