Overview: Experience cycling through Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley with its picturesque landscape of rolling hills, historic towns, charming country roads, and the sparkling Rogue River all set against the dramatic backdrop of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains. Stay in the historic towns of Ashland, home to the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival with lively cafés, and Jacksonville, a beautifully preserved Gold Rush-era town which charms visitors with its brick sidewalks, historic buildings and welcoming wine-tasting rooms. Our rides will wind through fertile valleys and patchworks of orchards, farms, and vineyards, with gentle rollers, quiet backroads, and occasional climbs rewarded by sweeping views. Participants will have the opportunity to take in a play (Ashland), enjoy live music at the acclaimed Britt Music Festival (Jacksonville), explore local shops, and/or sip exceptional wines. Local hiking trails can also be explored and river rafting enjoyed. Rides with remote starts, such as rides along the Rogue River, in Sam’s Valley and more are also a possibility if transportation can be arranged amongst participants.

This 9-night tour will be a semi-roaming, closed-loop tour with 6 nights in Ashland (1 at the beginning and 5 at the end) and 3 nights in Jacksonville. 

Ride Rating: This tour is rated as 2B! The average ride will be 35 - 45 miles each day with a few sustained climbs. Some rides have some segments with grades of 8 to 10%. The tour has 2 required riding days and two options will be provided for each, with a minimum ride distance of about 20 miles and ~1,000 feet of climb.  Most days have options to add or subtract mileage and/or elevation gains. More challenging ride options are also available. The routes are all paved, although there may be some short gravel sections to get on and off bike trails. The Bear Creek Greenway is a 22-mile multi-use path, which is a great connector for many rides. There are other shorter bike paths, like the 6–mile Rogue River Greenway and the 3-mile Larson Creek multi-use paths, as well as extensive bike lanes through towns. Outside of the towns, you will be on country roads, although there are some short portions of busy roads that will need to be utilized. Drivers in Southern Oregon are, for the most part, courteous to cyclists. 

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: GPS files for all routes, including alternate and remote rides, will be created using Ride with GPS (RwGPS).  A link will be provided well before the tour to all the GPS files in an "Event" and you will be able to download all the files to your navigation device (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo) or on the RwGPS app to your smartphone. You will also be able to print maps and cue sheets if wanted.  Note: It is up to the rider to know how to use his or her  navigation device and/or RwGPS on your smartphone before the trip begins (note that to get turn-by-turn navigation in RwGPS, you need at least a Basic Subscription - see the BAC discount information on the home page).

Weather: Southern Oregon in late June is generally sunny, dry, and warm to hot during the day, with cooler evenings and nights. Daytime highs range from 80–87°F with night-time lows between 50–55°F. Precipitation is usually not a major concern as it gets progressively drier toward the end of June. 

Daily Itinerary:

Day 1 - Thursday June 22: Check into the Ashland Springs Hotel and meet for Happy Hour, followed by a group dinner.

Day 2 - Friday June 23: Required ride from Ashland to Jacksonville (20-40 mile options), check in and Happy Hour at the Magnolia Hotel.

Day 3 - Saturday June 24: Multiple ride options. Happy Hour at the Magnolia Hotel.

Day 4 - Sunday June 25: Multiple ride options. Appetizers, wine tasting, and group dinner at Dancin’ Vineyards.

Day 5 - Monday June 26: Required ride from Jacksonville to Ashland (20-40 mile options), check in and Happy Hour.

Day 6 - Tuesday June 27:  Multiple ride options. Happy Hour.

Day 7 - Wednesday June 28: Multiple ride options. Oregon Shakespeare Festival  Backstage Tour.  Happy Hour TBD

Day 8 - Thursday June 29: Multiple ride options. Happy Hour and tasting at Resistance Winery.

Day 9 - Friday June 30: Multiple ride options. Group dinner at Larks/Ashland Springs Hotel.

Day 10 - Saturday July 1: Tour ends after breakfast.

Lodging & Meals: Lodging, Meals, & Happy/Social Hour: 

We will be staying at two hotels focused on high quality and service, the Ashland Springs Hotel  (Ashland Springs Hotel - Historical Hotel in Downtown Ashland Oregon) and the Magnolia Hotel (Magnolia Hotel | Boutique accommodations in Jacksonville, Oregon). Each offers above average rooms in central locations.  The Ashland Springs Hotel is surrounded by cafes, shops, and parks and is just steps away from the three Oregon Shakespeare Festival theaters.   The Magnolia Hotel is the premiere boutique hotel in Jacksonville and also is close to restaurants and shops.  We will have happy hours there along with a complimentary breakfast.  Breakfast is included at each  hotel along with complimentary parking. On this tour we will provide 3 group dinners, 9 breakfasts and 9 happy hours.  A few of the happy hours will be combined with the group dinners.  We will also have a basic offering of sandwich supplies (PB&J) and portable snacks before each happy hour to pack for the next day’s ride.  Happy Hours in Ashland will be offered in a variety of locations offering local food and beverages including beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks.  Happy Hours in Jacksonville will be hosted at the hotel.

Logistics:  We will meet in Ashland at the Ashland Springs Hotel on Thursday, June 22, 2028.  Our first happy hour will be held at 5:00 pm at a location TBD with a group dinner at 6:30 pm that evening.  The next day is a required ride day to Jacksonville where we will check in at the Magnolia Hotel.  We will have a happy hour at the hotel with dinner on your own.  We will spend three nights in Jacksonville with a group dinner and happy hour at Dancin Vineyards on Sunday, June 25th.  On Monday, there is a required ride back to Ashland with check-in again at the Ashland Springs Hotel for the remainder of the tour.  We will offer a Backstage Tour at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival on Wednesday, June 28th and a happy hour and wine tasting at Resistance Winery on Thursday.  On Friday, the last full day of our tour, we will have a final group dinner. The tour will end after breakfast on Saturday, July 1st. 

Flights can be arranged to the Rogue Valley International Airport (MFR) and is served by Alaska, American, Delta, United, and Allegiant, with direct flights to/from:

• Seattle, WA
• Portland, OR
• San Francisco, CA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Denver, CO
• Las Vegas, NV
• Salt Lake City, UT

An Uber can be easily arranged for transport to Ashland, a distance of 22 miles.

Road bikes are recommended for this tour; hybrid bikes are an option as long as the rider can handle the climbing on that type of bike. Tandem bikes and pedal-assist e-bikes (i.e., Class 1 or 3) are welcome on this tour.  Bike Boxes will be stored during the tour.  Please note: all pedal-assist e-bikes (and ALL riders) need to adhere to the 15-mph speed limit on multi-use paths. Bike rentals are available from Piccadilly Cycles in Ashland, but their inventory is limited especially with some electric hybrid type bikes and gravel bikes.  Piccadilly Cycles | Ashland, OR   

Bike rentals will need to be arranged by the ride participant.   Ride leaders can provide information and referrals, but all transactions and communication will be between the ride participant and the rental company.  

There are many optional activities on this tour:

• The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is world renowned for its high-quality theater productions, both of Shakespeare and more contemporary plays.  There are three theaters at OSF including an authentic outdoor Shakespearean theater.  Each year’s schedule is announced by November with general public ticket sales in early December.  Members of the OSF (minimum $75 donation) get early access to tickets and a 10% discount on the cost.  We recommend purchasing tickets well in advance as June is a popular time for theater-goers.
• The Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville is an open-air music festival that runs from June to September.  Their summer season presents dozens of concerts in a scenic outdoor amphitheater with artists from around the world and nationally recognized performers.
• Rafting the Rogue River:  Experience the thrill of Rogue River rafting with Noah’s River Adventures in Southern Oregon surrounded by beautiful scenery with half-day, full-day and AM and PM options.  Pick up and drop off in downtown Ashland.   

Cost & Administration: The total cost of this tour is $2350 with an initial deposit of $1000 due within 7 days of registration.  The final deposit of $1350 is due by December 1, 2027.  This includes 9 nights lodging, 3 group dinners, 9 happy hours, lunch and snack supplies, 9 breakfasts, two wine tastings and a backstage tour at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  

Singles & Solos Policy: Singles (a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant) and solos (a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room) are a great addition to a tour and we welcome them.  However, on this tour we can only accommodate a limited number of singles and solos . We recommend that singles find their own roommate prior to signing up.  Ride Leaders will introduce and assist singles to find roommates, but singles must make their own rooming decision. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until December 1, 2027 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the Solo Supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. The solo supplement payment of $1430 is due by December 1, 2027 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

• In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org
• Initiate a payment
• In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.