Bend Adventures

[yellow]

Sadie Kate and I just got back from a way-fun mountain bike trip last night. She's posted her account of our days on the Amici Veloci website but I thought I'd relay my version here under "Adventure Stories".

Now I'm fairly new to this mountain bike thing, so I was--frankly--a wee bit nervous about making it through the trip without any broken bones or gashes that may require stitches. Thankfully SK brought her soft tail Litespeed for me to use...the rear wheel of my pig-of-a-bike weighed more than the entire Litespeed!

On day 1 of riding, the relatively mild Deschutes River Trail, I fell no less than about 8 times. I got really dirty and really bruised but no blood and no broken bones. SK coached me on the "tank traps" and found that once I got in them I became enamoured and she had a hard time getting me out of them. We did about 21 miles this day, I think.

The biggest mistake of day 1 is that we didn't go have martinis at the Bendistillery. I kind of needed it when we got back to ChezPetunia (HQ of the Oregon chapter of Amici Veloci) and saw that my lovely hyper Lab had destroyed a window screen. At least she didn't shatter the window.

Day 2 was the ego-booster day up around Sisters. I did not fall AT ALL! The downhill was fast! There was only a little "sand" and at no time did it grab my wheel and flail me across the trail! I made it over the "canal" hump without going over the bars! Whoopee!

It was at the end of this day that the molasses cookie craving began. Again, no martinis. What were we thinking?

Day 3 was a "drop run" in that we got dropped at the "top" by Petunia's shuttle bunny DH and got to ride mostly downhill for about 20 miles. Piece o' cake, right? This is the day that saw my greatest blood loss.

It was a root. Right next to (right of) a 10" lodgepole pine. On a pretty narrow section. With another tree on the right side of the trail. I made it over the root with my front wheel and then slowly fell into the lodgepole. They have kind of rough bark. They were really only minor scrapes and cuts but shook me up quite a bit. That and the fact that it took me a while to get unwedged from between the trees. Think "Winnie the Pooh in Rabbit's hole".

We ate a good portion of a bag of molasses cookies this day. And that night, we had martinis. Good thing.

Day 4 was the bestest. We did an "epic" ride of 24 miles, though it was only supposed to be about 20. We did a bunch of climbing (about 3000' total) and fun descending. The scenery was incredible. We ate a bunch of molasses cookies. We looked at rocks and plants and laughed and smiled a lot. I rode over a bunch of roots without incident. Nothing like being forced to confront your enemies.

It was such a great trip that now I'm depressed that I'm home. And I like being home. But I'm looking forward to the next one!

Oh! and I have some photos here on my Yahoo! site (choose the Bend folder).

[Irulan]

sounds like fun, but whassup with martinis? You are supposed to drink all the great brews at the Deschutes Brewery! Black Butte Porter...mmm...


irulan

[SadieKate]

sounds like fun, but whassup with martinis? You are supposed to drink all the great brews at the Deschutes Brewery! Black Butte Porter...mmm...

It wasn't on tap at Chez Petunia but the bottled version was pretty good as long as you timed swigs between the romping of 3 wild and crazy labradors.

When we can finally make this work, Irulan, we'll go to the Distillery for martinis also. Us 3 girls managed to test several on the list but there are so many more that need evaluation! A Key Lime Martini makes a durn tasty dessert.

[Irulan]

It wasn't on tap at Chez Petunia but the bottled version was pretty good as long as you timed swigs between the romping of 3 wild and crazy labradors.

When we can finally make this work, Irulan, we'll go to the Distillery for martinis also. Us 3 girls managed to test several on the list but there are so many more that need evaluation! A Key Lime Martini makes a durn tasty dessert.

I serioulsy thought about it, but my one day Kettle Crest adventure was what was on the books as we are in the throes of home improvement projects.
You can count on me for the designated driver, I'm not much of a martini or anything else kind of gal.

~i.

[SadieKate]

I serioulsy thought about it, but my one day Kettle Crest adventure was what was on the books as we are in the throes of home improvement projects.
You can count on me for the designated driver, I'm not much of a martini or anything else kind of gal.

~i.

Cool, a rider and designated driver all in one! We like that! Though I have to say that the only time I ever really "refuse" to be a DD is when we're visiting the Benddistillery. Please mark down a Bend trip for Memorial Day weekend. We rent a house for the gang then.

I don't think we'll make it back up there again this fall, but if you can get there the North Fork/Metolius-Windigo/Flagline loop which is only open after 8/15 (due to the elk breeding season) is incredible. Highest elevation mtbike ride I've done in that area and it was just gorgeous scenery when you lifted your eyes from the superb trails.

[bikerchick68]

I'm so glad I saw this... I love the area... my ex-inlaws live on Riverfront by Mirror Pond... so I've spent lots of time up there... white water rafting the Deschutes and snowboarding Bachelor... Sisters is a cool little town too, isn't it?

congrats on those new record climbs... this makes me wanna buy a mtn bike!

btw- Bevmo carries Descutes beers... Obsidian Stout...mmmmmmm....

[yellow]

Black Butte Porter...mmm...

I had one at lunch on Satuday! And we had a nice meal and beer at the Bend Brewing Co. (I had a red on nitro...mmmmm). That was pre-martini.

[SadieKate]

Petunia's shuttle bunny DH also provided designated driver services. Since he now lives there, he graciously allowed the rest of us to become soused. I don't think we made fools of ourselves.

[yellow]

Oh! And most importantly, SK surpassed her climbing goal on our 2nd day. The top of the 80th Empire State Building up around Sisters. It was a great place for the big turnover!

(this important piece of info is on the blog, but for those that don't want to read another/different accounting, I felt it was important to post here!)

[snapdragen]

sounds like fun, but whassup with martinis? You are supposed to drink all the great brews at the Deschutes Brewery! Black Butte Porter...mmm...irulan

It's the influence of the "evil" snap........

[aka_kim]

This is the day that saw my greatest blood loss.

Uh huh... and medicinal molasses cookies and martinis is the prescribed treatment. Hmmm.

[SadieKate]

Sure, molasses for iron and alcohol as an antibacterial agent. I learned the iron part from yellow.