Cyclists coming Sept. 15
From our weekly issue dated September 09, 2009
Cycle Oregon (Illinois Valley News file photo)
The public is invited to join in the fun when Cycle Oregon, the annual bicycle ride enjoyed by some 2,000 riders through Oregon’s backroads landscapes, visits Illinois Valley. The riders will arrive in the valley on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The ride, which begins in Medford, will travel south and leave the state for only the second time in the tour’s history. After overnight stays in Yreka and Happy Camp, the sturdy riders will make a push over Page Mountain. After lunch at Bridgeview Winery, riders will wend their way over Bear Creek Road to Lake Selmac to camp overnight. There, the cyclists will be met with an enthusiastic welcome by scores of community volunteers.
Spearheading the Illinois Valley’s involvement is the Selma Community & Education Center. Jim Tehan has taken on the Site Coordinator position, which entails coordination of details large and small. Others on board who will share the load are Illinois River Valley Arts Council, and the I.V. Booster Club. Between these groups the volunteers will set up camp, haul luggage, decorate, serve meals, provide clean towels, coordinate entertainment and activities and break down afterward.
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The cyclists will unwind with their provided showers and dinner, and then an evening of Illinois Valley-style entertainment is scheduled. The public is welcome to come out to mix with the riders in a festival-like atmosphere which will include vendors, area arts and crafts, and informational displays.
The route will continue north to Grants Pass and environs on Wednesday morning before returning to Medford.
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