So, what happens on a 374 mile bicycle ride?
Amgen People's Coast Classic Riders
Well, when it’s The Amgen People’s Coast Classic, it turns out quite a lot happens. As our readers know, DuVine Adventures provides event support and marketing support for this great charity bike ride, that benefits the Arthritis Foundation, which means we are involved for many months in the lead up to the 6 day event but the real fun for us and the riders are those 6 days riding along the Oregon Coast.
Rogue Ales Party Spot
Things kicked off on Saturday the 10th of October as riders made their way into the Portland area where there was a motorcoach ready to take them over to the start of the event in Astoria, OR. Upon arrival we got all the riders checked in and then we had a huge welcome party that was sponsored by Rogue Ales one of the events top sponsors and then we all settled in for the night.
The big day arrived early on Sunday morning as Gina (Gina’s Creations) and her catering crew got breakfast going around 6:30am and the support team from DuVine, the Arthritis Foundation staff, individual volunteers and Bike Newport, who made sure everyone kept rolling all week long, met to go over the last of the tasks before the riders started arriving.
At 9:00am it all began with an exhilarating mass start, the blue, orange and black striped riders rolled out from the Columbia River Maritime Museum and we headed down the Oregon Coast!
While the Amgen People’s Coast Classic is a bicycle ride it also focuses on the attractions along the Oregon Coast and promoting the message of the Arthritis Foundation along the way. Some of the key attractions of this years events were:
The Tillamook Cheese factory visits made by the riders and we all know that hungry cyclists love cheese.
Sharks!
The Oregon Coast Aquarium for dinner and an overnight campout in the aquarium itself. There are now a whole lot of people who can truly say “I’ve slept with the sharks and survived!”
The Three Capes Scenic Route to Newport, with beautiful stops along the way at Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. The Three Capes provide some really incredible views of the Oregon Coast and quite often you can catch a glimpse of the whales playing just off the coastline.
The Rogue Brewery tour where we got a chance to see where all that fine beer was being made.
Mayor of Newport Declaring it People's Coast Classic Week!
The beach party at Don Davis State Park, catered by Rogue Ales where the mayor of Newport deemed the week People’s Coast Classic Week with a special proclamation – asking all residents of Newport, OR to bike to work, lead a healthy life and fight arthritis – very cool.
and we can’t forget the Sea Lion Caves , and the West Coast Game Park Safari all very unique local attractions.
Bill and the parrot
Now we all know that cyclists are a special breed and of course with that comes their own special sense of humor and the riders on TAPCC were no exception. Things started off with some funny business with Bill, one of the more colorful riders on the tour, and a red bird, I suspect the picture says it all! It continued with one of the riders bikes found mysteriously hanging within the jungle gym at the park.
Bike on the shower truck?
However the most unusual trickster was Lucy (the dog) who got in on the act and somehow managed to get a bike up on top of the shower truck! Riders beware it seems as if going to take a shower might leave you open to some strange events.
One of the other great things about the event was the fact that in it’s second year, the local towns are starting to get into the fact that the event rides through and of course stops into the local businesses, so we got some nice welcomes at many of the places that we rode through.
All along the route, we also worked to spread the message of the Arthritis Foundation through seminars given by arthritis specialists but one of the most compelling messages was given by honoree and team rider Al Knopik, who spoke about his granddaughter, Brooklyn, who lost an eye at age 6 to Juvenile Arthritis. Not a dry eye in the house. It just continued to reinforce the importance of the ride and the deep connection that the riders have to combating and curing this disease.
Finish Photo of The Amgen People's Coast classic
The event finished off in Brookings, OR, much like it started, with a big group photo and lots of smiles from everyone involved. It was tough to say goodbye to friends both old and new but in the end we packed ourselves up and headed home with great memories of the 2011 Amgen People’s Coast Classic and the thought of next year’s event, which will be here before we know it!
Related articles
- Tour Post – Day Six – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Tour Post – Day One – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Tour Post – Day Four – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Tour Post – Day Three – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Tour Post – Day Five – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Tour Post – Day Zero – The Amgen People’s Coast Classic (thepeoplescoastclassic.blogspot.com)
- Final Preparations for the Amgen People’s Coast Classic (duvine.com)
