Outside Features Archives - The Source

Bend Into Balance: Ben Dullum

An interview with the athlete whose recent time running the Oregon section of the PCT beat the previous record by 59 hours

by Adriana Mariño October 9, 2026October 12, 2026

The Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail extends along 460 miles parallel to the coast, consisting of an elevation gain and loss of over 65,000 feet, more than twice the height of Mount Everest. Since 2015, the decade-long record for running the length of it sat at 8.5 days, averaging close to 55 miles […]

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Post-Fire Land Recovery with Native Seeds

Deschutes Basin Native Plant Seedbank offers expertise and native seeds to landowners impacted by wildfires

by Damian Fagan October 2, 2026October 2, 2026

After devastating wildfires spread across Central Oregon this year, it’s now the post-recovery period for landowners and land managers. Returning the landscape to pre-fire conditions, or better, requires much more than just spreading some seeds. “We’ve been a well-kept secret for 25 years,” said Berta Youtie, restoration ecologist with Eastern Oregon Stewardship Services and secretary/treasurer […]

Outside Features

Ready to Go? Pack an Emergency Kit for Evacuations and Everything Else

“PPP” for your next pursuit, whether playful or perilous

by Nancy Pietroski September 30, 2026September 28, 2026

PPP: No, not Pole, Pedal, Paddle. You may have heard the old saw: Prior proper planning prevents piss-poor performance (and profound problems). Be educated and prepared before you embark on any adventure, especially when venturing into this positively pristine land of ours and beyond. Let’s start with The 10 Essentials, which have been around since […]

Outside Features

Local Freerider Chases Big Air and Gravity-Defying Tricks

Arlie Connolly keeps grounded by riding, working out and doing homework, while chasing big-time success in the extreme sport

by Dallas Finn Calvert September 11, 2026September 15, 2026

Arlie Connolly was 3 years old, whizzing around on training wheels while vacationing at the Oregon coast. He was having a grand time until an older kid blew by him wearing cool bike gloves. He sensed he was missing a crucial biking accessory and told his dad he simply must have his own pair. “He […]

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Post-Fire Recreating in Central Oregon

Before heading out to ride in a fire-affected area, spend a few minutes doing your homework

by Linda English September 11, 2026September 11, 2026

This summer, those of us who weren’t preparing for an evacuation spent time looking for good pockets of clean air. AQI numbers had a whole new meaning. But now that fall is here, we are left with a patchwork of crispy forests, some closed forest roads and areas that will take years to recover. At Dirty […]

Tommy Ford skis slalom in a black-and-white photo

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Bend Into Balance: Interview with Tommy Ford

Central Oregon Olympic skier talks about learning to ski, injuries and more

by Adriana Mariño September 4, 2026September 3, 2026

Shortly after learning how to walk, Tommy Ford began skiing at the mere age of two. It was “on the backs of my parents going up the chair” at Mt. Bachelor where he first discovered his life’s passion and vocation that later led him to three Olympic Games, several World Cups and World Championships, and […]

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Four People Walk into a Bike Shop

A business consultant and former bike shop employee shares a personality-type crib sheet for meeting customers as they are

by Peter Madsen August 27, 2026August 27, 2026

What bike shop personality type — or, better put, types — are you? I was a little embarrassed when I learned mine. After chatting with former bike shop employee and local business consult Jody Bagno-Dill, I realized that I’m a Performer with — mercifully — a good dose of Producer traits. Let me explain. I’ve […]

Outside Features

Motus Comes to the Crooked River Wetlands

Recently installed antenna will be used to help solve the mystery of migration

by Damian Fagan August 11, 2026August 13, 2026

A newly installed Motus antenna in Prineville’s Crooked River Wetlands will help biologists and the general public better understand the migratory patterns of small wildlife species such as birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies. “Migration is a mystery in many ways,” said Kalysta “Kaly” Adkins, regional diversity biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. […]

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Bend into Balance: Nathaniel Perullo & John O’Sullivan

A national boulder champ and founder of Changing the Game Project

by Adriana Mariño August 7, 2026August 11, 2026

Bend is not short of incredible athletes, nor amazing coaches and transformational leaders. Nathaniel Perullo, 2025 Under 19 National Boulder Champion of the U.S., and John O’Sullivan, founder of Changing the Game Project, are two top examples. Both shared profound reflections on the role of youth sports, intrinsic motivation and the value of a “multi-movement […]

Outside Features

With Public Lands Under Threat, Local Students Reflect

From hikers and bikers to fly fishermen, Central Oregon teens are passionate about the future of public lands

by Lauren Shein July 29, 2026July 27, 2026

On any given day in Central Oregon, locals and visitors alike can be found hiking, biking, skiing, fishing and more on the region’s vast tracts of public land. These federally-managed areas are a quintessential part of life both here and nationwide, where the national forest system encompasses around 193 million acres of land, and about […]

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