 | The Salem Bicycle Club's 49th Annual Monster Cookie Metric Century is Only Weeks Away!
The 49th running of the Salem Bicycle Club's Annual Monster Cookie Metric Century is Sunday, April 27th, 2025. The course will be the same as last year with four Cascade Mountain views, a covered bridge, pie from the Willamette Valley Pie Company, and the optional ride up to the iconic Mount Angel Abbey.
Best of all, the classic, oversized, monster cookies will be waiting for you at the finish line!
We are also excited to announce that Scotts Cycle has agreed to host the first ever Monster Cookie Day before check-in on the 26th for those who look forward to skipping the line on event day. Visit Scott's Cycle 147 Commercial St SE between 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM to get a head start on your ride. (and a head start to the cookie!)
Lunches are ONLINE PRE-ORDERS ONLY with several sandwich options available.
Kick off your 2025 biking season with the Monster Cookie Metric Century ride with a great time for a great cause. Money raised at the event will support safe, inclusive, cycling in and around the Willamette Valley.
|  | A Groundhog Finds his Bicycle
The Monster Cookie may represent the beginning of the spring cycling season in the Willamette Valley, but there are plenty more cycling opportunities to look forward to.
Sunday, April 27, 2025: Salem Bicycle Club Monster Cookie
We need volunteers. Do you like food? Do you like bicycles? We need to find someone to take charge of the food for next year's Monster Cookie metric century ride. See Debbie Miller 503-931-8414 (c), or Ken Freeman 760-560-6832 (c)
or President Tim Newman, 818-584-4045 (c), president.sbc.salem@gmail.com, for details
May 17, 2025: Support Salem's Cycling Team
Capitol Velo will host the 2025 OBRA Cross Country Mountain Bike State Championship on May 17 at Silver Falls.. Sponsored by Scott's Cycle, Capitol Velo does it all with Mountain Biking, Gravel, Cyclocross, Road biking, and triathlon competitions. For more information, or to volunteer to help go to https://www.capitolvelo.com/silver-falls-xc-aom/silver-falls-xc-a
July 20, 2025: Volunteer for the Iron Man 70.3.
The Salem Bicycle Club for will be supporting Bike Aid station #2 for this year's Iron Man Competition. Free tee shirts and a lot of fun, sign up here to help support the participants on July 20, 2025
August 12, 13 and 14: Ride the San Juan Islands
Ride San Juan, Lopez and Orcas Islands, ride the ferry, camp or stay in hotels, the famous Club Tour of the San Juan Islands is back. Spokes will have more information in the coming months, but spots, campsites and hotels are filling up fast so see Salem Bicycle Club Vice President vp.sbc.salem@gmail.com soon for more information.
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Ladies, Lets Ride Slovenia!
Ladies, The Ride of a Lifetime—Two Spots Just Opened!
 Dreaming of cycling through the breathtaking Julian Alps, winding along the emerald-green Soča River, and coasting into charming villages in Austria and Italy?
This is your chance!
Our Ladies Let’s Ride Slovenia, Austria & Italy Adventure (Sept 19–29) has TWO open spots! This trip was waitlisted for months, and now you have a rare opportunity to join us on this epic journey. Expect jaw-dropping scenery, incredible cycling routes, delicious local food, and the best company you could ask for!
Don't miss out—these spots won’t last! Call or text me for details, 503-312-5728. Let’s ride!  
(Editor's note: Julie Glass sent me a fantastic brochure with an itinerary and lots of fabulous photos, but I could not add it to Spokes. Email Colin Benson and I will send you a copy!
| Great New (and not so new) Event Rides for Club Credit
All of these rides are approved for Salem Bicycle Club member credit for 2025 and we are so excited to take part in them. Contact the ride leaders on the SBC event page to sign up for SBC ride mileage credit.
Reach the Beach Oregon May 17
Lebanon Strawberry century June 14
OR bike-Petal Pedal June 21
Ride Around Clark County July 26
Covered Bridges Ride August 10
Blackberry Bramble August 31
| Collaborate with the Vancouver Bike Club
From the President, Tim Newman
Part of our mission this year is to collaborate with other clubs supporting them as they are supporting us.
The Vancouver Bike Club and Salem Bike Club are in a wonderful partnership and as we are supporting them, offering their members a small discount, they are doing the same for any club member that wants to do their event.
Salem Bicycle Club Members get $5 off your registration fee with a coupon code. Email President Tim Newman to receive coupon code.
From Judy Boyle who is helping coordinate:
Registration is now open, and last day to order Limited Addition RACC Jersey is May 12, 2025
This is a club approved ride and Terry Robbins will be the ride leader on this event
Let's do what we can to help support all the clubs who are helping to support our club
Tim Newman
Club President
president.sbc.salem@gmail.com
| Off the Back
“We All Get Flats”
It is interesting that this comes up more often than I care about.
I used a chunk of my volunteer certificate dollars just to get spares. Roadway seems to be getting more debris on it and not getting cleaned much. What I really like about our club is the camaraderie and the helping nature that when a rider (member or non-member) has a biking issue while riding, our people are right there to offer help, a spare, a ride or just someone to talk to while dealing with the problem. I have heard people apologize for causing a problem or feeling inadequate as members.
That is just not true.
I am so proud to say “I am a member of the Salem Bike Club” because we all go out of our way to make all riders (and even future riders) feel welcome. We do not discriminate against or care about anyone’s beliefs, political positions, or anything else for that matter. We are just people that love to bike, volunteer, advocate for biking rights, and help teach the youth (the future bike club members) how to responsibly conduct themselves while on a bike.
We are just a club staying physically, mentally and financially strong,
hoping that year after year we can pass it along in good shape for the next group and hope they can continue to make a positive impact along the way.
Please come ride with us, we want you there.
Tim Newman
Club President
|  | Destination Cycling Guide
Pedaling to the Pacific
Follow the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail on this backcountry adventure as it stretches west from Corvallis, crosses a mountain range, and ends at the beach.
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'Cycling Across Oregon' at Salem Library
Author Dan Shryock presents his book, "Cycling Across Oregon," at Salem's Main Library at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 19. Join us for this exploration of rural Oregon while following the state's scenic bikeways.
|  |  | Five Questions
Spokes asks a club member five cycling questions each month. This month's featured bike rider is Salem Bicycle Club Member Mary Schmidgall. Here is what she has to say:
1. What is your favorite club ride?
Just one favorite local ride? There are many, but one that stands out is the Mount Pleasant Loop (not sure of its "official" name) east from Aumsville, over to Lyons on Kingston-Lyons Road and then back via Fern Ridge Road. I admit to sometimes starting the ride in Aumsville or even Stayton as the years went by. The scenery in that area is beautiful, and the elevation gain is just enough of a challenge.
2. What is your favorite out-of-town ride?
There are so many enjoyable, scenic places to ride beyond the Willamette Valley that it's hard to pick just one. When the highway is still closed to car traffic in spring (but open to bikes for a couple of weeks), the ride up McKenzie Pass from Sisters is exceptional - wonderful scenery, enough elevation gain to provide a challenge, and a perfect downhill glide. My favorite multi-day tour was a 600-mile loop around Lake Powell through the fabulous red rock country of Utah and Arizona, on mostly quiet roads with stunning scenery.
3. Do you prefer to go uphill or downhill?
Riding downhill is exhilarating, but getting myself to the top of a hill or pass makes the downhill run more rewarding.
4. What is the best part of being a club member?
During the 30+ years I've belonged to the SBC, I've met many interesting, inspiring, and amazing fellow members. I've enjoyed spending time with them and working with them on various club activities, some of them for decades. And I enjoy being part of a team effort of working together for the support and betterment of the club.
5. Why do you ride your bike?
Cycling has given me so much joy and pleasure (and good exercise) over the years; I see volunteering as a way to repay those who made that possible for me, and to provide some of that same support to others. It helps keep the club strong for current members and to introduce younger and/or new riders to those same great experiences. Plus, I'm able to continue the long-term friendships and develop new ones; the people-connections are priceless.
|  | MARCH CLUB RIDES SCHEDULE
Ring in the New Year and Find your next ride on the club website.
Click Here
| UPCOMING MEETINGS
The Salem Bicycle Club board meetings continue on Zoom. please check the website for updates.
MONTH DAY TIME p.m.
Online
| The Salem Bicycle Club is an affiliate of the
League of American Bicyclists
1612 K Street NW, Suite 308
Washington, DC 20006
202-822-1333
We encourage our members to join the LAB | Spokes
Spokes is published and distributed via email each month by the Salem Bicycle Club in Salem, Oregon. The opinions expressed in Spokes are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Salem Bicycle Club.
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