Bend Oregon

Arrived in Bend for five days mountain biking. Although I have ridden 5 days in a row before, I have not done five days serious mountain biking before in a row, especially at above 4,000 feet.

Anyway I have found the altitude no problem at all, still go uphill as slowly as before!

Hired a bike, Trek 4500 hardtail, only just acceptable.

The trails are well marked and all seem to start at trail heads where you can park. There are no other facilities, like coffee shops etc!

All the trails, being in the high desert are very dry, dusty and sandy, but the surface is fantastic, fast rolling and smooth, at least between the rocky technical sections.

Basically the trails are like the very best of UK trail centres, except thay are wild and this is no trail centre, but of the rock gardens and the like are mad made. So the riding is superb. When I say high desert its not like a sand desert, its rocky, with lots of vegetation and millions of pine trees.

For the three days I have been here I have managed around 20-30 miles a day, not too much but enough. On the remote sections you are a long way from any help. so taking it carefully.

In the next post will give a bit more info about the particular trails.