D6 Friday, April 15, 2011 • THE BULLETIN
A D V EN T U R E S P ORT S
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Please e-mail sports event information to sports@bendbulletin.com or click on “Submit an Event” on our website at bendbulletin.com. Items are published on a space-availability basis, and should be submitted at least 10 days before the event.
CLIMBING FREE CLIMBING DAY AT BEND ROCK GYM: Sunday, April 17, noon to 8 p.m.; come check out the newly remodeled floor and climbing terrain at Bend Rock Gym; donations accepted; admission is two canned or non-perishable food items; 541-388-6764; info@bendrockgym. com; www.bendrockgym.com.
CYCLING FREE BIKE RODEO: Saturday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the corner of Fort Clatsop Drive and Ordway Drive in Bend’s Northwest Crossing neighborhood; hosted by the Bend Endurance Academy; a bike rodeo is an obstacle course that is open to riders of all ages and abilities; participants must supply their own bike and helmet; contact Brenna Warburton for details: 541-678-3865. BEND ENDURANCE ACADEMY CYCLING PROGRAMS: Include options in youth development, junior teams, U23/collegiate teams, camps, races and shuttles; age 6 and older; mountain biking, road cycling and cyclocross; info@ bendenduranceacdemy.org; www. bendenduranceacdemy.org. MBSEF CYCLING PROGRAM: Classes in both mountain and road biking are offered starting at the end of April, through August; 541-388-0002; mbsef@ mbsef.org; www.mbsef.org. MOUNTAIN AND ROAD BIKE RIDES: Join Trinity Bikes in Redmond Mondays or Wednesdays for evening rides; road bike ride from shop on Mondays and mountain bike ride at Peterson Ridge in Sisters or Phil’s Trail complex in Bend on Wednesdays; all riding levels welcome; bring own bike or rent from the shop; Trinity Bikes; (541) 923-5650; www.trinitybikes.com. WEEKLY ROAD RIDE: Saturdays, noon; weekly group road rides starting from Nancy P’s Baking Co., 1054 Milwaukee Ave. in Bend; Glen Bates, glenbates@ bendcable.com, 541-382-4675. GRIT CLINICS: Women-specific mountain bike clinics for beginner and intermediate mountain bikers; designed to increase confidence on the trail by improving bike-handling skills; four clinics offered in Bend: May 14-15, June 11-12, July 30-31, Sept. 10-11; registration is open at Bend’s Pine Mountain Sports; $100 per two-day session; visit www.GritClinics.com, or email info@GritClinics.com.
HIKING HIKING CENTRAL OREGON RIVERS: The field trips will explore the stream sides of the Metolius, Deschutes, McKenzie and Fall rivers; trails will cover five to eight miles in length; one classroom session on April 19 and four field sessions Tuesdays, April 21 through May 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $85; 541-3837270 or noncredit.cocc.edu. HIKING THE CENTRAL OREGON DESERT: The four field trips will visit different trails in the area, and each hike will cover five to eight miles; one classroom session on April 18 and four field sessions Monday, April 20 through May 11, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $85; 541-3837270 or noncredit.cocc.edu.
MISCELLANEOUS POLE PEDAL PADDLE FIRSTTIMERS SEMINAR: Thursday, April 21, 5:30 to 7 p.m.; U.S. Bank in downtown Bend; past winners of the event will answer questions regarding transitions, training, the course, logistics and how to shave some time; RSVP to molly@mbsef. org or 541-388-0002; the Pole Pedal Paddle is a multisport event that includes alpine and cross-country skiing, cycling, running and kayaking. BEND OFF ROAD OYSTER RACE: Saturday, June 25, 8 a.m.; at Deschutes Brewery in Bend; a condensed, milder version of an adventure race, the Oyster Off Road challenges teams of two and relays of four to push the limits in some of nature’s pristine playgrounds; entry fee $60; 303-777-6887; oysterracingseries.com. THE URBAN GPS ECO-CHALLENGE: Trips on paths and trails along Deschutes River through Old Mill District shops and Farewell Bend Park daily at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; like a scavenger hunt with clues and checkpoints; $65, includes guide, GPS and instruction, water, materials; 541-389-8359, 800-9622862; www.wanderlusttours.com.
PADDLING SPRING PADDLE FEST: April 30May 1, at Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe in Bend; kayaking experts will teach free two-hour basic skills kayak clinics all day Saturday behind the store starting at 10 a.m.; Sunday, at River Bend Park, boating representatives from major kayak and canoe companies will bring the latest models for paddlers to demo; contact Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe at 541-317-9407 or info@tumalocreek. KAYAKING CLASSES: Sundays, 4-6 p.m.; for all ages; weekly classes and open pool; equipment
provided to those who preregister, first-come, first served otherwise; Cascade Swim Center, Redmond; $3; 541-548-7275; www.raprd.org. KAYAK ROLL SESSIONS: Sundays, 4:15 to 6 p.m.; at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, Bend; Sundays through the end of May; space is limited to 12 boats; registration is available beginning the Monday before each roll session at register. bendparksandrec.org; boats must be clean and paddles padded and taped to prevent damage to the pool; no instruction is provided; $8-$10 per boat.
ROLLER DERBY RENEGADE ROLLER DERBY: Practice with the Renegades Sundays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Bend’s Midtown Ballroom; dropin fee of $7; loaner gear available; contact nmonroe94@gmail.com. PRACTICE WITH THE LAVA CITY ROLLER DOLLS ALL-FEMALE ROLLER DERBY LEAGUE: 3 to 5 p.m. on Sundays and 8-10 p.m. on Tuesdays; at Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center; $6 per session, $40 per month; deemoralizer@lavacityrollerdolls. com or 541-306-7364.
RUNNING LIGHT OF HOPE: Sunday, April 17; at Riverbend Park, Bend; 10-kilometer, five-kilometer and one-kilometer runs/ walks; $10-$35; proceeds benefit CASA of Central Oregon; 541-389-1618; http://www.casaofcentraloregon.org. FOOTZONE HALF-MARATHON TRAINING GROUP: Saturdays through May 28; 9 a.m.; 12-week program; train for the Dirty Half or Happy Girls Half; $90; Johanna Olson; 208-450-9074; sign up online at www.footzonebend. com or in person at FootZone. HAPPY GIRLS HALF MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAM: Eight-week half-marathon training program to prepare for the Happy Girls Half (May 29), Dirty Half (June) or Pacific Crest (June); Saturdays through May 21 at 8:30 a.m.; $75; 541389-1601; training@fleetfeetbend. com; www.fleetfeetbend.com/half. REDMOND RUNNING GROUP: Meets at 8 a.m. on Saturdays for a 4- to 8-mile run; contact Dan Edwards at rundanorun1985@ gmail.com or 541-419-0889. FOOTZONE NOON RUNS: Noon on Wednesdays at FootZone, 845 N.W. Wall St., Bend; seven-mile loop with shorter options; free; 541-317-3568. TEAM XTREME’S RUNNING CLUB IN REDMOND: Meets at 8 a.m. on Saturdays at Xtreme Fitness Center, 1717 N.E. Second St.; 2- to 5-mile run; free; 541-923-6662. RUNS WITH CENTRAL OREGON RUNNING KLUB (CORK): 8 a.m. on Saturdays at Drake Park for 6-18 miles; free; runsmts@gmail.com. FOOTZONE WOMEN’S RUNNING GROUP: Distances and locations vary; paces between 7- and 11minute miles can be accommodated; Sundays at 9 a.m.; locations vary, Bend; free; 541-317-3568 or jenny@footzonebend.com.
SCUBA DIVING BASIC BEGINNER SCUBA DIVING CLASSES: Central Oregon Scuba Academy at Cascade Swim Center in Redmond, ongoing; certification for anyone 12 and older; vacation refresher and dive industry career classes for certified divers; cost varies; Rick Conners at 541312-2727 or 541-287-2727.
SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING WESTERN REGION FIS SPRING SERIES DOWNHILL RACE: April 1520 at Mt. Bachelor; 541-388-0002; mbsef@mbsef.org; www.mbsef.org. SKI EVALUATION FOR MT. BACHELOR NATIONAL SKI PATROL: Sunday, April 17, at 9 a.m., at Mt. Bachelor “Sprung” (large white tent in the West Village parking lot); candidates should plan to spend most of the day on the mountain; the volunteer NSP is recruiting for all disciplines: alpine patrol, nordic patrol and auxiliary patrol; alpine patrol is open to alpine skiers, snowboarders and alpine touring/telemark skiers; this is the final ski evaluation offered this ski season; contact Rob Weiss at mt.bnsp.training@gmail.com. ANNUAL MAY DAY RACE: April 29-May 1 at Mt. Bachelor; open to ages 7 to 14; race is staged out of the Junior Race Center at Mt. Bachelor; 541-388-0002; mbsef@ mbsef.org; www.mbsef.org.
SNOWSHOEING GUIDED SNOWSHOE TRIPS: Three guided snowshoe trips per week; trips geared towards those ages 55 and older; trips divided into easy, intermediate and advanced in Deschutes, Ochoco and Willamette national forests; $15 per person for first time snowshoers; $20 per person after first trip; registration required two days before each trip; contact 541-3838077; strideon@silverstriders. com; www.silverstriders.com.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
Mountain biker Bill Hartrich cruises along singletrack trail at Horse Ridge last week. The area offers mountain bikers challenging rides with sweeping views of the High Desert.
Ho rse Ridge Continued from D1 A map is also available on the Central Oregon Trail Alliance website (www.cotamtb.com), but don’t expect that to end any confusion. To me, Horse Ridge is a new adventure every time — barbedwire fences, random turnoffs and dirt roads always make it so. Am I going the right way? Who knows? There’s nobody out here because, well, it’s snowing. Such was the case last Friday as I mounted my bike at the trailhead and those little pellets of springtime snow started falling. The sun came and went through foreboding gray clouds. From the trailhead, bikers have two main options for singletrack. They can go left and ride a rolling trail along a fence line close to U.S. Highway 20, or go right and begin a challenging climb through a short, shallow canyon. Both options can lead to 10- to 15-mile loops. And both trails lead to a fun ridgeline that offers expansive views of the desert landscape east of Bend. I started out with the pretty tough climb through the canyon, which included a few rocky, twisting switchbacks. The singletrack trail was in incredible shape — wet and tacky, with even some fresh powder snow in spots under the shade of trees. Once past the grind of the initial climb, which served to warm me up quickly on a day when high temperatures would reach only the low 40s, I settled onto the side-hill trail to encounter a sprawling vista of the Badlands Wilderness and beyond. Twisted old juniper trees, no greenery left on their limbs, rose into the sky along the trail. Some of the oldest known Western juniper trees are found on the slopes of Horse Ridge, according to the BLM. On a clear day, bikers can take in views of the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, Three Finger Jack, and even Mount Hood to the distant north. Farther east lie Smith Rock, Powell Buttes and the Ochocos, together serving as a backdrop to the juniper-dotted Badlands that dominate the horizon. Directly across Highway 20 is Dry River Canyon. The trail eventually became extremely technical, filled with lava rocks, as it turned back west. On previous rides, I would just go until I couldn’t take the strain of riding over the rocks, then turn around and double back the way I had come. This time, I was determined to ride some sort of loop. Fences are another issue at Horse Ridge. Depending on where they ride, mountain bikers may have to clear at least two barbed-wire fences, which mark the Horse Ridge Research Natural Area. The 600-acre area was established in 1967 to study Western juniper and big sagebrush plant communities, according to the BLM. After clearing a second fence, I noticed Pine Mountain to the south covered in snow. Sun shined off the dusting that blanketed its peak. Instead of crossing a third fence, which would have led me about 400 feet down to the far southeastern end of the trail system, I took a right and con-
Once past the grind of the initial climb, which served to warm me up quickly on a day when high temperatures would reach only the low 40s, I settled onto the side-hill trail to encounter a sprawling vista of the Badlands Wilderness and beyond. Twisted old juniper trees, no greenery left on their limbs, rose into the sky along the trail. Some of the oldest known Western juniper trees are found on the slopes of Horse Ridge, according to the BLM. tinued along singletrack high atop the ridge. I was just a couple hundred feet lower than the highest point of Horse Ridge, which rises to 5,148 feet. I noticed a turnoff to the right, which would have led me back down to the trailhead, but I wanted to continue along the trail. I eventually came to a dead end, or at least what seemed like a dead end. I started down
the west side of the ridge and encountered a view of the area ravaged by the 1996 Skeleton Fire — a vast swath of barrenness. The ridge seemed to drop 800 feet straight down. I could make out the markings of a primitive trail that appeared to switch back down the drop-off, but I had no plans to follow it. I rode back to the turnoff I had seen earlier, hoping to find
the trailhead. The turnoff led to a ripping downhill singletrack trail straight through a gully. The continuous downhill wore out my brakes as I tore down the side of the ridge. Back at the trailhead, that uneasy feeling of isolation I always get at Horse Ridge was gone. Two other vehicles were parked at the trailhead, two mountain bikers just starting out. More clouds rolled in, the snow started falling again, and I was glad to be done. Horse Ridge may not be the first choice for Central Oregon mountain bikers, but with a huge snowpack this year, choices remain somewhat limited until other more popular areas thaw out. Enjoy the winter riding while it lasts, because soon we’ll be complaining about the dusty trails of midsummer. Ma rk Morical can be reached at 541-383-0318 or at mmorical@ bendbulletin.com.
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