This past Saturday (April 14), I had the pleasure of attending the second annual Oregon Bike Summit in Sisters, Oregon. The summit was a confluence of bike enthusiasts, bike manufacturers and recreation & tourism folks such as the contingent of seven from Travel Oregon. The goal of the conference was to brainstorm and talk about ways to tell the world that Oregon is the land bicycles dream about. With hundreds of mountain trails, designated bike lanes, widened shoulders, at least seven bike events per day and some of the most bike-friendly communities in the country (Portland, Eugene, Corvallis), it’s easy to see why Oregon is haven for incredible bicycling adventures.

For a first-hand view of why Oregon is a bike-nut’s dream, check out this video of the “Tour de Flanders Portland” – a 43-mile, 6030-foot climb homage to the ride of the same name in Belgium. The ride took place on April 7 and took more than 100 riders on a grueling but invigorating ride through the tree-lined West Hills of Portland (see ride map).