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October is the last great push for Portland riders. The larch and the vine maple light up gold and red across the Cascade foothills, the orchards in the Hood River Valley come in, and on a clear day the whole state feels lit from inside. The catch is that the rains and the first mountain snow are right behind it, so every dry day this month is a gift. Watch the forecast, dress for cold mornings, and October hands you the most beautiful riding the Northwest has all year.
Ride of the Month: The Mount Hood Loop
Alpine passes, golden larch, and the orchards of the Fruit Loop coming in
Run US-26 east out of Portland and climb into the Cascades toward Government Camp, with Mount Hood standing right over the road and the Timberline turnoff worth a detour for the view. Crest the pass and drop onto OR-35 down the mountain's east side, where the larch turns gold on the ridges and the road spills into the Hood River Valley and the orchards of the Fruit Loop. Roll into Hood River on the Columbia, then close the loop home west on I-84 through the Gorge with the river beside you the whole way.
Start early and check the mountain forecast first, because the summit around Government Camp sits near four thousand feet and can hold ice or the season's first snow when town is still dry. Watch the shaded corners for wet leaves, give the elk and deer room in the high country at dawn and dusk, and layer up for a pass that runs far colder than the valley you left.
Closer in, the Historic Columbia River Highway through the waterfall corridor is at its mossy, golden best right now, and Lolo Pass Road out of Zigzag is a quiet, twisting climb into color. Coast crowd: run US-26 the Sunset Highway out to Cannon Beach and work 101 on a clear afternoon. And for a quick fix, Skyline Boulevard and the West Hills are minutes from town. Get the mountain rides in first, because one hard system can close the passes for the season.
Fall Riding Safety: Oregon Edition
October is the finest riding of the year in the Northwest, and it turns fast. When the wet returns and the elevation climbs, the roads change on you.
- The first rains are the most dangerous. After a dry stretch, the season's first real showers float months of oil to the surface and make the pavement greasy. Give it long following distance and easy inputs for the first ten or fifteen minutes of any rain.
- Snow and ice up high. The passes around Government Camp and the Hood River side can hold ice or early snow when town is bone dry. Check the mountain forecast before you climb, watch the shaded high corners, and turn around if the summit is white.
- Wet leaves and Gorge seeps. Leaves are down hard now on the backroads and in the Gorge, and the shaded corners of the Historic Highway stay damp all season. Treat the leaf-covered curves and the mossy stonework like the low-traction surfaces they are.
- Short days and low sun. Sunset comes early now, and the low sun and gray glare sit right in drivers' eyes. Run your light, wear something bright, and assume the car turning left has not seen you.
Know Your Oregon Law
- PIP does not follow you onto the bike. Oregon requires Personal Injury Protection on auto policies, but motorcycles are exempt from that requirement, so most riders have no PIP on the bike for their own medical bills after a wreck unless they bought it separately. Carry strong health coverage and lean on UM/UIM.
- Fault gets split, and there is a cutoff. Oregon uses modified comparative negligence. Your recovery drops by your share of the blame, and if you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you collect nothing. How the crash is documented decides the number.
- Everyone wears a helmet. Oregon has a universal helmet law. Every rider and passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet, no age or coverage exceptions.
- You have two years. Oregon gives you two years from the date of the crash to file an injury claim, and far less notice, sometimes 180 days, when a public body is involved. Do not sit on it.
Ride Nation Portland
The local chapter is where Northwest riders post weekend miles, call out fresh gravel, wet leaves, and slick tracks from the Gorge to the West Hills, and share the shots worth putting your helmet on for. Post where you rode this month and tag us. It is your scene, run by riders who actually ride these roads.
Last Weeks for the $20,000 BikeWin Giveaway
You are on this list because you entered, which means you are already in the running for 20,000 dollars toward any motorcycle you want, drawn December 10. Got a buddy who would want a shot? The entry page is open and free.
Enter the giveaway
A driver turning left across your lane on Powell. Wet streetcar tracks downtown. A distracted commuter who never saw you on I-84. If you ever go down in Oregon, remember your bike likely has no PIP to fall back on, so you want a lawyer who rides these roads and knows how the fault rules get used against riders.