With Labor Day here, a farewell to float tubes may be in order. But, cooler shorter days don’t mean time to hibernate; instead, they make for perfect biking weather. It’s no secret Bend is bike-nut crazy, but not all of us were born on berms, with mud coursing through our veins. For those new to biking off the beaten path, or just looking to try something new, Bend has a couple of different options.
Pine Mountain Sports Group Ride
Wednesday, Sept. 3 and 10, Pine Mountain Sports offers a free group mountain bike ride for men and women. Folks meet at the shop and are divided into groups based on abilities; routes and timeframes are then established by the needs of each group. Pine Mountain even offers free demo bikes for the ride, on a first come, first serve basis.
Rides begin at 5:30 pm, no RSVP required. 255 SW Century Drive. 541-385-8080.
High Desert BMX
Located on the other side of town at Big Sky Sports Complex is High Desert BMX, a dirt track comprised of berms, bumps, rollers, and tabletops. It is common to see entire families riding throughout the day. Beginners are just as welcome as old pros here, and the track offers practice sessions and workshops as well as races. All that is required are long sleeves, long pants, athletic shoes, and a helmet. They won’t loan you the clothes, but have a wide selection of loaner helmets and bikes available.
Open practice, Mondays at 5:30 pm, is free for beginners. HighDesertBMX.org.
