Oregon Countryside Sampler 1 – Shorter and Sweet

This Oregon Countrywide Sampler 1 ride is a shorter, wandering jaunt through the wine, ranch, and farm country of the Umpqua Valley than Sampler 2.  Roads can be rough in places with narrow shoulders.  Traffic is often light and the scenery is engaging.  Few amenities exist along much of the route.  So, make sure to provision up at some of the Oakland stores before you begin the ride.  Along the way, wineries may offer some resupply.

You will start and finish at Oakland City Park in Oakland, Oregon.  Oakland City Park has restrooms, a pavilion, and side-street parking.  Nearby, BIke-Friendly businesses offer wine-tasting at the Triple Oak Wine Vault, antiquing, and good food.  And be sure to warm-up or cool-down with a ride around Oakland’s streets…many homes and buildings date to the 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Along the way, you will ride by the historic and regionally famous Mildred Kanipe County Park, which is available for visiting or overnight camping.  People regularly exercise their horses there.  Rest there, take a look around, and water up before you leave.  Also, be sure to stop at the MarshAnne Landing Winery if they are open…some of the finest dry-vineyard wines in the Umpqua Valley here.

To reach this ride from the South, take Oregon I-5 Exit 138, heading East towards Oakland on Stearns Lane.  After about 1.5 miles, turn left onto Route 99 and Front Street, making the next right onto Maple Street.  Go two blocks and arrive at the City Park on your left.  From the North, take Oregon I-5 Exit 140 and follow the signs into Historic Oakland and turn left on Maple Street.