After recovering from a 2010 bike accident that broke his neck and back, George Pierce had another dilemma. The world champion duathlete wanted to make a comeback, but was losing a lot of time changing shoes during the races. “I asked myself, ‘How could I solve this problem? How could I get into the shoes […]
Outside Features
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Get It While You Can
Great fall weather extends the season—and the trail work—for Bend’s cycling community
For James Williams and Laura Winberry, right now is the best time to be biking. “Trails are prime right now. They’re as good as they get,” said Williams, an avid cyclist. “There’s fewer people, good dirt, pretty colors in the woods as we get deeper into fall.” “Usually this time of year’s a lot colder […]
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Going Underground
Physicist shares six years of caving
She’s gone underground in exotic locales such as Slovenia and West Virginia. She’s slogged through caverns with water up to her chin. And this week, she’s ready to tell you all about it. On Saturday, Nov. 12, Gilly Elor, a woman who’s done more in her mere six years of caving then anyone can imagine, […]
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Ales and Astronomy
Worthy Brewing Shows Off Its New Observatory
In 2012, Roger Worthington had a vision of building his own “Beertopia.” The Worthy Brewing founder and owner describes it as “a mini-campus, a place where a person can make connections, can be stimulated, a place where the mind can expand.” His first step toward Beertopia: Looking to the stars. Worthy Brewing is finishing construction […]
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Bundled Up for Fun
A roundup of winter events this season
Whoever wrote that, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” song clearly never lived in Bend. Locals know that this season is one of the best times to get outside for snow-related activities. From skiing to exploring the winter wilderness to partaking in the season’s festivities, here is a (by no means exhaustive) list of the some of […]
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Fight for the Ochocos
Objections arise as new trail system is proposed
Northeast of the city of Prineville lies the Ochoco National Forest—a much-loved area more than 845,000 acres in size. Inside its borders are three Congressionally-designated wilderness areas, more than 375 species of wildlife and countless firs and pines. Then there's the current controversy about who can use the lands and when. Last month, the U.S. […]
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Camping at the Airport
A traveler trades fir trees for flight towers
If there’s one thing I’ve learned writing for this section over the last few months, it’s that there’s no shortage of places to see and things to do in Central Oregon. But I’ve also realized that there are some things the West Coast can’t offer me. I’m originally from Ohio, and despite popular belief, the […]
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Aviation and Avian Creatures Can be Friends Again
Local technology helps protect wildlife in the sky
The hit movie “Sully” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood is reaping strong box office revenue–but it’s also having a major impact on a Bend aviation company that specializes in the manufacture of equipment for a global aviation market. Precise Flight CEO Doug La Placa tells the Source Weekly, “Everybody in this company […]
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All the Pretty Therapists
Bend’s smartest horses ride to your emotional rescue
My couples therapist has grass between his teeth. Not surprising. He grazes most of the day, this majestic creature, and yet still finds the time to provide clients with much-needed emotional support. Did I mention he’s stunningly handsome? Long legs, two giant brown eyes, a flowing mane and the innate ability to figure out exactly […]
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Writing for Wild Women
Author’s new book guides women in the wilderness
Don’t let the Boy Scouts and lumberjacks fool you—women can handle the great outdoors just as well, if not better, than men. Ruby McConnell is helping to prove it. McConnell is the author of “A Woman’s Guide to the Wild,” published earlier this year by Sasquatch Books. The guide covers the outdoor experience from a […]