Outside

If you're a Bend bike racer of any ilk, by the time Memorial Day dawns, you'll have earned at least one grilled bratwurst and a beer. With three bicycle races over the holiday weekend in Central Oregon, local competitive cyclists will have a choice of which hurt locker to enter without having to travel far from home. Meaning no excuses, no epic excursions over the Cascades to get your competitive groove on. It's going down here.
And, come Monday, depending on how many races you've done, you can down multiple brats and brewskis with no guilt, all the while flexing your awesome quads.

It's a beautiful, unseasonably warm Saturday in Bend. I have a paid baby sitter entertaining my two minis so I can ride as long as I want. Although it's gusty, I've opted for a trail ride, and feel smart as I imagine my husband and his pals riding their road bikes on the open, windswept roads east of Bend.
I ride C.O.D., which is reportedly in good shape compared to some of the other trails in Phil's, and as I ride under the rock outcroppings I think of mountain lions. For some reason that trail, more than others, makes me aware of my appeal as a tasty snack for a big kitty.
I push the thought from my mind, as I always do, and had a great ride up to Storm King. Coming back down, I clear some tricky sections and, feeling pretty darn sassy, decide to add a loop and extend my saddle time. I'm cruising on fast, tacky single track when a couple of animals jump from the brush onto the trail in front of me.

Bend is home to arguably some of the best trail runs in the world as well as the best trail runners. While the running scene in Central Oregon might often be overshadowed by its flashier and faster cousin – cycling – Bend is known nationally as a great place to train, compete or plan a vacation around exploring the trails.
Lucky for us locals, many of Bend's trails can be accessed through other trails maintained by the Bend Parks District. In many cases, we can avoid getting in the car altogether. Within a few miles of downtown, there is everything from loops that feel like mountain climbs to gentle routes along the Deschutes River that have almost no elevation gain.
One of my favorite things about running on trails is that you can see a lot of scenery in a short time, especially if you can work your way up to some longer routes. Trail running is also a lot better for your body because dirt is more forgiving than pavement, and you get to breathe fresh mountain air instead of car exhaust.

The annual Cascade Chainbreaker mountain bike race is perhaps best known for providing a passport to forbidden fruit: private land, almost 33,000 acres of it, riddled with single track. Like Willy Wonka opening the factory gates, the Chainbreaker has effectively served as the single track equivalent of the Golden Ticket, providing participants with access to fantastic and isolated trail.
What many people don't know is they can go there anytime they like, at least during spring, summer and fall. But they might want to bring a topographical map, a compass and a strong sense of direction. The Skyline Forest, as it's now referred to, encompasses almost 50 square miles of undeveloped land northwest of Bend. Historically known as the Bull Springs Tree Farm, this huge chunk of land is the prize in a slow-developing transaction between the Deschutes Land Trust and the property's owner, Cascade Timberlands, LLC.