FALL CAMP: Mckenzie bridge, OR

September 25-28, 2025

REGISTRATION OPEN NOW

ABOUT fall CAMP

At Special Blend Gravel Fall Camp, we'll spend three days riding through the lush Willamette National Forest, enjoying some of the best gravel roads in Oregon alongside inspiring views of the Cascade Mountains. We'll finish each day at Horse Creek Lodge, where we will recover, relax, enjoy catered meals, drink good coffee, and sit around the campfire to share knowledge and experiences.

Be sure to bring your climbing legs to camp, and be ready to make descending your strategic advantage. While there is some flat terrain, we won't spend much time there; we're headed straight for the hills!

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 3.5 days of riding, education, and community

  • World-class gravel routes, complete aid stations, and mechanical support

  • Small group sizes/instruction with awesome professional coaches

  • Daily education and Q&A sessions

  • Dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

  • Breakfast on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

  • Lunch/Recovery Bar Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

  • Various lodging options

  • Awesome goodie bag!

PRICE: $1770 - $3050, depending on lodging option at Horse Creek Lodge

We want to create an immersive experience for all campers, one where we are all as present as we can be. In this effort, we ask that you leave your non-camper friends, partners, kiddos, and pets at home.

THE RIDING

The McKenzie River Canyon is majestic; the light, the forest, the wildlife, the amazing network of forest roads, all combine with Horse Creek Lodge make this the ideal place for gravel camp.

While there is some flat terrain in the canyon itself, we won't spend much time there; bring your climbing legs to camp because we'll head for the hills and tackle some big climbs. They may feel never-ending as they wind their way up to vistas that provide sweeping views of the Cascade Range and the McKenzie River Canyon below.

Yep, it will be hard, but the views, and snacks at the top, will be worth it.

THE EDUCATION

We kick camp off with a skills session at Horse Creek Lodge on Thursday evening, giving us a foundation upon which to build.

During your rides, our professional coaches will help you improve your skills, including group riding, body positioning, cornering, braking, climbing and descending, and riding over washboard. As each day’s ride progresses, we will naturally break into pace groups, each with a coach, and we promise, you will never be the last one on the road.

We also host afternoon education sessions, including nutrition, tire choice, PSI selection, basic bike maintenance, and how to use your cycling computer.

ALL THE EXTRAS

We want your experience at Special Blend Gravel Camp to push you just a little out of your comfort zone (because that is where the growth happens), and we also want it to be a time you can tune out of all of “life’s” responsibilities and you can just focus on you and riding your bike.

Once you arrive at camp, your only job is to eat, sleep and ride. We provide catered meals, top-notch aid stations, mechanical support, a recovery lounge, lots of snacks, beverages, and even an afternoon of massages.

We take over the entire Horse Creek Lodge, so we have space to spread out, relax, and feel comfortable.

There will be time to hit the on site pump track, soak in the river, or sit around an evening campfire and make s'mores.

THE LODGING

There are a variety of lodging options available at Horse Creek Lodge.

Most are shared, meaning you can bunk with an old friend, be paired with a new one, or pay a premium for single occupancy.

To learn more about the lodging options at Horse Creek Lodge, please visit our lodging page HERE.

Email hello@specialblendgravel.com with questions, and we will work to ensure this process is easy and stress-free.

Special Blend Gravel is dedicated to creating an inclusive and supportive space where all people, including members of the LGBTQ+ & BIPOC communities, feel safe, respected, and celebrated. Special Blend Gravel is committed to fostering a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or background.

You belong here

PAST CAMPERS

  • Frankie - fall 2022

    Special Blend Gravel is really really really worth the value. I don't know how to express this more; I would easily pay double and still feel my expectations were exceeded. Everyone was so nice and the coaches, wow - they were freaking, like pro racers and SO nice.

  • Winnie - Fall 2022

    When I signed up for my first SBG camp in McKenzie Bridge, I expected to learn some skills, ride scenic routes, and meet a few cool people—but I had no idea how transformative the experience would be. The incredible one-on-one coaching helped me go from white-knuckling descents to confidently riding in the drops, while the supportive community pushed me just enough to level up and have even more fun. Between the breathtaking routes and the lifelong friendships I made, I can confidently say there’s something truly magical about McKenzie Bridge and the SBG experience.

  • Anita - FALL 2022

    SBG Camp is a supportive and safe environment to push your limits and get tips from some of the best pro riders in our country! I am leaving with new knowledge and lasting friendships! I can't wait to return for more.

CAMP SCHEDULE

THURSDAY
Arrive at Horse Creek Lodge for social hour and to settle in. We’ll kick things off with a welcome to camp and what-to-expect intro + skills session, followed by dinner. Before we hit the hay, we’ll prep you for tomorrow’s ride and answer any questions.

FRIDAY
Following breakfast and our pre-ride meeting, we'll head up into the Willamette National Forest for an amazing ride. Today’s ride will focus a bit on riding in a group, but mainly climbing, braking efficiencies, and line choice.

Plan for 4 hours on the bike before we return to Horse Creek Lodge for Lunch/Recovery Bar and a bit of downtime before the afternoon’s education session. We cap the day off with dinner and good conversation around the campfire.

Example ride: 37 miles, 2,700 ft of elevation


SATURDAY
Following breakfast and our pre-ride meeting, we'll head out for our longest ride of camp. We’ll dial in our skills on some tricky corners and fast descents.

We have a special surprise for you at the end of today's ride, and will have Lunch/Recovery Bar off-site. Upon our return to Horse Creek Lodge, we'll have time to relax and an evening coaches' Q&As. We cap the day off with dinner and good conversation. Looking forward to the final ride tomorrow!

Example ride: 40 miles, 3,000 ft of elevation

SUNDAY
Following breakfast and our pre-ride meeting, we'll head out for the last ride of camp and a chance to “put it all together”.

Lunch/Recovery Bar upon our return, followed by good-bye high-fives and hugs.

Example ride: 25 miles, 2,300 ft of elevation

our coaches & staff

  • Claire Reinert

    IG: @claireiification

    * Seeker of perpetual challenge and adventure

    * Lover of the all night ride

    * Walter is her sidekick

    Claire's love of sport and movement started young and was channeled into soccer, where she found success at the collegiate level. After hanging up her cleats, Claire's love for riding bikes, especially gravel bike, over very long distances, began to blossom. She believes that to embrace gravel, it is necessary to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable and embrace the opportunity for growth", something that holds true on and off the bike. Claire has completed, among a myriad of other grueling races, the Unbound XL, Gravel Worlds Long Voyage four times.

  • Serena Bishop Gordon

    IG: @serenabg

    * Camp co-founder

    * Off-road adventurer

    * Lover of coffee and chocolate

    Serena has been racing professionally for more than a decade, specializing in mountain bikes and gravel. She is a great descender and understands the importance of the details when it comes to off-road performance.
    Serena lives in Bend with her husband, Ben, and medium-sized pup, Piper, and loves her morning coffee almost as much as she loves riding her bike. She is stoked to share what she knows with others and elevate women in the sport of gravel racing!

  • Annick Chalier

    IG: @afreakie

    * Professional Cycling Coach

    * Lover of all things bikes

    * Unicorn Snot influencer

    Annick has been a cyclist since 2014, earning her way into the UCI professional ranks on the road in 2020. Since moving to the Columbia River Gorge, Annick has shifted her focus to gravel to take advantage of all of the terrain types this area has to offer. In addition to training and racing, Annick is a head coach with both Brave Endeavors and Ladies AllRide and finds incredible joy supporting others as they build their bike handling skill set, grow their confidence on the bike (and in life), and develop new ways to have fun in the woods!

  • Sean Cochran

    IG: @lifeasaspectator

    * Tire enthusiast

    * Coffee connoisseur

    * Always with snacks

    Don’t let Sean’s IG handle fool you, he is anything but a spectator. Sean plays so many invaluable roles to so many; quietly, and behind the scenes, he makes magic happen. Sean’s love of life and compassionate, encouraging and thoughtful demeanor elevates those around him to bring their best self and to find their hidden motivation that just needed some unlocking. Sean is also the Marketing Manager for Schwalbe North America and our in-house tire guru.

  • Colleen Quindlen Cook

    IG: @trailcupcake

    * Director of Logistics

    * Champion of women in sport

    * Dog-mom to Tukka and Mr. Bobo

    For over a decade, Colleen Quindlen has played a pivotal role in the country's most significant cycling races. In her current role as Director of Operations for Breakaway Promotions, she manages the logistics and operations of major cycling events across North America. Colleen's commitment to increasing women's participation in cycling is unwavering, and her dedication to Special Blend Gravel is unmatched. Colleen resides in Hailey, Idaho, with her husband Billy, and their two adorable dogs, Tukka and Mr. Bobo.

  • Rebecca Fahringer

    IG: @gofahr

    * Six-time USA Cycling World Championship Team Member

    * Slow is smooth, smooth is fast proponent

    * Quick-witted and incredibly kind

    Rebecca, Becca, was a professional cyclocross and gravel racer for nearly 10 years and has achieved multiple top-10 finishes at UCI Cyclocross World Cups, a USA nationals podium, dozens of UCI wins and represented Team USA at six UCI Cyclocross World Championships. She knows a thing or two about off-road riding and leans on that in gravel racing even while fitness dwindles. There is effort to be saved in being smooth, which is a new focus and mantra over a once-proven method of pedal smashing. Now that time in the saddle has decreased, Becca focuses on spending time with friends and working to keep her pup fed with middle-of-the-road kibble.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge that Special Blend Gravel Camp, held in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, within the Willamette National Forest, takes place on the traditional lands of the Kalapuya, Molalla, and Chinook peoples, among others. These lands have been home to Indigenous communities since time immemorial.

We recognize the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples, including displacement, broken treaties, and cultural erasure. We express deep gratitude to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde—whose members descend from over 30 tribes, including the Kalapuya and Molalla—and to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, whose ancestral lands also extend into this region.

As guests on this land, we commit to respectful presence, honoring Indigenous stewardship, and fostering unity, inclusivity, and continued learning about the cultures that have shaped and continue to shape this place.

Our Partners

A huge thank you to amazing partners.