South County Creekside Ramble

Start your South County Creekside Ramble at Riddle, Oregon’s City Hall (also library and park) on East 1st Ave. in this bustling timber town.

Traveling there from Oregon I-5 Exit 103, you will have passed some of the Umpqua Valley’s most respected family-owned timber businesses:  C and D Lumber, Herbert Lumber, and D R Johnson Lumber.  And as you leave Riddle on this ride, you’ll also pass another well-respect family business, Roseburg Lumber, too.  It’s important for your safety to recognize that these mills create lots of truck and heavy-equipment traffic in their immediate areas, at least for part of the day.  So, we suggest that you do not try to ride near or visit these mills, other than in passing, because of the traffic.

Riddle offers food and refreshments at several quick-stop businesses and restaurants.

Because this is an out-and-back ride, you can shorten or lengthen it to your preference.  Throughout much of the Ramble, you will be in sight of the sometimes tranquil, sometimes rushing Cow Creek and Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORP) line.  For the first few miles, you will ride among the many farms and ranches in the area.  Then, you’ll venture into working landscapes with extensive wildfire and logging effects.  You will roll through amazing landscapes in different stages of wildfire recovery and timber harvest and reforestation.  Bureau of Land Management rest stops and interpretive exhibits, though dated, will make your trip even more interesting.

Traffic is often light but watch out for logging trucks, which come and go to the mills during the day.  Roads will be narrow with little or no shoulder after leaving the Riddle area.  So, your cyclists should be used to maintaining good order, riding in a line.

If you decide to ramble on to the end, the route will take you from Riddle to Glendale, Oregon, an even smaller timber town…well worth visiting (also the end of the annual, legendary Tour de Fronds bicycle ride from Powers).

As you ride out of Riddle, Cow Creek Road turns into Rueben Road.  You follow Rueben Road, then take a right onto Brown Road, which crosses Cow Creek.  The ride gradually climbs all the way out with a stiffer climb towards the southern-most part of the ride, just after you turn towards Glendale.  Once you arrive in Glendale, take a right on Gilbert Ave into Downtown Glendale where you will find food, refreshments, and a small city park.  Then, if Glendale isn’t your destination, ramble your way back to Riddle, mostly downhill on the way back!