The big bike insert as it appears
in May issue of Outside Magazine.

At a meeting of the Oregon Bicycle Tourism Partnership in City Hall yesterday, Travel Oregon unveiled details of how cycling fits into their $1 million national marketing campaign.

Cycling is one of three main pillars (along with outdoor recreation and, somewhat inexplicably, golf) of Travel Oregon's current "Adventurecation" campaign. At the meeting yesterday, Travel Oregon marketing staffer Michael Sturdevant took us through the details of the campaign and shared some of the materials that go along with it. (more...)

Senator Jeff Merkley.
(Photos © J. Maus)

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley wants to help Oregon become a mecca for bicycle tourism.

Merkley and his policy aide Jeremiah Baumann, spent nearly an hour in a video conference with staff of Travel Oregon discussing steps Congress can take to help make bicycle tourism a larger part of Oregon's economy. Kristin Dahl, Travel Oregon's sustainable tourism director, said the meeting came about as a follow-up to discussions started during a meeting at Merkley's D.C. office during the National Bike Summit. (more...)

Riding along the Rogue River
in Southern Oregon.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Travel Oregon is currently developing a marketing campaign for the 2010 spring-summer season that will focus on Oregon's outdoor recreation opportunities. According to Linda Andrews, a tourism development assistant with Travel Oregon, the campaign will "specifically focus on cycling and mountain biking."
(more...)

David Lowe-Rogstad and the
home page of the new site.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Yesterday in Salem at the Oregon Bike Summit, we got a sneak peek of the new "Ride Oregon" website. When it officially launches in mid-May, the site will allow visitors to learn about Oregon's great rides, plan a trip of their own, find the best hotels, places for a post-ride meal, and more.

The site (URL yet to be announced) is funded by Travel Oregon and it's being created by Substance, a creative design agency based on Portland. Travel Oregon put their support behind the site after hearing years of requests from communities and advocates around the state. (more...)

Photo from a presentation
about the upcoming website.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Travel Oregon wants to make biking a larger part of Oregon's $1 billion annual tourism market. At the front of that effort is a new website they hope will become an invaluable resource for Oregon biking information.

Back in December I shared their plans to invest in a major new website to promote their "Bike Oregon" campaign.

That effort is moving along quickly, with a beta launch of the site on schedule to happen at the Oregon Bike Summit on April 21st in Salem. I've been sitting in as an advisor on this project and I have to say I'm impressed with what I've seen so far.
(more...)

Travel Oregon's Kristin Dahl
is leading an effort to create a
new bike tourism website.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Travel Oregon knows a good thing when they see it -- that's why they've decided to invest in a major new website that will be devoted to biking in Oregon.

A committee to help map out the objectives and oversee design of the site met at the offices of Cycle Oregon in North Portland last week. The meeting was led by Kristin Dahl, Travel Oregon's sustainable tourism specialist.

In addition to Travel Oregon staffers Dahl and their Community Relations Director Vernoica Rinard, the committee includes a who's-who of Oregon bike advocates including; newly hired State of Oregon Bicycle Recreation Coordinator Alexandra Phillips, Oregon Bicycle Racing Association Executive Director Kenji Sugahara, Jill Van Winkle with the International Mountain Bicycling Association, PDOT veteran and bike touring specialist Jeff Smith, Cycle Oregon ride director Jerry Norquist, BTA Executive Director Scott Bricker, Bike Gallery owner Jay Graves, and others.
(more...)