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Join The Velo
Membership benefits
- Social Rides & Events
- Local Bike Shop Discount
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Featured Rides
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Applegate Lake
The ride to Applegate Lake and back is possible at just about any time of the year, it just so happens that it's about the best moderate length ride to open the season in the spring. It...
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Conde Creek Loop
The Conde Creek Loop is one of the harder rides the Club will run each year. It is very similar to the Cedar Flats/Deer Creek Loop in that it is generally a rolling/flat ride with one v...
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Mt. Ashland
There aren't many places around with views like you get on the Mt. Ashland Road. Once you clear the initial mile you are thousands of feet above the landscape below and the horizon open...
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Anderson Gap
The road to Anderson Gap is one of only a few paved one lane roads that climb into the mountains above the Bear Creek Valley. It does this in spectacular fashion. I enjoy hard climbs. A...
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Galice to Wolf Creek Loop
Ride goes from Galice Resort to Wolf Creek. This is a scenic route along the Rogue River and Graves Creek for much of the route. There are many miles on Graves Creek Road that is a si...
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Salmon River Loop
If any ride speaks to the rugged beauty of the State of Jefferson, the very challenging Salmon River Loop does it in spades. This 100 mile loop is in the middle of one of the least deve...
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Cedar Flats/Deer Creek
Experienced cyclists who've exhausted all of the possible rides and loops in the Medford/Ashland area may not be aware of this very challening loop south of Grants Pass. Like the Conde...
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Triple Peak Challenge
Looking for something a bit out of the ordinary? Try riding to the top of Dead Indian, Mount Ashland and the Greensprings in one day. The total elevation gain for the 92-mile thigh-burn...
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Butte Falls Prospect
The Butte Falls/Prospect Loop is an amazing ride into the cascades. It has some good climbing - nothing that will break the legs - and superb scenery. Traditionally the club rides will...
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Cantrall Park Loop
The route up to the top of Cantrall Road is strenuous but worth the effort. You climb through thick fir forests mixed with madrone trees. The average gradient of the climb is 8.9% wi...
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Greensprings Keno Access Loop
This loop will take you through some very scenic areas around two lakes in the cascade range before you get onto the Keno Access Road. The Keno Access Road does a gentle climb up to a...
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Woodrat Loop
The Woodrat ride is a great intermediate length loop that quickly takes you out of the populated Rogue Valley into a forrested rural area. The ride is roughly 46 miles with 3000 feet of...
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Ashland Watershed Loop
Nothing about this ride is ordinary; the road is single-lane decomposed granite, the route is remote (like cycling in the wilderness), and the surrounding landscape is breath-taking. Yo...
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The Lakes Loop
The Lakes Loop is a great training ride in the weeks before the Mountain Lakes Challenge (MLC). It incorporates all of the really hard parts of the MLC and still gets in roughly 50 mile...
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Crater Lake Loop
This is probably the classic ride in Southern Oregon. It brings everything a rider could want to the table. It's a short 33 mile loop around the lake with several options for starting l...
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Applegate Dam via Sterling Creek
This route leaves from Jacksonville and starts to climb immediately on Cady Road. Once at the top of Cady you make a left onto Sterling Creek Road. The climb from Jacksonville to the...
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All Ages and Abilities
Bicycling on Southern Oregon Streets Should Not Require Bravery
Making Bicycling Safe for Everyone
Please volunteer to help. Contact president@siskiyouvelo.org to find out what you can do.
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Group Ride Suspensions Continue. Additional Routes Added to Featured Club Rides.
The Siskiyou Velo board met via Zoom on Monday, July 27 for its regular monthly meeting. The key topic discussed was the status of the club-sponsored group rides, which are currently suspended due to Covid-19. Dennis Cramer, the chairman of club rides, polled a number of our regular ride leaders for their perspectives on leading club rides at this time. Some leaders were willing to lead group rides under the conditions the club had established before suspending rides earlier this year—that is, riders carry masks and hand sanitizer and practice social distancing. Other ride leaders would require additional measures including that all riders wear masks during rides and limit their group sizes to between 5 and 10 riders. Given the complexity of managing rides with different requirements and the fact that coronavirus cases are continuing to increase in our area, the board decided to maintain the suspension on club-sponsored group rides at this time.
Many members enjoy group rides in part because they can discover new routes this way. To help members in this regard, especially new members, the club has posted additional featured rides on our website—there are now over 50 routes available that include moderate and advanced rides. To access these, simply click on Rides/Events > Featured Rides. Check them out!
Posted by Harlan Bittner 1 week ago | 0 comments | View/Post New Comment
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Siskiyou Velo Maintains Suspension of Group Ride
The Siskiyou Velo Board met on June 22 via Zoom and discussed the status of club-sponsored group rides. The decision was made to maintain the suspension of club-sponsored group rides for now. Key factors leading to this decision are:
- Recent trends indicate the number of COVID-19 cases are increasing in our state and across the country
- Some ride leaders are reluctant to lead rides at this time
- Though some guidelines for staying safe during the pandemic can be followed, maintaining separation can be tricky on a bike and some people are unable/unwilling to wear masks during riding. Also, distance needed for adequate separation while riding is uncertain, but some studies indicate distances significantly greater than 6 feet would be required
- Though some club members are currently riding in non-club-sponsored group rides, those groups are generally comprised of small numbers of people who know each other well. Club-sponsored group rides often draw large crowds; it would be difficult for the club to limit attendance in a fair manner
Members are encouraged to keep riding, either on their own or with family members. Members can certainly choose to ride with one or more friends and of course should follow CDC and state guidelines as much as possible. The club has a number of suggested rides in our area on its website for your use. Recently, additional moderate rides have been added and more will be available soon. Keep in mind, though, that as long as club rides are suspended, members are not allowed to post their own rides on club resources. Other non-club resources, such as Strava, are available to post and find rides with others.
The club’s board will discuss this topic at its next regular meeting—board meetings are normally held on the fourth Monday of the month.
Keep riding and stay safe!
Posted by Harlan Bittner 1 month ago | 0 comments | View/Post New Comment
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Article on masks and social distancing while biking
Interesting article and advice from the NYTimes for mask-wearing while running and cycling (no subscription required).The article references a Belgian study that recommends 10m (32ft) for slow biking and 30m (65ft) for fast biking: https://medium.com/@jurgenthoelen/belgian-dutch- study-why-in-times-of-covid- 19-you-can-not-walk-run-bike- close-to-each-other- a5df19c77d08 Note that this study has not yet been peer-reviewed, so there is some controversy about the conclusions. There’s a discussion here:Posted by Jeff Roberts 1 month ago | 0 comments | View/Post New Comment
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Medford Porch to Park Bike Challenge
Here’s a program put on by the City of Medford to get people out on bikes and visit local parks. Note that these routes are not Sisikyou Velo Rides.
These routes may be useful for new members, while Siskiyou Velo has temporarily suspended group rides. Note that there are a variety of lengths and difficulties, and riders should maintain social distancing guidelines.
PORCH TO PARK BIKE CHALLENGE
June 1 – June 30, 2020
Visit www.playmedford.com for route packet and map – or just click here.
Participants may drive to the starting park, or just hop on a bike from your front porch and ride to the nearest park on a challenge route. For ease of riding it is recommended to follow the route directions in order, even if you start in the middle. Follow all traffic laws and maintain social distancing guidelines.
When you have completed a route, submit the Seamless form found at www.playmedford.com. Participants are encouraged to send us photos or post them to #medfordporchtoparks to enter the photo contest.
For each route a participant completes, they will receive a medal and be entered into a drawing for the Grand Prize. The photo contest winner will be featured in the next Recreation Program Guide.
Completed route form: https://seam.ly/TBhrLzOQ
This is a FREE event to participate in!
Thanks to Sandy Sherman, Recreation Supervisor, and Chris Olivier, BPAC.
Posted by Jeff Roberts 2 months ago | 0 comments | View/Post New Comment
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SiskiyouVelo to Continue Suspension of Club Rides for Now
Governor Brown approved Southern Oregon counties to begin Phase I lifting of coronavirus restrictions on May 15. Many club members are undoubtedly wondering when Siskiyou Velo will remove its temporary suspension of group rides. The Siskiyou Velo board held its monthly meeting on May 20, focusing primarily on this topic. The short answer is that by unanimous decision the board will keep the suspension in place for now.
Several key factors went into this decision. First, the risk of contracting or transmitting coronavirus during group bicycle riding is uncertain. Second, several of our ride leaders perceive the risk to be sufficiently high that they are reluctant to lead group rides at this time. And finally, though bicycling is an excellent activity to provide both exercise and relaxation, it can be accomplished outside of group rides. In other words, as one ride leader stated, the recreational benefit of group rides is not worth the perceived risk.
A quick survey of regional road bike clubs indicates that their group ride suspensions remain in place—including Eugene Velo, Eugene Gears, Umpqua Velo and Central Oregon Wheels.
We encourage you to continue riding on your own. The club’s website has posted a number of recommended rides for your use. Because most of the posted rides are suitable for more advanced riders, the club will augment these with posts of more moderate rides.
The board will review this decision at each of its monthly meetings (held virtually for now). Group riding is the heart of the club’s activities and we are all anxious to get back to a more normal life. In the meantime, stay healthy and safe!
Posted by Harlan Bittner 2 months ago | 0 comments | View/Post New Comment