SUMMER AND THE BEST LONG BIKE RIDE

It is now summer in Bend. This is a time when I don't have to look at weather forecast to know it will be warm and sunny. For me it is a comfortable time of year. Work is busy, but on my days off I like a long hard bike ride in the sun. Sweat, drinking lots of water, getting tired taking a nap. Simple things, really but that is what I like.

Today Jim and I went up to Round Mountain and Lookout Mountain. This is a 30 mile ride with 4 hours of riding time. There is 7 miles of uphill pavement and then 100% single track to the car. There are meadows and flowing trail, there are the Switchbacks of Death, there is 6 inch wide single track on a hillside (you hope the tyre you choose hooks on), another long climb when it seems time for more downhill. The flowers, well this is a desert flower oasis. I have to call Kathy when I am on top to tell her which flowers are in bloom. The last part is a 7 mile downhill. It starts off wicked. There is one place where the trails veers to the right and you have to look down and concentrate on the trail so you don't make the mistake of flying off the edge. As you get down the trail it gets easier with some high speed corners, side hills etc. Finally the last little section of sweet single track and back to the car. If you have done this ride with me in the past part of you was with me today. I think of all the times I have done this ride every time I do it. The time of the big crash (me), the time of the snow, the time of the torrential downpour, the time of running out of water, the time of the lost camera, the time of the found camera. That was maybe half the times I have done this ride. I rate my summer on how many times I do the Round/Lookout combo. One is good, two is very good and three rocks. I have only done it three times once. That will be my goal this year.

Come in and ask me if you want to do this ride.

Take care,

Don

PS I also hike up this same mountain with Kathy, it is also on the top of my lists of favorite hikes.