Hello! It’s Tom from Team ProCycle. Some of you may know me from our YouTube channel and others from answering your phone call or e-mails. Either way, I’m a motorcycle rider just like you and this article is about a little trip that Sherman and I recently took to Eastern Oregon.
Before we begin, I want to thank the folks at Giant Loop for not only creating fantastic products, but for putting on a great riding event 12 years in a row – with each year bigger and better than the last. This year, the ride in early June took us to the Crystal Crane Hot Springs just outside of Burns, OR.
In addition to the multiple, GPS-marked riding routes with included refreshments, the event offered free Skool of Moto Off-Road Skills & Drills classes, as well as opportunities to connect with experienced riders (Laura Seaver was the guest this year) and find new riding buddies. On top of that, Giant Loop invited tons of vendors so you could check out or buy new gear and accessories, as well as test ride new bikes. I had the chance to try the new Triumph Tiger 900s that I’ve had my eye on. Lastly, guests were able to take advantage of the multiple hot springs at the venue, and walk away with a cool swag pack with a special motorcycle jersey.
As far as the experience goes, it was a pleasure to be able to enjoy the views of the Eastern Oregon high desert! The smell of sage brush in the air and the views of long sweeping plains that run abruptly into Steens Mountain Range is a sight to behold. You feel disconnected from the hustle and bustle of life at home and get transported to a time when horse and buggy was a main mode of transportation. Silence… that’s what you initially hear, then you begin to notice the amount of wildlife that there actually is out here in the remote part of the state.
On Friday morning, Sherman and I broke camp and headed off to find even more remote serenity. We traveled to the southeastern side of the Steens Mountain Range for three things: first, we wanted to visit the Alvord Desert; second, we wanted to make it to the Fields Station General Store; and last, we wanted to find Sherman’s old family hunting cabin. We managed to do all three, but boy did it turn into an adventure. Between running on fumes, almost washing out, and getting pounded on by heavy rain and hail, day one took its toll on us. However, we managed, and it was all worth it in the end. We made it to his family’s old hunting cabin nestled way back in the Pueblo Mountain Range, and at last we found our serenity. Nestled into a small forest of aspen trees with a small creek running by its side was the cabin.
The next day we spent wandering around the event talking to the different vendors and getting to know some of the other riders. Since this was a work-related event, we didn’t get to ride as much as we wanted, but we are excited to learn about some really cool new products, like Hippo Hands. This is a company from Bend, OR that focuses on protecting riders’ hands from the elements, and we will be adding their product to our website soon!
If you wish to see some of the video footage from this ride, be sure to check out the link below. As the Giant Loop folks always say, “Go Light! Go Fast! Go Far!”
