Cycle touring! That’s what my newfangled husband and I are doing for our two-week honeymoon.  The wedding was a super dooper amazing bestest day. We are riding down the coast from Astoria then cutting over to the Cascades and my father, who owns Chainwheel in Little Rock, Arkansas, gave us special honeymoon jerseys.  My dad… Read more »

 A swell of local cycling guides emerge on Oregon’s horizon.  It’s super exciting and indicative that Oregon is killing it. Cycling Sojourner, as the voice of touring, was featured in a recent bikeportland article on this subject. As far as Portland cycling information goes, the very best source for that will be online at www.pdxbybike.com. It’s an innovative start-up… Read more »

A household discussion led to the conclusion that we will not be getting a baby Alpaca.  After passing numerous Alpaca farms on my tour with Laura in the Willamette Valley wine country, my affinity for this Dr. Seussesque animal with its fuzzy, dinosaur-like neck and giant chocolate eyes went throught the roof. Did you know… Read more »

I didn’t really have any expectations for the Willamette Valley wine country.  I’ve been to Napa Valley, all over Italy, and even to Arkansas wine country (that’s a whole other story, but I need a banjo to tell it). The wineries and infrastructure here totally impressed me.  I was quite surprised.  For as long as… Read more »

A Note From Ellee: This is a guest post written by Tori Bortman of Gracie’s Wrench, one of my touring companions on this journey.   We’d arrived in John Day to our first quality meal (and quality beers) of the trip. The next morning was another ridiculously perfect day to hit the road– 66 degrees… Read more »

  Starting out the day badass When skiers have optimal conditions, usually it’s a powder day. You get freshies (or fresh tracks) down the mountain.  Those days are the best of the best. Today was the powder day of the cyclist.  70’s with a tailwind.  Great friends.  Outrageous scenery. Full of health.  Just one flat…. Read more »

  Stephanie Edman, bike fitter and ambassador of Sweet Pea Bicycles, and Tori Bortman of Gracie’s Wrench have colluded with me to make this Wheeler/Grant County tour happen. Before we started off from Mitchell, we ran into the Scenic Bikeway Committee who was checking out a proposed bikeway. Awesome to see the familiar faces of… Read more »

Kind of like thinking Sarah Palin is sexy, loving Rocky Point Road makes you feel dirty and wrong.   The forest to the east of the road recently received a harsh buzz cut from a logging company.  The stringy remains and hacked stumps makes one’s soul feel a bit pilfered (kind of like listening to Palin speak). But the views are spectacular.      Saltzman, another road from Skyline to 30, is… Read more »

The Triumph On the second day of research for a short Portland-based tour, I hit the Banks Vernonia Trail in Banks and had asked my friend Susan, who had been challenged to learn to ride a road bike, to come along.  This trail seemed like the perfect spot for her to succeed in the saddle.  So -after an itsy bit of prodding- she… Read more »

Sojo, my most beloved, colorful bike of the Sofa King line, will be retired this year after tens of thousands of miles logged onto her aluminum frame, many of them loaded.  A decade ago, in the twilight of my ever-questioning, bumbling college years, Annie Dillard’s essay Sojourner was a muse to me and the only proper name dedication for my new touring… Read more »