Locals have always known that Oroville, Washington has fantastic cycling routes with lightly traveled back roads surrounded by natural beauty but it was only recently when 370 bicycle enthusiasts chose Oroville as one of their base camps for their summer “Rollin’ On The Rivers” biking adventure that the secret was out.
In July 2024, Bicycle Rides Northwest (BRNW) brought 300 riders and 70 crew to Oroville to camp for two nights at Lake Osoyoos Veteran's Memorial Park using the park as their layover base for cycling adventures.
When asked why he chose Oroville and the surrounding area, Jim Moore, the Executive Director of BRNW, explained he had been prompted by a friend to explore the area and after driving and cycling the route a year earlier he was “astounded by the secret paradise we had discovered. We knew our riders would really enjoy the terrain. There is an array of challenging and enjoyable cycling routes and the distances and elevation gains made for perfect rides for our group.”
Osoyoos Lake Veteran’s Memorial Park was also a big draw for the group. The campground was able to accommodate the large group and provided easy access to the lake after a hot day of riding. Moore noted,” The location on the lake was perfect. Our riders swam after a hot day of cycling and rented kayaks, paddleboards and even jet skis onsite. They played pickleball in the new courts at the campground in the evening and restaurants and shopping were all an easy walk.”
Moore went on to say “Our tours are like summer camp for bicycle enthusiasts and we have worked with many small towns. Oroville was incredibly hospitable with local groups like The Oroville Initiative helping us arrange entertainment and activities, even a dunk tank. The City of Oroville was also very accommodating in the early planning stages and preparing the park for us.”
However, BRNW bicycle tours are more than just a cycling event; BRNW also offers grants to help the direct community. “We have raffles for the riders to raise money for grants,” Moore explained, “One hundred percent of the raffle money goes to the grants. We are able to give $1,000 in grant money per night to the community.” This year’s grant money will benefit Colville Parks and Recreation, Northport’s all-class reunion, Curlew’s Community in Schools program, Oroville’s The Oroville Initiative, and Republic City Park.
Jeff Bunell. President of The Oroville Initiative, said “We have been promoting cycling in Oroville with a dedicated biking page on our website and placing advertisments focused on cycling so we were thrilled to see such a large group take notice of our area. We look forward to seeing more groups cycling through to see all that Oroville has to offer.”
In total, BRNW spent two of their seven nights in Oroville and traveled an impressive 408 miles and 26,000 feet of elevation gain. And to the small town of Oroville, WA having the town's population increase for 2 days by 30% was nothing short of epic!
Photos courtesy of John Meija of BRNW.org
ABOUT
Bicycle Rides Northwest - BRNW’s mission is to provide fully supported bicycle tours that deliver an exceptional rider experience, showcase the natural beauty of the Northwest, and benefit communities and businesses in the region. BRNW is a registered nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors composed of cycling enthusiasts who enjoy offering a well-organized ride along an outstanding route. Visit brnw.org for more information.
The Oroville Initiative - The Oroville Initiative (TOI) is a 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to projects that make Oroville an attractive place to live, work, play and invest. TOI works to Increase citizen involvement in Oroville, implements projects that enhance our community, sponsors and facilitates local festivals & events, encourages city beautification & downtown revitalization and promotes tourism in Oroville. Visit www.theorovilleinitiative.com or www.DiscoverOrovilleWA.com for more about Oroville.
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