First look at Oregon State Park’s ‘modern luxuries’ for bicycle tourers

Last week we shared how the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department was upping the ante on bike-camping facilities at three popular state campgrounds. OPRD has installed fix-it stations, group shelters, covered gear storage, and device charging stations just for people who show up by bike. The state calls these facilities “modern luxuries.”

I haven’t been able to see them myself, but I just got a few photos from OPRD’s Bicycle Recreation Specialist Alex Phillips. Check them out below…

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Gotta’ love Oregon. Thanks OPRD!

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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bjorn
bjorn
8 years ago

I’d like to see some storage lockers like those around portland. Sometimes you don’t want to drag a big bag inside with you, but you do want to have your rain gear etc along.

Spiffy
Spiffy
8 years ago

being able to charge your phone/lights via solar while secured in a locker is awesome…

Lester Burnham
Lester Burnham
8 years ago

How soon till the solar panels are stolen?

Jeff
Jeff
8 years ago
Reply to  Lester Burnham

How soon til you bring down an otherwise positive posting on Bike Portland?

Jared Castle
Jared Castle
8 years ago

Jonathan, let’s raise a glass to OPRD. My only suggestion is a flip cap for the chargers to keep out dust and bugs. Please advise riders to be good stewards of these amenities. Use them with care and promptly share feedback with OPRD, especially if something is broken. These facilities can’t be staffed 24/7, so extra eyes and ears are helpful.

eli bishop
eli bishop
8 years ago

i love these options! Doesn’t calling them “luxuries” feed into that “bicycle entitlement” thing, though? I would rather they were called “modern amenities.”

eli bishop
eli bishop
8 years ago

I believe the language we use is important. Other campsites don’t have “luxuries.” They have amenities. I want to normalize and equalize the language.

9watts
9watts
8 years ago
Reply to  eli bishop

I wonder what we’d learn from comparing the amenities provided as a matter of course to car-specific campers with these, targeted at us. Perhaps that would shed light on eli’s point.

Mixtieme
Mixtieme
8 years ago
Reply to  9watts

Power, water, electricity, sewage dumping… Although they do pay more than as I as a cyclists and power is nice but I’ve just used the bathroom plugs. Reference I’ve biked from Seattle to Boston… Pavilion’s and free showers are my ‘luxuries’ list. Everything else is cold, hard, camping.

Caitlin
Caitlin
8 years ago

My partner and I recently stayed at Milo McIver State Park and were excited to find the bike sites after our ride. We’ve stayed other places with hiker/biker sites but these were more than just reserved sites in the main area. The sites were set apart from the rest of the campground so it was super quiet; we didn’t have to listen to people’s parties, generators, TVs, etc. We will definitely seek out the other campgrounds with these types of sites!

dan
dan
8 years ago
Reply to  Caitlin

If you tour down the coast, the majority of hiker/biker sites at state parks/campgrounds along the way are separated from the car/RV sites. I remember there was a particularly well-situated one at Honeyman state park in Florence.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
8 years ago

Too bad they can’t swing one or two of those permanent pit toilet outhouses that Nevada and even Oregon uses in the deep dry middle of nowhere.
See Brothers Oasis rest area west of Bend on US-20
(http://goo.gl/maps/S9r5d); better pictures of that area here https://goo.gl/photos/MDNn1WkKz8oZCNEw6

In the middle of nowhere they are better than nothing.

Adam
Adam
8 years ago

I’d live to see more bike facilities on the Historic Columbia River Highway. There are dozens of waterfalls, but nowhere to lock your bike up to go view them. If they want to market that route as a serious bike tourist destination, there will need to be more facilities!

Mixtieme
Mixtieme
8 years ago
Reply to  Adam

I guess I should add this to the ‘luxuries’ list. Solid bike lock up locations are big when I travel.

adventure!
8 years ago
Reply to  Adam

I wouldn’t say “nowhere”. There is a bike rack at Vista House and at Multnomah Falls provided by the Wheelmen, but they aren’t the most practical racks. Better is these racks at Latourell Falls:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanadventureleaguepdx/8591918196/in/photolist-e6ePWC-rwF3Vv-mcbMr9-gWQAsn-gWRCvB-gWTmAi-gWQMmC-gWQRwm-gWTpkg-gTGNud-e6vxyB-e6vxUa-e6oMG5-e6fqpX-bxe9Ty

I remember seeing a bike rack at Angel’s Rest and (I think) Bridal Viel, I’ll double check when I ride through there next week.

But yes, there is still a need for more and better bike parking in the Gorge!