Outside Features Archives - The Source

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 […]

Outside Features

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

Outside

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 […]

Outside Features

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. […]

Outside Features

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 […]

Outside Features

BOO is Bend’s Best-Kept Secret

Bend Oregon Outrigger provides community and Hawaiian cultural connection in the High Desert

by Jada Olson July 1, 2026July 2, 2026

If you’ve walked around Old Mill or Riverbend in the summer months, you’ve probably seen the 40-foot canoes hauling up to the Healy bridge and back again. Or perhaps you’ve heard the calls of “hut” and “ho” from the riverbank and wondered who was out on the river yelling. Somehow, despite their unavoidable size and […]

Outside Features

Using AI to Detect Wildfires Faster

Multiple agencies in Oregon are using a “human-in-the-loop” model while incorporating AI technology

by Nic Moye June 23, 2026June 23, 2026

Agencies and officials tasked with keeping vigilant watch over remote areas prone to wildfires have been incorporating artificial intelligence into their toolkit. PacifiCorp, which is embattled in a class action lawsuit for its role in four major wildfires in Oregon during 2020, says its recently invested in advanced cameras and camera networks to monitor wildfire […]

Outside Features

Bend into Balance: The Power of Water

An interview with Dr. Bruce Becker

by Adriana Mariño June 5, 2026June 3, 2026

As I was getting out of the Juniper pool after my regular swim, I couldn’t help noticing the lively masters team getting ready to start their “Fast Friday” session. While Coach Bob was writing the workout on the dry board, swimmers ranging from early thirties to mid-eighties were stretching on land, putting their swim googles […]

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