Oregon is home to the first official State Scenic Bikeway program in the country. It boasts 17 designated scenic bikeways throughout the state.

This tour will take us along the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway from Portland south to Eugene then carry on to Cottage Grove and the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway.

 
Returning north we ride through beautiful and interesting landscapes and towns worth taking a moment to explore. We return to our starting point on day 10…but we’re not done yet.

Troutdale, Oregon is the favourite starting point for riders wanting to cycle the Historic Columbia River Highway 30 and Historic Highway State Trail  along the Columbia River Gorge. The Waterfall Corridor in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is home to dozens of magical waterfalls, including well known ones like Multnomah Falls and Horsetail Falls. Visiting by bicycle is a great way to explore this area.

We will spend 4 days cycling from Troutdale through Cascade Locks to Hood River and The Dalles, then back to Cascade Locks. Transportation back from Cascade Locks to Troutdale is highly possible. For the ‘keeners’ who want to ride the short distance back to their vehicle, you have 2 options as stated in the itinerary below.

Accommodations will be in 3 – 4-star hotels/motels. One motel may be a higher end 2-star.

Road conditions are predominantly pavement (barring any surprises) with average elevation and daily distances of 75 – 90+ kms. One day is 103 kms with very little elevation gain.

This tour is rated for advanced riders who like the longer distances and the occasional steep hill. We will have the pleasure of many bike-only trails, shared pathways, roads with designated bike lanes and good shoulders, and narrow country roads with no shoulder but little traffic. If you are uncomfortable riding amongst traffic, this ride is not for you.

Riders are encouraged to ride at their own pace with at least one other rider. With a group of 16 riders all starting out together, the tendency is that 3 to 5 groups will quickly materialize.

Each rider must be able to follow the GPS route and/or cue sheet which will be provided to the successful registrants prior to the tour.

Riders must be able to carry 2 bottles of water and whatever you might need for each day’s ride.
Rain jackets can be left in the car but be aware that the driver may not be readily available when it decides to rain, especially if you’re on a trail that does not allow vehicles.
Bikes should be equipped with a headlight and taillight. There will be a couple of tunnels.

See more details in the Itinerary section.

Each rider is allowed one carry-on size bag that will go in the support vehicle each day.
Carry-on size is 22”x16”x10” weighing no more than 20 lbs – these dimensions are generous according to airline measurements. Please respect this requirement. If your bag is too big you will be asked to repack it.

• Lodging for 14 nights based on 2 persons sharing.
• Digital GPS routes – You can print off Maps and Cue sheets if you require them.
• Continental or hot breakfast at all hotels
• Two group meals and 2 or 3 group happy hours
• One pizza night
• One Tour organizer fee
• One Driver fee
• Stripe payment fee of 3%, for money paid through our CCCTS website
• Support vehicle – A cargo van or larger SUV will transport bags only and carry a couple of floor tire pumps. We will carry a small cooler for packed lunches along the routes.

• Transportation to and from starting/ending point.
• Meals other than those noted above.
• Bike rentals.
• Entrance fees into parks, museums, etc.
• Parking for vehicles at hotel – $US 10/night between check out and next check in.
  I will try to negotiate a better deal at check-in as we also stay here two more nights upon return.
• Medical or trip cancellation insurance.

Directions to Troutdale, Oregon:

-From Vancouver: I-5 south to Salmon City, 205 SE to I-84 East into Troutdale.
-From Central BC, Osoyoos crossing: Hwy 97, 17, 283, I-90, Hwy 97, I-84
However the I-5 route is probably quicker.

-Your hotel tonight, September 4^th, is the Best Western Cascade Inn Suites, 23525 NE Halsey St, Troutdale
-This tour begins in Troutdale/Portland. Welcome night and pizza

-The route follows the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway south to Eugene where we have a day off after 4 days of riding.
-Continuing south to Cottage Grove we ride the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway then come back north to Troutdale on day 9 where we have another day off.

-The last four days are riding along the Columbia River Gorge on the Historic Scenic Highway 30 and the Historic Highway State Trail. We will have a Farewell Dinner at Cascade Locks on day 13.
-Riding days are from 54 kms to 93 kms with one day at 103 kms. All days except 1 have average or lower-than-average elevation gain.

September 4th – Arrive in Troutdale/Portland, Oregon
Check in 3:00PM – Best Western Cascade Inn Suites, 23525 NE Halsey St
5:30PM – Meet & Greet Pizza night

Notes:

Day 11, Sept 15 – There is a short section of the trail that has 40 stairs going down. There’s a bike track to place your tires in to walk it down.
For non-e-bikes this should be no problem, for e-bikes it is recommended that 2 people support the bike going down or up.

Day 14, Sept 18 – To return to Troutdale:
– Opt. 1 – Ride I-84, wide shoulder, distance is 45 kms (bikes allowed on highway)
– Opt. 2 – Ride the trail and Scenic Historic Hwy 30 back to Troutdale – 54 kms.
– Opt. 3 – For anyone not wanting to ride that stretch back, the Columbia Gorge Express runs from Cascade Locks to Troutdale, with stops in between, every hour and a half starting at 06:20. It carries up to 9 bikes and the cost is $1 to $10 depending on the distance you go.

Registration will be on the CCCTS website on the date shown. A computerized lottery system and waitlist will be utilized if the ride is over subscribed.

A $US 100 payment is required at time of registration. If you are selected for the ride, this fee is non-refundable.
The lottery signup will run for 5 days, after which the Ride Leader will review the results.

When registering as a single, you must notify the Ride Leader in writing to state if you would like to have a roommate, will pay a single supplement if one can not be found or if you require your own room and are paying the single supplement - marondm68@gmail.com

The selection process will consider the following criteria in evaluating candidates:

• fitness and riding ability and experience required for the tour,
• a history of demonstrating safe riding practices,
• acceptable social behavior.

The leader may interview riders or others who know them to verify their suitability for the tour.

• The leader will notify registrants of their selection status. If the ride is not filled, registration will continue until the closing dates shown above.
• Tour member selection is done primarily by lottery results, but the leader will have the final decision on who is accepted or not for the tour. Leader has the option to prioritize up to 30% of the tour members.
• If over subscribed a Waitlist will be established.
• The prioritization of names on the Waitlist may be modified to give priority to the next single on the list to fill a single spot, even if a couple has a higher (averaged) ranking on the Waitlist.  Couples may also be prioritized over a single that is higher on the Waitlist in cases where accommodation is limited and there is no roommate available for that single person.  Prioritization of singles vs couples will be determined by the RL based on the needs of the specific Tour or Hub and Spoke and lottery numbers.
• After you have been notified that you are selected for the tour; first payment of $US 1,100 is due on February 10, 2025.
• Single supplement of $US 990 is also due February 10, 2025
• Second Payment of $US 1,100 is due on April 7, 2025
• In the event of cancellation – If a replacement can’t be found, we will refund any fees for costs that could be avoided. However, if there are costs that cannot be avoided, these will not be refunded.

Additional Information:

• The CCCTS Communicable Illness Policy takes into consideration regulations and recommendations from Public Health Authority of Canada, BC Centre of Disease Control, and Public Health Ontario. In the case of illness while on tour, it is expected that all participants will follow the procedures outlined in this policy. Please refer to https://cccts.org/club-document/staying-safe-guidelines-2022-oct-15th-2022-update/ for details on the club’s Communicable Illness Policy.
• CCCTS strongly encourages all participants to be up to date on their vaccinations for COVID and all other communicable diseases.  
• Everyone should bring 3 COVID test kits with them on the tour and take responsibility for self-testing if they feel ill.