My sister and her daughter picked me up and away to Bend we went.
Lynn had already been at Chris and Helen's for a week. They have decided to make Bend their home.
Trip to Crater Lake.
Wizard Island.
Chris, Cooper and Juneau.
Phantom Ship. Yes, the blue is unbelievable.
Turquoise contrast close to shore.
The Castle.
Some Mtn. Biking.
Chris took me out after one day of rest from the Cheq100. It wasn't too bad, but I was still a bit trashed after the 2 hr. ride we did. We stopped a few times to take in the views. I didn't bring my camera.
We rode starting at the Skyliners Trail head to the Upper Whoops, to Sector 16, to Swede Ridge. The plan was originally to go Swede Ridge Loop to South Fork but from starting late we ran out of time so we bailed down the Road Trail at Swede Ridge and connected back to Skyliners.
I rode from their house to Shevlin Park a couple of times, then decided to head out a bit further for a long ride while Chris attended a work day.
Shevlin Park. Three Sisters in the background. I found out later that Shevlin is considered by the locals to be more of a running/dog park and there is a bit of an unwritten rule that the bikers leave Shevlin to them and they leave Phils Trails to the bikes.
Tumalo Creek.
The long ride started from their house to Shevlin Park then I got on the Mrazek Trail, part of the Phils Trails network. This took me on a pretty steady 11 mile climb that took quite a bit out of me. I guess I wasn't quite recovered yet and maybe the heat and altitude had an effect on me as well.
I hit the Farewell Trail which lost all that elevation gain in 3 miles.
Three Sisters and Bachelor.
The Farewell then took me to Tumalo Falls....a great spot.
The viewing platforms were great.
From Tumalo Falls I connected to the Tumalo Creek Trail, to Skyliners and the one way trail of Lower Whoops to trail marker 24 then connected to Phils one way Trail down to the Phils Trail Trail Head...I called the ladies on my cell and Helen and Lynn met me at 10 Barrel Brewing (which has been bought out by Budweiser which has been an interesting story both locally and nationally) after I rode the bike trails back to town.....a great ride, took me about 6 hrs. including all the site seeing at Tumalo Falls.
Lynn and I also rode the Deschutes River Trail from the house, through Bend to Sunriver, around 25 miles, to take the rental bike back. Chris agreed to drive down to pick us up when we finished.
It had a section or 2 that was a bit more difficult than I suspected. With Lynn never ever riding singletrack before and the bike being a size too large for here, she had some very challenging moments. She walked the tough parts and we stopped twice before we left Bend for water and food. The stretch to Sunriver was definitely more that I expected for a rookie, but we made it.
Lynn was quite the trooper, it was a tough ride for her/us in that respect.
First stop was small coffee shop in Bend.
Example of work.
Random shots along the trail....I missed getting some pics as we went through the lava fields...it was tough even for me at my experience level.
Lynn isn't used to shifting, so the uphill grades were a real challenge, but walking some wasn't all that unpleasant anyway.
You leave the river trail at Benham Falls.
Although it was bit more than I expected for a novice, this trail is a good one to take a rookie on, just plan on a few hours, bring plenty of water and some snacks, plan on walking some when needed and it would be a great ride/time. Consider riding from Sunriver to Bend to avoid most of the uphill inclines.
All four of us went on a hike out to Smith Rock one day, then a couple of days later Chris, Helen and I went out to run and bike it....I biked, they ran!
I stopped for a lot for pics and the views, they didn't and Helen went further than both Chris and I.
Little hazy, but Mt. Jefferson in the background.
When we lived in Oregon back in the '70's we had a very similar view of Jefferson, but from 180 degrees when we were living on the west side of it.
Mostly a pretty buff trail. Steep with many switchbacks, at times as well.
That green lichen was really cool.
Smith Rock is known as a climbers location. There is one below, just above right of the pine tree.
More rock climbing surfaces.
Hiking trail to the top.
Lynn completed the famed Ale Trail while out there. We also visited the High Desert Museum and took in the Raptors of the Desert Sky which I'd highly recommend.
