Travel Oregon wants to fund (and film) your bike trips around the state

Riding the new Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway.
(Photo by Kristin Dahl/Travel Oregon)

Now that's a headline we don't get to write every day.

Russ Roca of the bike-adventure media organization Path Less Pedaled, which works with tourism agency Travel Oregon to show off the state's scenic bikeways, just shared this terrific opportunity for people interested in bike travel over the next three months.

If you've got a bike, gear and a yen to see our state at human speed, Travel Oregon and Path Less Pedaled invite you to apply invite you to apply to be featured in a one- to two-minute video like the one below. The production will cover the subjects' meals and lodging, plus possible transportation.

Roca and his partner and collaborator, Laura Crawford, are looking for riders of various ages, sizes, shapes, colors and backgrounds, and encouraging all riders to apply.

"This is marketing, but it is also an advocacy tool, because we're attracting new people to bike travel," Roca says. "We have an opportunity to not only help build tourism in rural communities, but to inspire people from diverse backgrounds to ride a bike on their next vacation and travel to Oregon."

Here's Roca's rundown of their summer and fall agenda:

• August 17-18: Tualatin Valley. Looking for: 4-6 cyclists, age: 20s. One full day of filming plus one camping overnight. 50 miles.
• September 3-5: Grande Tour. Looking for: 4 cyclists, age: 50s/60s. Two full days of filming plus two overnights (one camping, one hotel). 30 miles per day. Some van support and shuttle will be provided back to start. Must have own transportation to start in La Grande.
• September 14-15: Sisters to Smith Rock. Looking for: 4 women, age: 20s/30s. Camping in Sisters the night before, one full day of filming, camping at Smith Rock at the end. Shuttle will be provided back to start. 40 miles.
• October 12-13: Twin Bridges. Looking for: a couple, 50s. One full day of filming (riding plus activities in Bend), plus one overnight in Bend. Road bikes, 40 miles.

Roca said it's a perfect getaway for city-centric bike lovers.

"You can only ride the West Hills or up Larch Mountain so many times," he wrote. "The scenic bikeways provide great cycling vacation opportunities in some of the most beautiful parts of Oregon, and they create bike-friendly places outside of the metro area."

Interested? Contact Roca and Crawford at pathlesspedaled@gmail.com, including a photo of yourself.

bikeportland.org