Can
bicycling be Oregon's Maine event?
The Oregonian
Portland, Oregon
June 16, 2006
Suddenly Oregon seems serious about branding itself as "the
bicycle state."
State government is gearing up to hire a "bicycle concierge" to
serve tourists on two wheels.
Crater Lake is considering a "car-free day" to lure pedalers to
the national park.
More than 300 people are expected at Saturday's Portland Bike
Summit (portlandonline.com/transportation) to hear policy wonks
talk pedal power.
What's at stake in all this is more than bragging rights. What's
at stake is economic development, the kind of economic
development -- clean and green -- coveted by communities coast
to coast.
The travel industry figures more than 5 million Americans head
off on bicycling vacations each year. Hotly touted destinations
include Provence, Tuscany, Napa and, yes, the Willamette Valley.
Portland International Airport is busy making itself
bike-friendly to welcome those flying in with their titanium
steeds.
Oregon's lure includes a wide network of well-maintained country
roads, a stunning diversity of spectacular landscapes and a full
complement of berry cobbler communities that think the proper
way to treat strangers is to try to talk them into staying over
for a while.
Since 1988, Cycle Oregon, presented by this newspaper, has
produced a weeklong tour each September designed to showcase
this bounty. Lately, Cycle Oregon has been working with Oregon
State Parks to develop a network of state scenic bikeways.
Last summer, more than 1,000 cyclists saddled up to christen the
first such bikeway, from Portland to Eugene. Next month, we're
at it again, extending the bikeway south from Eugene. The July
22-23 event, tailored for rookie riders who wonder what the heck
this is all about, features all the traditional Cycle Oregon
amenities, from bike mechanics and baggage porters to a beer
garden.
Full ride details are available at www.cycleoregon.com.
Perhaps the best news is that, all around the state, communities
now are pursuing a piece of this action. Cycle Oregon is already
looking at scenic bikeways through the Columbia Gorge, in
Central Oregon and linking the Willamette Valley to the coast.
Bart Eberwein, the Hoffman Construction exec spurring this drive
to "re-brand" Oregon, has little doubt of the power in pedals.
"Bicycles," he says, "can do for Oregon what lobsters did for
Maine."
Jonathan Nicholas: 503-221-8533; JPNicholas@aol.com
©2006 The Oregonian
