Outside
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Above It All: High Elevation riding is wide open

During the hottest time of the year in Central Oregon some people would rather find activities that don’t involve breathing a lot of dust while dodging mosquitoes.
Source Weekly

During the hottest time of the year in Central Oregon some people would rather find activities that don't involve breathing a lot of dust while dodging mosquitoes. For the dedicated mountain biker these are trivial concerns but for others the call of the Coast or the lakes is too great to resist. That's OK. There are still trails with less of a dust problem and/or fewer mosquitoes, if you know where to go.
It goes without saying the mosquito count in the Cascade Lakes area is “strong”. One crew leader recently reported on a scale of 1-10 the mosquitoes were an “11.” Again the relationship to water here is key. Places like Cultus Lake, Waldo Lake and Lava Lake are notorious for bugs – the best thing is to keep moving or avoid those areas until later in the year.

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Working With a Surplus : Nature's creatures will survive… or at least most of them will

The photo above that Dick Tipton shot of the Osprey getting hammered by a Western Kingbird is the epitome of what lengths small birds go to in order to protect their home and family from larger birds, whether the threat is real or not.
Jim Anderson

The photo above that Dick Tipton shot of the Osprey getting hammered by a Western Kingbird is the epitome of what lengths small birds go to in order to protect their home and family from larger birds, whether the threat is real or not.
There is no way anyone could convince the energetic kingbird that the osprey means no harm. To a small bird with an open nest – such as kingbirds use – larger birds mean trouble as they carry off nestlings and eat them.

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How We Roll: Going through the gears of Central Oregon's cycling scene

July in Central Oregon has cyclists of all affinities putting rubber to pavement and dirt.
Michelle Mercer

July in Central Oregon has cyclists of all affinities putting rubber to pavement and dirt. While I shuddered to see the well-meaning father pulling his toddler up Skyliners Road in a bike trailer a few days ago, mostly I am giddy to see so many people riding bikes of all kinds for so many reasons. True bike love.

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A Better Mousetrap: Why barn owls might be better pest control than poison

Let's face it. Man, in his continual struggle to make a living, stay healthy and put a little money in the bank has a hard time of it, and those who decide to make a living as farmers sometimes have it even tougher.
Jim Anderson

Let's face it. Man, in his continual struggle to make a living, stay healthy and put a little money in the bank has a hard time of it, and those who decide to make a living as farmers sometimes have it even tougher. They often have to put all their eggs into one basket (pun intended), or put another way, create a monoculture, like raising fields of alfalfa hay and nothing else but weeds, for example.
In mid summer, the efforts of all the water, fertilizer and changing pipes at the crack-of-dawn and general TLC to raise a crop of alfalfa are beautifully obvious. However, trouble is brewing because things farmers don't like are attracted to his alfalfa. But not to fear, help is near.

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Wild and Wet: Oregon's wildflower bonanza, The SUP revolution and the world's toughest “tri”

If you missed it, there's still a small window of time to see it. If, on the other hand, you've been out enjoying the wildflower display this year, you've witnessed perhaps the best one in the past thirty years.
Bob Woodward

Going Fast
If you missed it, there's still a small window of time to see it. If, on the other hand, you've been out enjoying the wildflower display this year, you've witnessed perhaps the best one in the past thirty years.
The combination of cool late spring weather along with more than normal precipitation caused the rash of brilliantly colored flowers. For many hikers, mountain bike riders and trail runners, areas like the Maston Allotment, which normally don't get much by way of wildflowers, were suddenly strewn with red, yellow, white and purple blooms for weeks. The display at the Maston, for example, was particularly striking as it livened up what is generally a pretty blah landscape.

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Keep Moving: Freemont trail beckons, other opportunities abound

Hot weather and dry trails are going to be the norm now.
Source Weekly

Hot weather and dry trails are going to be the norm now. While the snow is quickly melting away from the remainder of the summer trails, the mosquitoes are advancing as well. Trail runners and mountain bikers would do well to keep moving and avoid these bloodthirsty insects. Repairing a flat tire or stopping for a snack has a sudden new urgency.
Trails recently opened include the North Fork Tumalo Creek trail and portions of the Metolius-Windigo trail connecting to the top of Mrazek. Although there are still a few small snow patches, these will be melting soon and pose no problems for trail users. Other sections of the “Met-Win,” including the connection from RD 370 to Three Creeks Lake and from Happy Valley South to Flagline tie, are still blocked by snow and downed trees. Flagline trail remains closed until August 15 to protect elk breeding habitat.

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Hey Little Smoky: Sisters latest summer visitor has caused a stir

That devil-may-care brown (black, really) bear is still hanging around Sisters, and, unless it keeps a lower profile, no good is going to come out of it.
Jim Anderson

That devil-may-care brown (black, really) bear is still hanging around Sisters, and, unless it keeps a lower profile, no good is going to come out of it. It showed up about three weeks back, poking its nose into people's backyards looking for handouts and driving the local dogs nuts. By its size and behavior, it appears to be a yearling, which in human terms makes it a teenager, and teenagers, (speaking from my time in that category) can get themselves in trouble without even trying.
The greatest fear for both the safety of man and beast is that some misinformed, well-meaning person in or around Sisters will start feeding it (as is done all too frequently with mule deer), either on purpose or unintentionally. The best thing that can happen to any bear in town is to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible.

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Look for the Glimmers: Ch… Ch… Changes

This is my 100th column for the Source… and my last. Look for changes in your favorite paper – new formats, new material.
Pam Stevenson

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.

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Bikes Everywhere: Racing, beating the odds and riding to work

Time trial bikes, tandem bikes, hand bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes. Bikes were everywhere in Bend last week.
Pam Stevenson

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.

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ODFW Fishing Report for the Week of July 1

The Source Staff

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.

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