Outside Features

This is my 100th column for the Source… and my last. Look for changes in your favorite paper – new formats, new material.
Two years ago, when I accepted this writing gig, I thought, “Well, I probably have ideas for three or four columns.” I really wasn't sure what I'd do after that, and I was a little worried. I wasn't a writer; at least I didn't see myself as one. I thought it would be a way to share my love of the outdoors with my fellow Bendites and an interesting new creative challenge.

Time trial bikes, tandem bikes, hand bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes. Bikes were everywhere in Bend last week. Unless you're a party pooper living on Skyliners Road or a worker for the ODOT maintenance crew, you probably agree with me, the more bikes the better! Despite the efforts of Skyliners Road residents to rid themselves of bikes and ODOT's best attempt to thwart us with chip seal (now they've chip sealed Highway 242 from Sisters to the gate on Mackenzie Pass Highway… ugh) Bend really may be becoming Bike Town USA.
Endorphins in the Air
The concentration of endorphins in the air in Central Oregon reached a record of 1,000 ppm this past weekend. More than 5,000 people participated in the Pacific Crest Triathlon Sports Festival in Sunriver, while some 200 mountain bikers raced at the Wanoga complex in the Pickett's Charge. That's in addition to the 750 cyclists who competed in the USA Cycling Junior, U23 & Elite Road Racing National Championships.

BIG LAVA LAKE: rainbow trout Anglers are having excellent success with rainbow trout. The fish are in great condition ranging in size from 11 – 16 inches.
CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: rainbow trout, brook trout, kokanee, largemouth bass. Fishing at Crane Prairie continues to be a Central Oregon high point this season. Anglers are having very good success catching larger fish up to 5 and 6 pounds with a good number of smaller fish also showing up in the creel.
CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: redband trout and mountain whitefish Biologists completed the annual population survey on the Crooked River Between June 14, and June 17; larger redband were seen this year than were seen in recent years. Although fishing was temporarily affected, anglers reported good fishing to creel surveyors on Monday, June 21. Flows are currently hovering around 250 cfs and should remain steady with dry weather.

Woof! Sprocket here. Every Monday morning for the past two years, my mom has typed up a column for the Source. You know, she does a pretty good job of bringing home the Milkbones, so I thought I'd help out this week. I'm an Australian shepherd, so my grammar and syntax are in the 99sprocket dog, th percentile, and I have a very important issue to write about: playing in the forest.
My most favorite thing in the world to do is run in the forest, especially with my friends, like Bodhi or Rio. Again, I'm an Australian shepherd, so I can run circles around them. I like to go every day, or else I get pretty grumpy.

Do you have a theme song? Mine is by singer/songwriter Jana Stanfield. The chorus goes like this:
I'm not lost, I am exploring.
Life is an adventure worth enjoying.
Though I may not know where I'm going,
I am not lost, I am exploring.
The way I figure it, I've never been lost, because here I am. Though I may have been slightly misplaced at times. The ability to find one's way in the wilderness is not only useful; it's a survival tool.

Know Your Boundaries
The urge to explore is irresistible to some people, but COTA recommends caution when encroaching upon this moving boundary. Crossing large snow drifts and negotiating downed trees can force you far off the trail where it is easy to lose your bearings. Even with modern conveniences such as Spot GPS, help can be hours away. It is always a good idea to tell someone when you intend to be back, never travel alone and carry plenty of water, extra food, clothing, a first-aid kit and repair supplies. It is a great feeling to challenge yourself, but it is irresponsible to rely on only a cell phone or GPS (as helpful as those are) in the absence of common backcountry sense. Being safe out there also means having more fun, so please be safe and know your limits.

As the weather warms and the snow melts at higher elevations, trail users get more terrain to share. With almost 100 cars at Phil's trailhead at any given moment over Memorial Day weekend, spreading out the trail use is sorely needed. Let your tires and soles explore a little. The Farewell Trail connecting to Mrazek Trail is mostly snow-free but, as of this writing, still has a few trees across the trail. The same goes for trails in the Swampy Lakes Snow Park/Swede Ridge area. Skyliner trail is clear of snow and fallen trees and Horse Butte Trail (east of town) is in prime condition as well.

If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims, of course.
Backcountry skiers and mountain bikers have been pilgrimaging to Bend lately for our coveted spring conditions. Like an anthill covered with ants, South Sister has been a magnet for backcountry skiers since the Cascade Lakes Highway opened on May 25. About 370 bike racers stormed along the Peterson Ridge Trail for the inaugural Sisters Stampede on May 30. Eight hundred trail runners will be stampeding into town this weekend for the sold-out Dirty Half. But sometimes it's a good idea to mix it up and go the other way, so I headed east with a friend last weekend to find respite from the rain, balloons and beards.

Editor's note: This is the first installment of a new trails column that is being produced for The Source by the Central Oregon Trail Alliance. Look for COTA's weekly reports in The Source to keep you updated on the latest news from around Central Oregon's always bustling trails, including, closures and events. Ride on. – EF.

Welcome to the first installment of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance's (COTA) Weekly Trail Report. I hope to provide you, dear trail lover, with up-to-the-minute information on trail conditions, COTA work events and progress and trail etiquette tips and timely issues facing trail access. If you have some pertinent trail info you think needs to be shared, please send me an email: chairman @ cotamtb.com