Ride: Alsea Falls 400
Organizer: Philippe Andre
Date:August 8
Time: Start Time: 6:00 Registration Time: 5:00 – 5:45
Start Location:Best Western Vineyard Inn Hotel
Address:2035 S Highway 99W, Mcminnville, Oregon
Finish By: 9:00AM August 9
Entry Fee: $25 (potential for change), We will put out a donation can to help defer expenses. You do not need to be a member of Oregon Randonneurs for this event.

Driving Directions: The Best Western Vineyard Inn Motel is located just off of the intersection of Highway 18 and 99 West. From Highway 18. Take the second McMinnville exit, turn right and proceed one half of a block.

Description:
This ride starts in McMinnville, Oregon, and it breaks down nicely into six segments. The first segment is one big up, and one big down. Riders head north from McMinnville to the Nestucca River Road, where they climb up the coast range to Bald Mountain. (Which is not the same as nearby Bald Peak!) There's a staffed control at the viewpoint at the top, and then the course follows Gilbert Creek and Willamina Creek down to Willamina and Sheridan. It then takes roads familiar to veterans of the 3 Capes route through Ballston to Broadmead, where it turns south to Perrydale.

The second section reprises part of last year's King's Valley 600, taking Perrydale Road to Dallas, and King's Valley Highway south to Highway 20, with a detour to Falls City in the middle. Perrydale sets the tone for this segment, which features 100-200 foot climbs followed by similar descents; climbs too big to be rollers, but too small to be "categorized". The scenery is the woods and foothills of the coast range and the road is quiet.

The third section begins with the turn from Highway 20 to Highway 34, just outside of Philomath. It consists of a 900' climb with an equal descent into the Alsea River watershed, and then a 900' climb out, with a descent to Monroe. The first climb is entirely on OR 34, and takes about 7 or 8 miles. The descent puts you into the little town of Alsea, where you turn south to get on the Alsea-Deadwood Highway, and join the South Fork Alsea River Scenic Byway. This is a very quiet road, which will take you through the woods, past Alsea falls, and back into the Willamette Valley.

Section four takes quiet country lanes east across the valley, crosses the Willamette River at Harrisburg, continues east, and then goes north through Brownsville Gap to the charming historic town of Brownsville. It's mostly flat, although there is a sustained shallow grade up through the gap.

The fifth section is long, but pretty flat. More country lanes north from Brownsville to Jefferson, briefly touching OR 34 and OR 20 again. A short climb through Parrish Gap just past Jefferson and some easy rollers into Turner. Then a quick trip over Turner Gap and around the back of the airport into Salem. Some lovely Willamette Valley scenery in this stretch, including a lot of rural bucolia and the occasional patch of native oak savannah.

The final stretch leaves Salem by heading west, crossing the Willamette River again on the new bike/pedestrian bridge. Riders will take Wallace Road along the base of the Eola Hills and then Hopewell Road to the hamlet of the same name. They then get on backroads such as Webfoot and Cruickshank before finishing up with a short stretch on OR 18 back to McMinnville and the Best Western.

You may wish to review the New! And Improved! Map and Cue sheet in XLS or PDF formats.

All riders should be familiar with and abide by rider expectations.

Return to OR Randonneurs homepage