A sea of bicyclists from around the nation and globe is gearing up for the final Cycle Oregon event of the year, a September rally that will showcase the beauty of Eastern Oregon.

Area businesses are gearing up as well to accommodate the influx of bicyclists.

Cycle and outdoor adventurers will take on the winding roads of the Wallowa Mountains in Cycle Oregon’s new 2024 rally, scheduled for Sept. 8-13 in Wallowa and Union counties.

And even though the format of this year’s rally in the Wallowas is new for Cycle Oregon, the organization’s executive director, Steve Schulz, said one big goal remains the same: to help bridge the rural-urban divide by bringing bicycle events to Oregon towns.

In fact, he said, that was one of the visions that prompted the founding of Cycle Oregon in 1988.

In the past, Cycle Oregon’s signature annual event has been a seven-day ride across the state. But various challenges prompted the organization to pull the plug on that event after the 2023 ride. Instead, the organization this year has highlighted three shorter events, and the rally in the Wallowas is the final Cycle Oregon event of the year.

The format of the rally is intended to keep people stationed in one general location for a few days instead of a point-to-point ride over seven days; Schulz called it a “rally around communities.”

And he said the organization made a point of returning to Eastern Oregon this year.

“All those (Eastern Oregon) communities have been really great to be a part of while we’re there, and have welcomed us with open arms, so we wanted to go back there this year with our new event,” Schulz said.

Registration is capped at 600, and Schulz said around 500 participants are registered for the 2024 rally so far, paying a registration fee of $1,400. Cyclists will cover 198-298 miles, with options, according to Cycle Oregon’s agenda posted online.

The fee includes camping (and showers) and three meals a day, with on-the-trail snacks and refreshments. Yoga and a pop-up massage facility is also included for cyclists to decompress after a long day on the trails. Bike mechanics will be on hand with on-the-road medics and over 150 support staff. A beer garden and nightly live entertainment will accompany both base camps.

An Enterprise-based establishment, Terminal Gravity, is also eager to serve up beer and comfort food to cyclists. The brew pub’s marketing manager, Grady Nelson said its craft beer will be on tap at both camping locations.

“A lot of our beer drinkers are hikers, bikers, rafters, kayakers, and generally outdoor enthusiasts,” Nelson said. “We have a longstanding relationship with the biking community in Oregon.”

While Schulz said the majority of participants previously have hailed from Oregon, the weeklong ride in the past traditionally has drawn participants from around the nation and even globally. Families with children as young as 9 and people in their 80s have been known to participate in the ride. He said he expects the diversity of riders to continue in the 2024 rally.

The event invites cyclists to carve out their own adventure by selecting routes from maps designed by Cycle Oregon. Cyclists will explore the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman national forests, with forested climbs and scenic river views.

The catalog of routes is designed to give autonomy to cyclists and caters to all skill levels, said Schulz. 

Mapping out cycling routes and organizing an event of this magnitude takes about a year, Schulz said.

The event boasts routes that are compatible with all skill levels and vary in distance. Electric bikes are permitted as well.

“Hopefully the rally will also provide accessibility to people that haven’t been able to join us before on the classic (event) because of the mileage and difficulty,” Schulz said.

Boost for businesses

Riders are set to camp at the Elgin Stampede Grounds for two nights before the base camp moves to the Wallowa County Fairgrounds in Enterprise for the remaining three.

The event has a wealth of exploration opportunities on the menu. Local establishments are put on the map and participants are encouraged to venture out and mix with locals, dine in local eateries and patronize shops.

The new format lends itself to being an immersive community experience. Spending less time setting up camp each night means more time for being out in local communities, said Schulz.

“We can engage with communities for more than just a 24-hour period,” Schulz said.

Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jennifer Piper said the rally should bring a significant long-term economic boost for local businesses.

She said the chamber has been dedicated to communicating with local business owners to prepare them to maximize the occasion.

“We’re excited about the long-term impact,” Piper said. “Often visitors who experience our community for the first time through an event like this return again later with their families, contributing to sustained economic benefits for years to come.”

Union County Chamber of Commerce Director Caitlin Harrold echoed Piper’s sentiments.

“Supporting local businesses is a priority for us, and this event provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the unique offerings of Union and Wallowa counties,” Harrold said.

In addition to rallies and joyrides, Cycle Oregon builds community through bike education, advocacy work and intermittent funding initiatives.

For folks looking to extend their trip, Terminal Gravity has its third annual Middle of Nowhere Brewfest on Sept. 14.

“We encourage the Cycle Oregon folks to stay an extra day or two to enjoy Wallowa County, drink great beer from across the Northwest, and listen to some fantastic live music acts,” Terminal Gravity’s Nelson said.

‘A big family reunion’

Cycle Oregon’s Schulz said the organization’s events sometimes feel “like a big family reunion. … They’re there to have fun and to connect with each other.”

This year’s rally will be no different, he said, even though the format has changed.

“It’s just continuing to build on building that community that we have established for so many decades, and bringing new people into the fold.”

Cycle Oregon has community managers assigned to towns but also uses community volunteers. Locals who are interested in offering a helping hand can email info@cycleoregon.com