August 4th wrapped up the third and final event of the 2024 Ride the Dirt Wave (RTDW) race series, sponsored by the Oregon Coast Visitors Association!
This year, riders came from all over Oregon and beyond to experience our coastal trail systems at the same beloved locations (Klootchy Creek, Whiskey Run, and Big Creek trails). The atmosphere of the event, with options for casual rides, evening socials, and of course — the race, makes RTDW a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and foster connections among cycling enthusiasts from other regions.
South Coast Destination Coordinator Dave Lacey shared that “One of the coolest things about Ride the Dirt Wave is making new friends from the other coastal bike clubs and trail systems. We even saw a few familiar faces from Mountain Bike Oregon, where we talked with cyclists from all over the state, and got them stoked about our coastal trails.”
One of the standout stories this year was from a family of four from Riverside, California, who dedicated their annual vacation to join the Dirt Wave. They started at Whiskey Run and rode up through Newport, all the way to Klootchy Creek, exploring the coastal trails along the way. But they weren’t the only ones that traveled to make the event — this year, there was a surge in participants from the Central Valley, Eastern Oregon, California, and Washington, with most participants traveling more than 50+ miles to experience the coastal trails, many for the first time!
The incredible feedback and continuous growth of this event goes to show that the Oregon Coast is quickly becoming a premier mountain biking destination. The Director of the series, Daniella Crowder, shared that “The response and emails of thank-yous keep pouring in since our event wrapped up in Newport, Oregon. The positivity for the event was so high that the attendees rebranded our event the FunDuro. We are so excited for next year, and we already have the dates booked.”
Ride the Dirt Wave will be back again next year, with the addition of a fourth venue! As the series continues to grow and evolve, there will be plenty more excitement to come. Thank you to all the organizers, participants, partners, and supporters who made this year a success!