Looking for Touring ideas (2-5 day tour)

[gregg@bta4bikes.org]

I've got a friend coming to oregon to visit during pedalpalooza/ Towards Car Free cities confrence and we want to get out of town for a couple/ few days for a tour. Anyone have suggestions for a short 2-5 day tour?

I'd love suggestions for tours on the coast/ in or out of the willamette valley/ or in eastern oregon. I don't typically drive, but I do have access to a car, and I could for example drive us to say 200 miles from portland to do our tour to save a few days. Althogh we would prefer to only bike and/ or use a train/ bike.

thanks!!!

happy pedalpalooza

[djasonpenney]

If you're willing to drive, consider the Blue Mountains. There's a really good reason that Cycle Oregon seems to be there every third year or thereabouts. Look at a map of Joseph and the surrounding area.

Staying closer in, you could do something around The Dalles, including the Mosier tunnel, Rowena Crest, and the Columbia River Scenic Highway...

[true]

I would suggest the coast for a number of reasons. 101 has wide shoulders and most autos seem to be aware of and somewhat cautious around bikes. Food and lodging are plentiful. A number of state parks have bike-and-hike facilities that don't ever seem to be full. Plenty of hotels if you're not camping, but the camping is great. It isn't too difficult to get a ride or a bus out the coast if you don't want to ride there. Oh, and you can get bike specific maps that show elevation, camping, bike repair, mileage. It's all set up for you. That reminds me, I haven't done it for a while.......hmmmmmm......

[flying_dutchman]

Go out the gorge on the historic highway, especially the eastern leg from Hood River (through the Mosier twin tunnels) to The Dalles, then turn south. There is a leg of the historic hwy that parallels Hwy 97 for a while. At Shaniko go east through Clarno, Antelope and Fossil. This is big, open and isolated country - high desert and beautiful. From Service Creek you can go to Michell on Hwy 26, or the preferred alt, go past Spray and along the John Day River to Dayville. Then take 26 back to Bend, but take Hwy 20 to Detroit, and from Detroit take the back way to Estacada past Ripplebrook. From Estacada back to Portland.

[bikieboy]

Greg, here's some maps & resource info. on touring around Portland, especially to the coast:

http://www.portlandonline.com/transp...x.cfm?c=36638&

one of my fave coast trips is :
- Hillsboro MAX to Banks, out 6 to Timber Rd.
- Timber Rd. north to Vernonia
- toward Astoria via Mist/Birkenfeld/Jewel *
- at Otis swing around Youngs Bay *
- then south on the coast on the Lewis & Clark Rd. to Seaside
- south on 101 to Tillamook
- around Cape Meares/3 Capes loop *
- south on 101 to Beaver / Nestucca River Rd.
- inland on Nestucca river Rd. * to Carlton,
- back roads to Hillsboro MAX

* = very scenic and low traffic segments

Don't know how many days this is -- depends on camping/where you want to stay -- maybe 4 or 5 max. ??? Also the bus from Tilamook to Portland can shorten the loop.

[fredlf]

I just got back from the Steens Mountain area and the riding there is spectacular. Great, varied challenging terrain and virtually no traffic. There's water flowing from the mountains and it's still cool and comfortable (but not raining!). And there's lots of hot springs to reinvigorate those tired legs!

It's a long drive (350-400 miles), but at least a lot of it is through beautiful country.