Get Down or Get Out

Posted inCulture

You Have Died of Dysentry: Five friends from Bend make a Flugtag flyer

Intern

Prepare to be Fluged.Imagine careening off a 30-foot deck into the Willamette River wearing nothing but a Speedo, life jacket and helmet in a covered wagon made out of aluminum, two-by-fours and children's bicycle tires while hopped-up on Red Bull (and probably trace quantities of alcohol). If you're Christopher Rosch, Kyle Dover, Robby Marshall, Kevin Mozingo or Pat Tyvand of Team Oregon Or Bust, this is exactly how you will be spending the first Saturday in August.
 
This group of five friends, all of whom grew up on the Eastside of Bend and attended Mt. View High School, decided that spending their summer floating the river with friends wouldn't be enough excitement this year.
"We saw the commercials [on TV] and every time we heard the music we would just get stoked," says Tyvand, who is currently housing the work-in-progress in his garage, "We just decided 'we have to do this.'"

Posted inOutside

That Ain’t No Hummingbird: Life among the sphinx moths

Jim Anderson

HEy Baby!"No, maam, 'baby hummingbirds' do not have antenna, multicolored wings and three body parts; those are the sphinx moths," I told the woman over the phone. Sure, sphinx moths hover like hummingbirds, poke their long "tongue" into flowers and slurp up nectar like hummingbirds, but they are insects, not birds.
 
Every summer about this time, phone calls and e-mails flood my home from people wondering about strange looking "baby hummingbirds" feeding in flowers, especially at night. As far as I know, there are no hummingbirds around here, or anywhere else, that feed at night. But "hummingbird 'moths'" do.
Moreover, we have a wonderful selection of these moths to watch and enjoy. The largest is the white-lined moth, and as I recently learned on a butterfly census at Big Summit Prairie in the Ochocos, the smallest may be Clark's Sphinx Moth.

Posted inOutside

Beating the Heat: Sea Kayaking, Skiing & More

Pam Stevenson

Paddling at Hosmer LakeSEA KAYAKING THE HIGH DESERT
 
Who woulda thunk that Central Oregon could be a Mecca for sea kayakers? On a recent morning bike ride up to Mt. Bachelor, I was passed by approximately 30 rooftop kayaks enroute to various Cascade Lakes. Just a couple of weeks ago, some avid kayakers I know had to park along the highway and drag their boats across the snow to put in at Sparks Lake. Now, there is good access to all of our lakes and it is prime paddling season.
Sparks Lake, the closest lake to town for a decent paddle, is especially good in the early season. It is a shallow lake that dries up as summer progresses, but right now it is full and fun. It offers nooks and crannies to explore, paddle-up campsites and is a wonderful lake from which to watch a full moon rise behind Bachelor. I remember one magical full moon paddle when we were accompanied by a deer swimming across the lake. Hosmer Lake is another favorite of kayakers and fly fishermen alike. It is a beautiful sinuous lake filled with gorgeous yellow water lilies and reflections of South Sister, Broken Top and Bachelor. The water is clear and the fish are plentiful. There is a special treat if you manage to navigate the maze of reeds to the inlet- a sparkling waterfall. I also enjoy taking a lap or two around Elk Lake followed, of course, by an ice cream cone at the lodge. Other great lakes for getting your sea kayak wet include Cultus for a woodsy feel, Crescent if you like sandy beaches and Waldo if you're ready for the potential of bigger conditions.

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