Starting summer with a new platform for the Roundup!
Howdy Friends! Summer is fresh on tap, and Central Oregon is buzzing with cycling excitement! The trails are dry and the heat blistering. Make sure to be drinking loads of water and taking it easy in the corners. In this edition we’ve got updates from the shop, trail alliances, and upcoming events keep your wheels spinning.
Before we dive in, we want to quickly highlight our move to Substack: A dynamic new email platform designed to build community connections that weren’t previously accessible. By downloading the Substack app, you can engage directly with fellow subscribers, coordinate group rides, discuss trail conditions, and more. This transition also allows us to share smaller, more frequent updates throughout the month without relying so heavily on our tech wizard Dan Schmidt, who’s embarking on a year-long global exploration of emerging social technologies designed to foster connection in more natural ways (e.g. Substack!). We’re excited for this new chapter of the Roundup and look forward to strengthening our riding community!
In This Edition:
🛠️ Shop Updates(Summer Hours, Service Appointments & Inventory Deals)
🎟️ Mudslinger Events Sisters Stampede Survey (Help Make it Even Better)
🎉 Barnduster Gran Fundo Success(Thanks For Making it Out)
📺 Must Watch - ö Clever
🛠️ Shop Updates
Updated Summer Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday: 9 am - 5:30 pm
Sunday: 9 am - 4 pm
2025 Rentals Are Live: We are very excited to have our rentals for the 2025 season live on our website! You can view them at www.blazinsaddleshub.com/rentals. We have the following bikes available in our fleet this year:
Trail/Enduro MTB: Santa Cruz Hightower GX Transmission
Trail MTB: Salsa Spearfish Deore
Gravel Bike: BMC URS 01 FOUR
E Gravel Bike: BMC URS AMP LT TWO
Electric Hybrid: Giant Roam E
Also new this year is the ability to book your rentals in tandem with a shuttle from Stagecoach Adventures. Simply reserve your shuttle first, then add your rental bike.
Service Appointments: Highly recommended! Currently, we're about 7 days out on Level I & II Tunes. For minor repairs, give us a call at (541) 719-1213 to check availability and schedule an appointment.
Inventory Alert: Tariff talks are ongoing, but our amazing deals on bikes are still here! Great selection, so don't wait.
Group Rides: While no more SPRD group rides are planned for the rest of this summer, we want to thank all of you that made it out. It was fun to explore new ride formats and connect.
🏔️ McKenzie Pass Update
McKenzie Pass opened for all users on June 16! Remember to ride cautiously as a lot of the corners are scary with vehicles coming from either direction. We recommend going as early in the morning as you can.
⛏️ COTA News & Volunteer Opportunities
Old Cascade Crest Trail Builds: On June 14-15 a group of volunteers broke ground on restoring the trail on the Old Cascade Crest Loop.
Project Manager, Gabe, from Resilient Headwaters reflects on what was accomplished:
I can't thank you all enough for working so hard over the weekend on the OCC Lakes Loop new trail build. If it wasn't apparent, I'm blown away with how much we got done, that wasn't a long section of trail but it was very thick and had some massive logs. Huge thanks to Arthur from Sisters Trails Alliance for bringing a ton of tools and expertise as well. And to SATA and COTA for sharing the event and sending volunteers our way! We worked 238 hours that are worth $8,280 according to the government. Buuuuut it feels like it's worth so much more, doesn't it? We'll likely be moving into chainsaw restrictions soon, so for our next event on the 28-29th we're focused on getting as much corridor cleared as possible before the 1pm shutoff. Sign up here if you haven't gotten your fill. Great to meet, work, and ride with you all. The work we did (and will do!) out there is a gift to our community, we should be proud of these joyful experiences we're creating and the legacy we're preserving!
Join future working groups by signing up at the links below.
Important Legislative Alert: A proposed amendment threatens public lands and trails.
The proposal (you can see the full text of the bill here) would require the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management tosell off at least 3.3 million acres of land across 11 western states.Included in this are vast swaths of the land in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests.It is highly likely that land where our trails exist would be affected.
What is also extremely worrying is that the bill would bypass public input on what land would be sold, with no safeguards or consideration for existing trails. This could mean permanent, lasting consequences for our trail network.
This is a fast-moving issue, and details on the bill may change. However, what is true today is that the threat is real, and we encourage you to take action.
Here is what you can do:
Educate Yourself
There are many excellent resources available that explain the impact of this legislation:
Both Oregon senators (Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden) have said they are opposed to this. We would encourage you to contact them anyway and voice support for their opposition.
If you have friends, family, or residences in other states - especially those in the list of affected states or those with Senators who support this measure - ask them to contact their Senators. States affected: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah.
The Outdoor Alliance has a very good form you can use to contact your representatives. Please read their page, and follow the instructions. Note: it is really important to customize your message - share a personal story and explain why the trails matter to you.
Spread the Word
We will add content to our social media feeds - please help by spreading the word and sharing your own stories. It’s important to share what the trails mean to you and how others you know can get involved.
COTA Annual Member Meeting: There will be a virtual meeting on June 30 to discuss COTA’s health, financials, and answer your questions.
The OTT is hosting the Gravel Edition’s inaugural Grand Depart on June 28. It just so happens this coincides with their raffle where you can win a custom titanium frame, wheelset, and touring bags from Mostly Forever Bicycles and Eastern Wheelworks!
Riders will leave Lakeview, OR and travel just over 200 miles through the Fremont-Winema National Forest before arriving in Chemult. The next 165 miles will be spent in the Cascade Mountains among high elevation lakes and forests. From there, you’ll pedal the remaining 185 miles, passing the Breitenbush Hot Springs on your way to Hood River. All told, just over 550 miles, including more than 41K feet of climbing.
You can still rush to register for the race here (just note it is in two days):
Enter the raffle for the swanky new bike pictured above by clicking the button below. All funds raised support the primary mission-specific purposes of the Oregon Timber Trail Alliance:
Develop, promote, and maintain a singletrack bicycling route and associated network through the Cascade Mountain Range from the California border to the Columbia River;
Encourage sustainable cycling-related economic development in the rural communities along the Oregon Timber Trail;
Support the stewardship and education efforts of land management agencies and private landowners who manage/own lands through which the Oregon Timber Trail passes.
We want to give a huge thanks to Mike Ripley and his crew at Mudslinger for coordinating such an incredible Sisters Stampede last month! We were also so grateful to celebrate 15 years of the shop with so many cyclists over Memorial Weekend. It feels so good to share the same passion with so many amazing people and our beautiful community. A heartfelt thank you!
From the folks at Mudslinger regarding their photo and social media survey:
As we get ready for our next MTB event at Bend Dirt Fest on July 12th, 2025, we want your opinion as we prep for the 2026 Sisters Stampede. Dont forget to use the code StampedeDirt for 20% off Bend Dirt Fest on July 12th starting at 8am! 20 uses and 35 miles of MTB, 55 Gravel or a Half Marathon Trail Run. Sign up SOLO or use the team 2 or 3 person for bigger savings.
Your enthusiastic support of this event carries us into the heart of summer, and way too soon, fall will be here, and the cycle keeps going!
Take this 30-45 second survey for a chance to win one of two entries on 8/1 when registration opens
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's Barn Duster Gran Fondo! It was an incredible day featuring 40 miles of stunning gravel roads, great food, cold drinks, and live music.
📺 Must Watch - ö Clever
Delve into the towering redwoods, where something stirs just beyond the trail. Stories like this aren’t written, they’re stumbled into. Somewhere between fact and fiction, sweat and speculation. This is the first official release from ö Clever. A nod to the legends that build trails, the whispers that shape brands, and the creatures that probably don’t exist… but still show up.
That’s all for this month! Stay safe, stay hydrated, and we'll see you on the trails or in the shop soon.
If you would like to try engaging with the community on Substack, please try the comment button below. We’d appreciate any feedback or questions there.
