Ashland's popular Mountain Challenge Super D bicycle race is getting the ax — split up, that is. Starting this year it will morph into a longer, multi-stage enduro event, to be held June 23-24, and be included on the schedule for one of Oregon's top-notch mountain-bike racing series.

Icy roads are common in winter, but determined bicyclists don't need to hibernate when the mercury plummets and icy roads become a dicey proposition.

More cyclists could visit Ashland after Bicycling magazine featured the annual Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Bike Race as one of five "painfully steep but hugely rewarding" races in America.

The North Umpqua Trail is so long and challenging that I could never ride the entire 79 miles in one day — and I would not want to.

Cruising the 370-mile Oregon Coast by bicycle is a completely different experience than touring by car, or even motorcycle. On a bicycle, you notice all kinds of things you'd never see from a speeding car, from wildlife and plants to small-town shops and people.

Most outdoors enthusiasts would call climbing Washington's Mount Rainier a major challenge and skiing down a test of skill.

Bicycle touring is experiencing a resurgence, especially among retirees. As seniors stay active longer, bicycle touring has become an attractive way to stay in shape, take a healthy vacation, save money and create less pollution.