Bicycle Rides Northwest participants will stay in John Day for the next three nights while touring Grant County.

JOHN DAY – The bikes are parked and tents set up for 175 Bicycle Rides Northwest participants at the Grant County Fairgrounds during their three-night stay, Aug. 13-15, in John Day.

During the day they will tour Seneca on Thursday, Magone Lake on Friday and they’ll travel through Mt. Vernon and Dayville on their way to Spray Saturday, ending the tour where they started.

Motorists should use caution and be on the lookout for the riders.

While in the area, the cyclists plan to visit area museums and businesses, and they’ll enjoy a performance from the Johnson Family Band.

The group traveled from Meadowbrook RV Park for a 79-mile ride today.

Route scout Stan Nowakowski of Madras said the focus of this year’s ride is the Middle Fork John Day River.

The riders will take on parts of the Blue Mountain Scenic Bikeway and the Old West Scenic Bikeway during their seven-day ride.

“We wanted to take advantage of the two scenic bikeways – they offer such great riding,” he said.

His wife Maura Schwartz oversees activities and entertainment and shares the history of the area with the cyclists.

She said the Johnson Family Band would be performing for them one night during their stay.

Sanna Phinney, executive director of BRNW, said the cyclists have loved riding alongside the John Day River and touring the area.