Wolf-tracking documentary team will share their Oregon bike adventure tonight

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Two members of the six-person team that set out this spring to trace the trail of the wolf OR-7 by bike through Oregon’s wilderness will discuss what they found in a free presentation Tuesday.

Their 1200-mile trip followed the first confirmed wild wolf in western Oregon since 1947 and was coordinated by Rachael Pecore-Valdez, whose longest bike trip until last month had been from her southeast Portland home to Sauvie Island.

She writes in an email:

I’m hooked on cycling now. Cycling was my biggest fear going in and after being whipped into shape on day 4 by a ridiculous misadventure, the rest was all downhill (sort of). …

I’m convinced this wolf may have found the most spectacular route across Oregon, and in spring the most people-free. Most days we were surprised to see two vehicles on these back country gravel roads. …

Biking up Mt. Tabor is no thing these days, amazing how a few long mileage days can completely topple one’s perception of distance and time.

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Five days before the journey started, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that OR-7 seemed to have found a mate, and while they were on the trail, wildlife biologists observed two of his possible pups, which would be the Oregon Cascades’ first wild wolf pups in 100 years.

The team’s presentation is 8 pm on Tuesday, June 24 at Montbell Portland, 902 SW Yamhill Street. You can learn more about the trip on the expedition’s website.

Michael Andersen (Contributor)

Michael Andersen (Contributor)

Michael Andersen was news editor of BikePortland.org from 2013 to 2016 and still pops up occasionally.

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Joe
Joe
9 years ago

wolf pack 🙂

Rob Chapman
Rob Chapman
9 years ago

I’m glad to hear that they pulled it off. Gravel travel is the best!

Matti
Matti
9 years ago

Given the intent of the project, I think “Wolf-chasing” is not quite the right word to use in the headline. “Wolf-tracking” perhaps?

jim
jim
9 years ago

Do wolves go faster than bikes?