Gravel Ride: McKenzie Bridge, 48 miles with 2,800 gain

Here’s a ride you won’t want to miss, an adventure in the making: Blue River, just like the Elvis Presley Song. But this is no place to go to “cry yourself a river,” the riding is fantastic. The numbers are looking mighty sweet: 48 miles of mainly unpaved roads with 2,800 feet of gain but 4,600 feet of loss. With a little luck we will run into the bear grass super bloom. So cross your fingers!

This is a NEW route from Dirty Freehub, so join us to be the first group! (Yes, we have ridden all of these roads.)

Here are all the route details: https://dirtyfreehub.org/routes/oregon/blue-river/

How do we make this work so you only climb 2,800 feet but drop 4,600? We are using a shuttle service from Horse Creek Lodge which is located in McKenzie Bridge (about a 90 minute drive from Bend.) The shuttle costs $35, but we are charging you $40 just to kick in a small donation to Dirty Freehub to cover the Meetup charges. Note: We only have 12 slots in the shuttle so you will want to book soon!

What comes with your shuttle? Free showers and free bikewash at the end, along with drinks in the van and $2 donation kicked back to their local trails organization.

Our ride is not meant to be a race but a social outing. After all, it’s nice to chat and get to know other people. The goal is to have fun, meet other people, and sneak in a ride. We will regroup at major intersections.

You MUST have the route downloaded and are able to use your device or phone. I normally ride about 10 mph but with all that downhill it’s anybody’s guess. The shuttle promptly leaves at 9 am so you need to plan accordingly.

If the weather takes a dive, you can assume we are canceling.

Sorry to say, but this is NOT a no drop ride. (Gosh, there are a lot of NOs in that last sentence.) but we WILL regroup a few times. This ride is also unsupported.

Text or call Linda at 541 550 8930 with any questions.

To participate:

1. You must be registered for the event and as such agree to the Meetup and BACE rules. These include one’s concurrence that cycling can be dangerous and cause serious bodily injury or even death. The organizers of this group and its members will not be held responsible for the actions of any participant at any event.
2. Please do not bring pets.
3. You must wear a helmet.
4. You must be an adult.
5. You must be self-sufficient.