Grant Union eighth-graders, including Jay Goldblatt and Eli Humbird, hand out high-fives and fist bumps to the cyclists on the home stretch of Cycle Oregon, which came through the county in September 2013.

Cycle Oregon will stage its biggest ride of the year in Eastern Oregon in September. Dubbed “Ride the Painted Hills,” the event will run Sept. 10-17. 

The event will start and finish in John Day, taking in some of the region’s most spectacular scenery.

The ride was initially supposed to happen in September 2020, but the organization called it off as it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to be around for a while. A handful of scaled-down events were held in 2021, but this year the group is ready to hit the road full force.

“We’re just really excited about going out in 2022,” Cycle Oregon Executive Director Steve Schulz told the Blue Mountain Eagle.

An Oregon tradition

Since 1988, Cycle Oregon has brought together cycling enthusiasts once a year for group rides in various parts of the state. The first installment, which attracted around 1,000 participants, was a six-day, 350-mile jaunt from Salem to Brookings.

The idea caught on, and one annual ride has grown into a four-course menu for serious cyclists. In addition to the weeklong Classic, Cycle Oregon also offers a pair of two-day options, the Weekender and the Gravel (being held this year in Corvallis and Toledo, respectively) and the one-day Joyride, a women-only pedal in the Independence area.

All rides are supported, with meals, camping facilities, showers and restrooms provided, and there’s a “sag wagon” available to pick up riders who get injured, suffer mechanical breakdowns or just run out of gas. A festive atmosphere surrounds the rides, often with live music and local beer and wine.

There’s also a public service component: Classic participants are encouraged to take part in public service projects in some of the host communities, and Cycle Oregon has its own grant program. Through a fund housed within the Oregon Community Foundation, the group has awarded 328 grants totaling $2.5 million to support projects and programs around the state.

What to expect

Schulz said the group was disappointed when it had to cancel the 2020 Classic and has been itching for the chance to get back to the John Day Basin and the Painted Hills country ever since.

“That whole area is just stunning, so people know they’ll have an amazing experience,” he said, adding that “there’s some great things happening in John Day.”

After spending the night of Sept. 10 in John Day, the group will pedal to Monument on the first full day of riding. From there they’ll go to Fossil, then Mitchell, then Dayville and back to John Day. There will be a couple of layover days along the way, with a selection of activities planned, and each day’s ride will feature at least two options to choose from.

Depending on which options they select, participants will cycle anywhere from 272 to 443 miles with about 15,000 to 35,000 feet of elevation gain.

This year’s Classic is capped at 1,500 riders, but Schulz has no doubt it will reach that mark.

“There’s a lot of uncertainties right now, but we feel like we’ll hit that capacity,” he said.

In fact, Schulz said, Cycle Oregon signed up 500 riders in the first 24 hours after registration opened on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

The 2022 Cycle Oregon Classic, billed as Ride the Painted Hills, will take place Sept. 10-17 in Grant and Wheeler counties. The event is expected to attract 1,500 riders and close to 200 support personnel to the area while generating around half a million dollars in economic impact.

Riders will cover anywhere between 272 and 443 miles with 15,000 to 35,000 feet of elevation gain, depending on which options they choose.

Here’s a day-by-day look at the itinerary:

Saturday, Sept. 10

Getting There: Arrival in John Day

Participants arrive in John Day, the start and finish point for the ride, and set up a tent camp at one or more public parks.

Sunday, Sept. 11

Taste the Rainbow: John Day to Monument

Distance: Paved route 59.3 miles, gravel option 64.2 miles

Elevation: Paved route 3,756 feet, gravel option 4,587 feet

Highlights: The route follows the John Day River and swings through portions of the Malheur National Forest before arriving at the doorstep of the Painted Hills.

Monday, Sept. 12

Intro to Geology: Monument to Fossil

Distance: Main route 59.6 miles, long route 68.6 miles

Elevation: Main route 3,226 feet, long route 5,094 feet

Highlights: From Monument, riders will follow the river through farm fields, beneath dramatic cliffs and past soaring rock spires to Fossil.

Tuesday, Sept. 13

As You Like It: Layover day options

Distance: Short (to Clarno and back) 38.8 miles, long paved route 55.8 miles, long mixed route 59.7 miles (9.3 miles of gravel)

Elevation: Short (to Clarno and back) 3,844 feet, long paved route 6,366 feet, long mixed route 6,486 feet

Highlights: Riders can choose their own adventure, with options including a modest out-and-back pedal, a 60-mile ride, a fossil-finding hike or a community project in Fossil.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

Road Trippin’: Fossil to Mitchell

Distance: 43.9 miles

Elevation: 4,030 feet

Highlights: The route takes riders to the Twickenham area and offers a wide diversity of landscapes, from open farmland to rolling hills, pine forests and rimrock canyons.

Thursday, Sept. 14

Free for All: Mitchell layover day

Distance: Short route to Painted Hills 18 miles, medium mixed route 41.4 miles (12.1 miles of gravel), long paved route 69 miles

Elevation: Short route 700 feet, medium mixed route 3,561 feet, long paved route 7,284 feet

Highlights: With Mitchell as a home base, riders can explore the world-renowned Painted Hills, stretch their legs on one of two longer rides or pitch in on a community service project.

Friday, Sept. 16

Panorama-rama: Mitchell to Dayville

Distance: Paved route 77,8 miles, mixed route 75.5 miles (21 miles of gravel)

Elevation: Paved route 3,520 feet, gravel route 3,700 feet

Highlights: The day’s ride runs from the Ochoco Mountains through Picture Gorge and into the John Day Valley, stopping for the night in Dayville.

Saturday, Sept. 17

One Last Hurrah: Dayville to John Day

Distance: Short route 32 miles, main route 62.5 miles (2.7 miles gravel)

Elevation: Short route 750 feet, main route 4,100 feet

Highlights: For the last day of the trip, riders have two options: The direct route via Highway 26, or a more ambitious agenda that includes a climb up into the Aldrich Mountains before looping down into John Day for the final night.