Cycling among ferns

Dean Vincent gives the credit for his weight loss to cycling.

When he got on a bike in 2004, he weighed 257 pounds. When he rode in the annual organized 200-mile event from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia, two years later, he was 220 pounds.

“Cycling has literally changed my life,” the 12-year Roseburg resident said. “It’s done a lot of really good for me.”

Vincent admits he gets a “little lazy” over the winter and he adds a few pounds, but he’s now addicted enough to cycling that when spring and summer rolls around, he’s back pedaling on a daily basis.

“I’ve gotten to the point that if I don’t ride, I feel lethargic and I eat badly,” he said. “I know when I do ride, my body feels clean, fresh, energetic. It’s my time to burn out the toxins and stresses of my life.”

Vincent, 42, is now gearing up for his third ride in the Tour de Fronds Cycling Event that is scheduled for June 16. This will be the 10th anniversary of the ride that features 70 miles of paved back roads between Powers to the west and Glendale to the east. Vincent will be joined by his father, Steven Vincent, his brother, Brooks, and Brooks’ wife, Sharai.

“It’s an absolutely beautiful ride,” said Dean Vincent, who rode from Powers to Glendale last year. “You get to see the back country that’s moderately remote. A moderate rider just couldn’t do a ride like this without food and water stops out there so once a year it’s an opportunity to ride a road you wouldn’t ride otherwise.”

The ride is recreational and not a race, unless one is into individual challenges against the clock.

Those interested in the event can register at the Web site of www.tourdefronds.com. A commemorative T-shirt is available for $12 to those who register and order by June 3.

Paul Tamm, the organizer of the annual event since its first year, agreed that the route would be difficult for cyclists because there are no towns or stores along the way to provide nourishment. The route provides riders with views of the Siskiyou National Forest, and Bureau of Land Management lands bordering the Rogue River Wilderness Area. They’ll see old growth forest, vistas from Mount Bolivar, Cow Creek and the South Fork of the Coquille River.

“To enjoy this particular route, you really need support,” Tamm said. “The Tour de Fronds provides rest stops every 10 to 15 miles with liquids and food.”

The idea for the event originally came from the Powers Action Team and the Glendale Community Action Response Team as a way to generate some tourist interest in their communities and surrounding areas. Those groups then got the Umpqua Velo Club of Roseburg involved and it’s been an annual ride since. People from the two communities man the four rest stops out on the route.

The event’s name came from the many ferns along the route, especially along the Coquille River on the Powers side of the ride.

About 80 cyclists rode in last year’s event. Tamm is hoping for a partly cloudy, cool day that would be best for cycling, improving the chances of having more than 100 participants. He said more publicity has been done this year with brochures being sent to southern Oregon bike shops and clubs and by using the Internet.

Riders may: leave from either Powers or Glendale; ride out to a certain point and back if fewer miles are desired; ride the entire 70 miles; or ride both ways for 140 miles. The fee for a short ride is $15, for one way is $30 and the shuttle fee is an extra $25. A meal is provided at each end of the route for the riders.

“Either way, there’s quite a bit of climbing,” Tamm said. “From Powers to Glendale, the total climb is 5,300 feet and from Glendale to Powers, the gain is 4,100 feet. A handful of people have gone over and back each of the last two years.”

Dean Vincent is planning a round-trip ride of 60 miles with his family members.

“It’s fun to share the experience,” he said.

It was Steven Vincent, 61, who first shared the cycling experience with his family. Steven took up the activity after recovering from surgery for prostate cancer. He was inspired by Lance Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France cycling event winner and also a cancer survivor. After Steven developed a passion for pedaling a bike, he challenged Dean, his oldest of four sons, to also take up the sport.

“He figured if he could do it, I could too,” said Dean, a 1983 graduate of Oakland High School. “I’m the doughboy of the group. I used to be very athletic, but over the years I’ve put on some extra weight. He challenged me to go on the bike ride from Seattle to Vancouver. He was encouraging me to get into better shape.”

The father’s challenge was made late in 2004. Dean realized on his early rides he needed plenty of training to complete the challenge.

“My first couple times out literally wiped me out,” he said. “I knew I had to put some effort into it.”

In June 2005, Dean rode in his first organized ride, the Tour de Fronds. He went out to a rest stop and rode back for a 60-mile ride.

“I was sore for the two weeks after,” he admitted. “I knew I needed more serious preparation if I was going 200 miles in two days.”

He had been averaging 40 to 45 miles a week prior to the 2005 Fronds ride, but worked up to 80 to 90 miles a week by that fall and then doubled that mileage by a year later. In August 2006, he completed the Seattle-to-Vancouver 200-mile ride. Then to prove his conditioning to himself, he rode 15 miles the next day “to make sure my circulation was doing well.”

It was, and now he’s looking forward to another Tour de Fronds ride.