Sound RIDER! presents the

Café to Café Grand Tour 2013

Ride to Eat – Eat to Ride

Do you enjoy long rides on scenic roads and great food along the way? If so you’re gonna love the Café to Café Grand Tour!

Cafe to Cafe is an annual grand tour of 15 restaurants in the Northwest. The restaurants, a.k.a. "targets" change each year. Riders are provided a list of the 15 restaurants and may ride to each of the targets anytime they like between March 1st and September 30th (spring & summer). Once there, all that's needed is a photo of the rider with their bike and signage in the background identifying the location. You'll email your photos in as per the guidelines in your registration package.

Those completing the entire list of 15 locations are awarded a special certificate to certify their bragging rights. Dining at the locations earn riders bonus points toward special prizes that are passed out during the annual awards banquet held each October at Cafe Veloce in Kirkland, Washington. You'll send your bonus point receipts to us in September through the US Mail.

Included in the list of 15 restaurants are details about nearby roads and scenery worth a ride and/or look while the rider is in the area. While not necessary, these tips make the ride that much more worthwhile.

ANYONE with a street legal motorcycle, motorcycle endorsement and insurance specific to their bike (required by Oregon and Idaho state law) can participate in the Cafe to Cafe Grand Tour. Over the years hundreds of individuals have participated. Many do it solo, but the event can make for good competition internally among members within riding clubs that enjoy high mileage adventure and fun road games. The tour is also a favorite with riders participating in other grand tours at the same time, such as the Dam Tour.

Above: Frank Leonard, #11023, hopped the ski lift up Crystal Mountain to nail this target during the 2011 tour.

To play, simply register online using the link below. Once your registration is received you will be sent a number card via US Mail and the list of this year's restaurants. If you're participating in other Sound RIDER! events this year, these locations are noted by event so you can hit them while on the route. Always be sure to read the updates below before each ride as they change often.

About the 2013 Tour

With the demise of the Dam Tour, we know a lot of riders are chomping at the bit to hit the road and play in another Grand Tour in the Northwest. We hear ya. In fact, the start date this year is March 1st, one month earlier than usual as a salute to past participants of the Dam Tour.

Above - The Roast Crown Breast of Chicken served up at target #10
on the 2011 tour was a favorite among the players.

As always, the food is good along the way, fabulous in most cases, and the riding can't be beat. Here's a few highlights from this year's tour.

Several locations, although accessible by paved road, are seemingly out of the way. One holds the world's oldest Brunswick pool table, while another is near one of the largest and most interesting collections of calculators in the world. We love the weird stuff here!

One location would be happy to serve you a hamburger or a sandwich, but if you want to try something different you can also get bison, deer, elk and other exotic meats for your burger or steak instead, depending on what is on hand that day.

Did you know many people sign up for the Cafe to Cafe grand tour just to get the list of locations because they know we know our way around good food and fun roads. They may not complete all the targets or attend the awards event in October, but you can bet they've enjoyed it just as much as the die-hard players do.

We found a restaurant chain with no less than 7 waterfront locations. You can visit one to score the needed point, or you can visit 2 or more and start earning bonus points right away! The food here is fantastic and there are plenty of twisties between locations to keep you busy. We have an award for the rider(s) who garner the most bonus points.

A young arsonist burned one of this year's locations down several years back, but the place has risen from the ashes and boasts a really delicious menu and interior.

By the way, you can walk into ANY location with your riding gear on. No need to shed your outer layers. After all, you're the one buying, they're not paying you to come in.

Some locations are near happening summer events including the BMW MOA rally in Salem, The Hell's Canyon Rally, The Rally in the Gorge, Road Trip Oregon and the Sasquatch Dual Sport Tour. We've noted the applicable events under their corresponding listing so you can hit the targets based on other travel plans.

Is your passport current? We routinely have one or two locations in British Columbia.

How about lunch with a horse arena view. Saddle up cause we know where to go.

There are no locations in Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Boise or any other stateside major metropolitan area this year. Enjoy the ride!

Hats are advised at one cafe. Bring your own or wear one of theirs!

One location was featured in an eerie television series some years back. But not to worry, you won't have to do the kind of funny dancing they did then.

The 2013 Cafe to Cafe Grand Tour. Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride and so much more!

CLICK HERE to order your registration package now!

"Great places that I wouldn't have gone to on my own." - Doug Ellett #10068

"Where do you find out about these fantastic places? The food is awesome and the roads are great!" - Brian Lipscy #10055

2013 NEWS & UPDATES

• 5/10/13 - Just added another cafe discount. Check out #9 on the right
• 5/06/13 - Click here to see the latest standings
• 5/01/13 - We have surpassed the number of registered riders from last year. It's only May so encourage a few others to jump in and play.
• 4/10/13 - We stopped by #13 the other day. There are for sale signs on the building, but it is still in business so take advantage of their generous discount when you go. Be sure to check hours ahead of time so you don't miss out.
• 3/29/13 - The phone number for #13 ends with 8132, (not 9999).
• 3/21/13 - We just added another cafe discount to the right! The discounts are quickly overtaking the price of admission!
• 2/25/13 - Just a reminder, several cafe's will not be open when you receive your package due to seasonal closures. Be sure to call and make sure each will be open before you ride.
• 2/22/13 - We got our first discount in today from one of the 15 cafe's on the tour. You can read about discounts to the right. There will be more offered shortly.
• 2/21/13 - The card packets are made up and will ship to all who have pre-registered on 2/27.

"Thanks for putting this on. I have been on lots of these types of photo tours in the past but this is the first one that my wife has been excited about accompanying me on. We won't likely make it to all of them but we'll sure have fun getting to the ones we can."

Tim Watts - 2009 Cafe to Cafe participant #9029