Cycle Oregon Recap
Riders of the Lost Airstream
2022 Cycle Oregon Classic – Painted Hills
443 miles | 34,245 ft elevation
On a smoky Saturday in September, five representative riders for Team Airstream and their sherpa media crew (us) headed to John Day in the Painted Hills, the first stop in this year’s Cycle Oregon Classic ride. Babyback ribs were supposedly served for dinner, but we’ll never know how good they were because a lot of fair-weather vegetarians decided to swing back the other way for a night. We’re definitely not bitter. On the bright side, while everyone else slept in tents, Team Airstream had the most luxurious living quarters of all – the Bunkhouse 8 and the Ultimate Airstream EV.
A bright orange harvest moon hovered over the campsite where cyclists from near and far gathered to celebrate the freedom and challenge of the upcoming week-long ride. A city of tents, merch, gear, medics and bike mechanics was set up for the night, only to mobilize the next day. Cyclists prepared for the first leg in their own ways – imbibing from the Whiskey Wagon, pummeling their muscles with massage guns, or dancing to the live music in very, very short shorts.
Riders took to the road as early as 6 a.m. Sunday morning, each setting their own pace in search for glory and grandeur. The course took cyclists on a journey through the past, surrounded by ghost towns and geologic formations that held memories of millennia long gone. Cyclists were greeted enthusiastically by locals as they crossed the finish line in each new town, cheered on and gifted with chocolate milks by the children of the community.
Each night provided new entertainment, new locales, and a new exciting backdrop for both cyclists and guests alike. Speakers and storytellers shared words with the group, with contributors ranging from the Mayor of Monument (population 134) to a geology expert who totally...rocked. Cyclists and their guests could participate in yoga or stop for a massage during downtime between rides or grab food from the local restaurant or café, but not both! As Monument’s only eatery was a food truck with a log cabinesque façade that served excellent pulled pork.
We didn’t get lost exactly, but we accidentally went on the cyclist route when we weren’t supposed to. We got some killer footage thanks to that mistake though. And we had no cell service the whole time which basically counts as being lost.
