5th Annual Coast Hills Classic- Newport, OR

Newport, Oregon has always been a very special place for me. As a kid, I spent a lot of time on Nye Beach, or out on a boat pulling Dungeness crab pots, fishing the Chinook salmon runs and digging for clams in the Yaquina bay area with my family. Returning to the coast always feels like coming home.

The Coast Hills Classic is the 4th stop of the Oregon Off-Road Series. Formerly the Ben Eder Memorial Race, the Coast Hills course is a perfect introduction for riders looking to gain experience riding wet, loamy, rooted coastal terrain. Located just off Highway 101 and almost within sight of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, this course is easy to find and close to hotels, the Rogue Brewery Headquarters, Oregon Coast Aquarium, NOAA Headquarters, and LOTS of excellent restaurants- the chowder at Newport Chowder Bowl is a favorite of mine.

The course runs through a lush forest that is still actively logged and periodically thinned. In the case of this year's race, it took a truly incredible effort on the part of race organizers and volunteers to rebuild much of the singletrack just in time for the race. A HUGE thank you for those efforts: the track was beautiful, challenging and very well-done!!!

Race day brought us rain, a few slicker-than-snot sections throughout the course, and a most colorful assortment of waterproof-Oregonian attire. In some (less hardy) parts of the country, rain might mean a much smaller turnout to an event but in Oregon, rain is a seemingly cherished race day addition.

The lap-style course climbs a total of 1300 feet over 12 miles- 1 or 2 laps, depending on your race category. With a mix of gravel fire road, twisting singletrack through dark and lush forests, rolling meadows, and even a jaunt through part of the local airport (FAA clearance was needed), there was true variety to be had out there!

Add this one to your list if you have always wondered what riding your mountain bike near the ocean might be like. (Spoiler: It rocks!) Also consider making the trip to Newport even if you aren't racing- Daniella at Bike Newport can tell you all about the good trails to check out.

Thank you to the Newport Fire Department, Newport Police, and Newport Search and Rescue for keeping us safe and organized out there (and for helping with the bike washing afterwards.) We appreciate all that you do!

And of course, thank you to my incredible support team; Chinook Winds Casino, George's Cycles, G-Fit Studio, Niner Bikes, Nature's Bakery, Liza Coaching, ESI Grips and Swiftwick Socks.