Linda English, a runner turned cyclist and retiree from the tech industry, has built something very special. Linda and her staff have uploaded nearly 300 gravel rides to her DirtyFreehub.org site, making it a must-see for adventure seekers on two wheels. I've seen this site grow tremendously over the past decade. At the same time, interest in riding drop bar bikes on dirt roads exploded as well.
A few days ago, I spoke with Linda about the place, the rise of gravel riding in Oregon, the projects she's working on, and more.
Linda, who is based in Bend, said about 200 of the routes she has uploaded are in Oregon. In addition to being a resource for cyclists, Linda's work has also become recognized for its role in the economic development of rural Oregon towns. Dirty Freehub, a nonprofit organization, has contracted with agencies such as Travel Oregon and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association to develop routes specifically with tourism in mind.
advertisement
“This is what we call 'drip tourism,'” Linda told BikePortland. “Instead of having 200 or 300 people come to an event, which is really stressful for a really small town, you can drive people there. That's what this explosion is about. A small, small town like Paisley, Oregon. You can go to a place and create a ride guide there, and the next thing you know, there are people there and they just love it. They love the town too because of the economic development. ”
Linda's goal isn't just to inspire epic rides. She also wants to help people who use Dirty Freehub better understand the people and places they ride with. She encourages this by offering a podcast featuring interviews with local people. For example, lumberjacks who share their fear of riding on popular bike paths, or farmers who share how their lives differ from city dwellers. “It would be really great to have cyclists be a little more considerate. We're really interested in how we break down the rural-urban divide,” Linda said.
A recent project Linda has undertaken is a series of 'all access' routes aimed at beginner level riders. Routes in this category are all under 40 miles and are perfect for those using adaptive bikes or e-bikes, or those who can't cope with elevation gains or difficult gates.
When asked about her favorite place to ride in Oregon, Linda said, “That's an impossible question!” But she mentioned Baker City and Joseph (eastern Oregon), and one of her “secret places” she loves is Madras, she said. “I lived in Bend for a long time and only drove through Madras on my way to Portland. But once you get out on some of the roads out there, it's amazing. It's so quiet outside, It’s really, really fun.”
Please check out DirtyFreehub.org. Listen to our conversation and learn more about this site and the women behind it. You can listen to it in the player above or wherever you get podcasts.
