The 2004 Columbia Plateau Stage Race
Challenging Courses with 3 Point to Point Road Stages


Logistics

The Columbia Plateau Stage Race (CPSR) consists of three point-to-point road stages and a short time trial. All three road stages make one large loop, so you finish where you started. All racers park their cars at the beginning of the race (Heppner High School) and will ride their bikes from point to point and will not need their cars until the end.

Licensing

This is an OBRA sanctioned race. All Oregon riders must carry an OBRA license if they ride. If they do not have an OBRA license, then they must purchase one at the day of the race. It is $15 for an OBRA license and it will cover Oregon racing for the entire year. OBRA membership will be waiver for non-Oregon riders.

Whether you are an Oregon rider or not, please be prepared to show the license of your respective governing agency.

Accommodations

The towns we stay in are very small, with populations of approximately 300. They have limited accommodations, so we provide camping arrangements, at the schools. In the schools, there are restrooms and showers that everyone may use. You may choose to sleep either in the gym or, as many do, you may pitch your tent on the football field. Some individuals choose to search out the limited lodging in each city and pay for it on their own.

Food

We hire community groups to make meals at each location. With the number of people we bring into the area, the local restaurants could not handle the large influx of business all at once. We attempt to make the meals in a home-cooked fashion and with bountiful portions. We also try to provide fresh fruit and vegetables in the meals. As we have has food spillage problems in the past, we request that there be no food transported in the gear truck. Therefore please do not request food to be placed in the back of the truck. However some people do decide to bring their own food or purchase meals at the restaurants. For individuals purchasing the race meals, we will provide a meal card for them. The card will be punched at each location prior to the rider being served. Extra meal cards are available for non-racers for $45.

Transportation of Belongings

Your belongings will be transported in a U-Haul truck from one location to another. We like to ask participants to limit their luggage to only what is necessary and if all possible to two bags. This year we will be providing two tags for riders to mark their bags for easy sorting. Each tag will be a specific color to identify the rider’s category. We ask to please use them, as it will allow easy sorting at the end of each stage.

Transportation of Belongings (Continued)

Please make sure your belongings are marked with some identification, so that we may return it to you. Last of all; remember to bring your toiletries, soap, shampoo, and towel, as these are not provided.

Feeders

As the race is in a remote location and riders may have to travel substantial miles only to have no personal support, we have provider neutral feeders to hand out water bottles at the designated feed zones. The groups that will be feeding will be high school classes from the local schools. Please treat them with due respect and consideration. Any abusive behavior, particularly verbal, will be noted and riders will be reprimanded, penalized, and/or expelled from the race.

Some riders bring their own support to pass up bottles. This is fine, except that this race provides neutral support only. What this means is that if you bring a support person, they must also hand up bottles to other riders, along with the neutral feeders.

Mechanics

There are mechanics provided for each category. A florescent pink sign will identify these. Wheels will be put in all follow vehicles for easy access. Wheel support will be neutral, so when you put them in each vehicle, please mark them with your name and number.

This race provides for neutral support only. Therefore if you are not officially with the race, you may not be on the course supporting your own rider. The race permit with the governing bodies within Oregon do not provide for personal support vehicles. We consider these vehicles to be a hazard to other riders, and other users of the road, and we will ask all individuals we observe doing this to leave the course. If the driver refuses, the supported rider will be penalized and/or expelled from the race.

Weather

The weather in this area is much drier than the weather west of the Cascades. As such, the temperatures are warmer than normally found in Portland. However this is Oregon, so the weather could be warm, upper 80’s to 90’s, or cool and cloudy. Our best advice to you is watch the weather forecast and plan appropriately.

Conclusion

We ask all riders to please observe the rules and be considerate of all individuals involved in providing services relating to the race. In order to make sure that the event is well planned, coordinated and followed through, we need the cooperation from all individuals involved. We would like to thank you for your support and hope that you enjoy the race as much as we enjoy putting it together and watching it unfold.