A British Columbia man recently rode through Central Oregon on a rock and roll journey.

Jon Langille, 54, is riding his electric bicycle 1,554 miles from his home in Nelson, located 150 miles north of Spokane, Washington, to the Desert Trip Festival in Indio, California. The event features six legendary artists, including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Neil Young.

Langille is no stranger to lengthy bike rides, having ridden down the Pacific Coast from Lincoln City to San Diego, as well as trips around Ireland, Asia and elsewhere. But those were at least 30 years ago.

He’d avoided bicycles for the past 20 years because of the hills near his home. But Langille loved the electric bike once he started riding again.

“When this Pedego bike showed up, I decided it was perfect for me,” he said.

Langille said his Pedego electric bike, which he bought a year ago, has allowed him to return to touring. The bike still requires him to peddle.

“But when it comes to going up a hill or going into the wind, it eliminates that obstacle,” Langille said Sept. 10, just before riding through Redmond.

Pedego bikes are available at the company’s stores, including one in Bend, and online. They cost between $2,600 and $4,000, according to its website (pedegoelectricbikes.com).

Since starting Sept. 4, Langille had been averaging between 70 and 80 miles per day on his bike, with the longest ride being 90 miles, he said. He’s had a few hiccups, mainly flat tires. He said the Fountain Valley, California-based bike company has been helpful, providing supplies and extra batteries. He can run out of power on several batteries in a day on long trips..

“For them it’s a test,” Langille said. “It’s a well-designed bike, and it’s well tested. But I don’t think anyone has done a fully-loaded road trip.”

He plans to arrive in Indio by Oct. 7.

The ride will, hopefully inspire others Langille’s age, Pedego CEO Don DiCostanzo said in a statement.

“Long-distance rides are enjoyable on a Pedego electric bike, and we applaud Jon’s quest and encourage other baby boomers to create their own Pedego adventures,” he said.

Langille is a big music fan and has attended the Coachella festival several times. When Desert Trip, which takes place in October, was announced, he knew he had to go.

“This is a special one,” he said. “I love the Coachella Valley and Joshua Tree. Any opportunity I can take and the longer I can stay the better.”

Langille, the innkeeper at the Dancing Bear Inn in Nelson, said his employer was enthusiastic about him taking time off, but his wife wasn’t able to get as much vacation from her job. So he decided to make a longer trip out of the festival and meet his wife there.

“I said, ‘Well, screw it, I’m going to ride my bike,’ kind of half joking,” he said. “After I looked at (the map) I said that will be fun.”

Langille made it through large elevation changes and high winds in the Columbia River Gorge. He said riding gives a new perspective on normally dull stretches of road, such as Highway 395 in Central Washington. As of Sept. 19, he had made it to Sacramento.

“When you’re just on a bike, you really realize the beauty of even a road like the interstate,” he said.

— Reporter: 541-548-2186, gfolsom@redmondspokesman.com