FOG Bike ride planning for adventure

Published 6:00 am Monday, September 23, 2019

Frost is in the air and the switch between summer fun and fall adventures are upon us. Finding the perfect bicycle ride for the season is always a challenge with many variables such as change in traffic patterns, surface, riding essentials and elevation. To help in the search there are a large number of online riding forums, mapping software, paper maps, books and of course the local bike shop. In this article we will be exploring the different factors and how they influence riding in the fall.

First, the change in traffic patterns. As students return to school the daylight hours shorten and the majority of working Americans revisit the busy eight to five workday. When evaluating a road for safety and traffic flow always pose the question of why the road is there. Does it connect a bedroom community to a larger town where many occupants go to work and play? Does it lead to a wonderful summer vacation locale? Is it a region seasonally used for hunting? Answering these questions can lead to more enjoyment of an area by avoiding any high traffic flow times when scores of laborers are going to and from work or RVs are trundling along for a summer weekend at the lake.

The next consideration is riding surface. Fall is a fabulous time to bike because the surfaces are spectacular. Road riding is wonderful because the gravel, used to prevent crashes on ice, has been swept away by a maintenance crew, or significant number of cars, resulting in the roadway being smooth and debris free. Gravel roads that were dusty, washboard ridden messes at the end of August are now being calmed by precipitation and yearly maintenance. Trail riding is off the hook because rain has settled the dust and the last months have been used to sculpt and perfect the trails by the loving hands and tires of avid riders. The only road surface elements to be wary of in the spring and fall are roads with a high clay content and black ice. Roads with high clay content, like those surrounding North Powder and Big Lookout Mountain, can turn slick like ice and clump up on your wheels making them unmovable if there has been a recent deluge. Paved surfaces along streams or plentiful vegetation often get a layer of early morning black ice. Waiting until the sun has had a chance to warm the blacktop is always the best way to avoid this type of unpleasant surprise.

The riding essentials for fall focus on the shortened days and fluctuating temperatures. As evenings cool, the need for layers of clothing becomes eminent. Layers built to wick moisture away from the skin, while allowing for warmth to stay, are imperative. Such apparel is frequently constructed from wool or synthetic fibers and should be combined with a shell to break the wind or another to protect from light rain squalls. Leg, arm and feet warmers are also desirable as they are made from neoprene like materials for warmth but are small and easy to take off and store. Last for clothing is being safe and being seen. Much of the current cycling wear has bright colors with reflective piping and stickers wherever possible. This paired with blinking white front and red back light makes the rider highly visible to other users and thus in theory safer.

The final factor when choosing a great seasonal ride is the elevation. Routes in lower, hotter elevations, such as Echo and Hells Canyon, are prime for fall fun. Itineraries with higher elevations, like those around Anthony Lakes, need to be double checked in terms of snow levels and expected temperature since as winter nears it becomes less predictable. Lastly, there are a number of roads closed to through traffic after the snow flies.

Once the idea of a region and type of riding has been ascertained, check out the on-line bicycle forums such as MTB Project, Trailforks and Ride With GPS for more information and suggestions. The local bike shop, Mountain Works Bicycles, is an ambassador on the Ride With GPS site and has posted twenty plus local rides with various details to make your adventure a successful one. Physically visiting with local riders and shops is also a great way to gather current information and suggested rides.

I personally look for beautiful vistas. I love to ride the 134-mile Oregon Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway, after the first dusting of snow has decorated both the Elkhorn and Wallowa Mountains, so I can stare at the beautiful peaks against the blue sky. River drainages or forested sections with a significant number of larch are also on my list of favorites. As the chlorophyll breaks down in the leaves and they fall off the trees for the winter, the colors and hush call to my soul and I am always amazed at their beauty. Some great mountain bike rides with needles are the 9-mile Sinks by Jubilee Lake and the 14-28-mile Umatilla Rim Trail by Andes Prairie. A splendid pure pavement ride with colors is the 43-mile out and back from Reith to Echo. For gravel and color visit the 17-mile Lostine/Wallowa Barn Loop or the 23.1-mile Nice Wolf Raptor Loop by North Powder.

However you prepare for winter, remember that fall is an amazing time to ride your bicycle. The shortened and cooler days call for a bit more planning but are well worth the effort and use of those blinky lights. Experiencing the trails and roads once the dust has settled, the vacationers have returned home and to school, and the colors ready to greet you, are all part of what makes four seasons great.