Keeping Portland Weird - Yet Fun

Thanks to shows like Portlandia and Grimm, people may wonder about Portland.  There is no doubt that it has its moments, but there are some mountain bike gems.  First, lets talk food.  Portland is a food scene and it has everything from food trucks to great neighborhood places like Ken's Artisan Pizza.  There are also dessert places like Salt n Straw, Cacao's and Blue Star Donuts (my favorite over VooDoo).

You also have bike shops everywhere along with Columbia, REI, Mountain Hardware, GoLite, etc.  The issue with Portland for a mountain biker is just that, it is Portland.  It is a big city and nothing is close.  When I go to Portland, I ride two places - Sandy Ridge and The Lumber Yard. The Lumber Yard is a smaller version of "Ray's Indoor Parks" and lets you ride indoors even when it is raining. Now I know what you are thinking, I don't ride "knees around your ears" trick bikes anymore, and that was my feeling the first time I went there.  But after riding 5 miles worth of fun on a full-suspension mountain bike my mind was changed. There are the trick ramps, but woven all through is a series of mountain bike obstacles including rollers, skinnies, drops, rocks and wall rides.  You'll work up a sweat and a smile. Here is a link to my YouTube channel that has two Lumber Yard videos on it (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkKHTWdQnSsgbMFFIckIDQ)

The Lumber Yard also has an agreement with a local hotel (including breakfast) which gives you the perfect setup for a great weekend.  Leave work on Friday and drive to the Lumber Yard and ride until they close (or you are tired), then spend the night.  The next morning you are about 30 minutes from Sandy Oregon and another 10 minutes to Sandy Ridge.

To say Sandy is part of Portland, is like saying Bethlehem is part of Jerusalem, but if you are not from Oregon, it is easier to say Portland.  With that said, Sandy Ridge is mountain bike destination.  Designed by mountain bikers for mountain bikers and approved by the State.  It has a paved 4 miles climb and then many ways down for all skill levels.  Similar to Hood River and Alsea Falls, it is a must on any list.

For such a bike friendly place, what Portland needs is something similar to the Colonnade in Seattle (https://www.evergreenmtb.org/trails/i-5-colonnade) which provide great fun right in town (like the Lumber Yard, only outdoors).  There is also some great riding round Mount Hood (really, you ride all the way around it and say it huts along the way) and St. Helens.  But again, nothing close to the City other than Forest Park, which for such a friendly bike place, is not very friendly to mountain bikers. Which is again why I live and ride in Corvallis and visit Portland.

OMMBC 2014 Road Trip - Tour of Oregon

Every year the old men like to do a road trip before the start of the summer "season" of events (CPR, C2C, TOE, etc.).  In 2013 we went to Moab (see past post) and this year with the drought down south we were going to Tahoe, but a lat "e spring snow dumped 4 feet of snow on the trails right before we went, so plan "B" was put in place - The Tour of Oregon.

The TofO started on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. with a visit to the Lumberyard indoor bike park in Portland Oregon.  It was my first visit (Tuesday is 2 for 1 night) and I went thinking this was a BMX track (as the 7 of us all had our 29" FSR mountain bikes).  I was gratefully surprised at how much fun it was.  There are tracks, trails, skinny's and rocks to keep you plenty busy.  I think we road 5 miles total and I was worn out when it was done (see my YouTube video - my channel is Craig Cole).

Lumber Yard "Team" Shot

The next morning was all Sandy Ridge (Sandy Oregon) and it was a perfect clear day about 60 degrees and Niner was giving doing a demo day.  Sandy Ridge has a paved 3.75 mile climb to the top with many excellent mountain bike only trails.  We road 22 miles and 4,000 feet of gain. Then drove to Hood River for the night (try the 6th Street Bistro).


Sandy Ridge Fun

The Top of Sandy Ridge

Thursday was a wet ride on the Post Falls trails.  First time there and there are some great trails (some of the craziest sweeping turns I've every been on) and one of the best play areas on top (they are putting a permanent bathroom) that you can drive to.  We were so wet and muddy that we washed our bikes and gear in the creek at the parking lot. This is a "must" return spot when it is dry.  After that crazy event, we drove from Hood River to Bend (Sunriver) with the rain following us (try Parilla.

Friday morning looked to be a bad weather day, but then in cleared as we started our climb up C.O.D. with a stop to play Pirate by riding some Planks.  It was "hero" dirt, perfect texture and no dust.  We climbed to Funner then up to Wanoga Snow Park parking lot and the pump track.  After a visit to Repeat Performance, we shuttled Funner (got snowed on in the parking lot as we unloaded) again and then finished with Storm King.

Funner Log Ride

Saturday we were supposed to be in Oak Ridge doing 17000 vertical feet in a day with Oregon Adventures (the guys who do Mountain Bike Oregon), but the valley was in the mist of a spring storm that included snow, so we decided to stay in Bend.  In fact, we woke up in Sunriver with a dusting of snow also, but the skies cleared and we road under blue skies again. We road 18 miles on the Deschutes River trail then shuttled Funner one more time.

All and all it was another "perfect" trip.  There was fun, laughter, great food, and good hard riding.  We had everything from warm sun, cold rain, snow, mud, and everything in between.  The key to having success on this kind of a trip is to not take yourself to serious, give each other space and recognize that we get on each other's nerves once and awhile. 

 

 

Deschutes River Trail 

 

 

Home Movies

As a follow-up to my last post about some of my favorite YouTube videos I can now talk about my favorite "home movies." That's because I got a GoPro Hero3 from a very special Santa's Helper for Christmas.

I know what you are thinking, "Oh Boy, more shaky video from Dan's Trail."  Some of that is true, what you see on YouTube doesn't always look as good as it does when I play the native files on my PC.  That's because the GoPro software will compress the export for YouTube.  So it will play well on a smaller device (like a smart phone).  You can export in a higher resolution for YouTube, but it takes longer and creates a much larger file.

Here is a link to my YouTube channel, so you can judge for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkKHTWdQnSsgbMFFIckIDQ

Why I Like My GoPro:

1. As a mountain biker you remember the climbs more because you have so much time to think about them as you are doing it.  The downhill's not so much because they go by so fast.  The GoPro lets me review those downhill's when I get home.
2. My GoPro has Bluetooth, so I can play the videos back on my phone.  I can also turn the camera on and off from my phone.  So I can set it up down the trail and turn it on remotely and video yourself (or use it as a "spy" camera, but you didn't hear that from me).
3. It is improving my riding by helping me keep my head still, core centered and to look down the trail.
4. The GoPro software for making videos is very good and easy to pick up.  It comes with some default music and templates.
5. It can handle water, mud, snow, etc.
6. It is fun to send links to rides you have just done with your friends to your friends. 

Why I Don't Like My GoPro:

1. It is more to wear, keep track of and put on your bike.  I got the camera, but then I went and got a few more mounts, and chest strap and helmet strap.  Then you need a camera bag for it all and few more memory cards (nothing over 32GB though).
2. I have an older notebook so importing clips from the GoPro can be slow, then you have to convert them, then finalize your video.  All of which can take 10 to 30+ minutes at each step.  You can capture video fast, but not create media fast.
3. Videos take up a lot of space. On the camera memory card, on your PC and anywhere else.
4. You need to remember to take the camera, the memory card and make sure it is charged (all from personal experience).
5. Sound quality is not great natively once a person is a few feet away, but it picks everything else up.  Fenders banging, breathing and fabric rubbing. That's why back ground music is important.
6. If you don't have fenders on a muddy day or it is raining, the lens can get fuzzy quick.
7. This is nothing wrong with the software, but with YouTube and music rights.  I purchase all my music as I want to be honest, but if I use music I have purchased in one of my personal videos and upload it to YouTube it won't play on certain devices.  It will play on a PC but not a smart phone or tablet device.  YouTube scans the music files attached to videos and prevents them from playing if they "violate" royalty rules.  I understand why, but it is frustrating none the less.(I haven't yet found a great royalty free site for background music)

All in all I love it and I'm glad I have it.  I find out now that I'm videoing other things for other reasons than just mountain biking.  In fact two of my other riding buddies have them also!  So look for more videos from the OMMBC (Old Men Mountain Biking Club) coming soon.

Holiday Fun - Favorite Videos

There is no doubt that technology has not only changed how we ride, but how we watch, learn and interact with mountain biking.  The advent of social media and improved smart phone cameras have increased our exposure to what is going on in the mountain bike community.  In fact, I really wanted a GoPro when they first came out, but then I realized if you go out and search sites like YouTube, you'll find an existing video of the trail you wanted to recorded already there.

With that said, here are the links to some of my favorite videos about mountain biking and a few extra put in for fun.  This is not a complete or comprehensive list and there lots and lots of great videos about riding out there.  But these are my favorites for giving a flavor of what is out there:

1. How to be a mountain biker (I could relate to a number of these):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVRU7jSYkQ

2. Now that you ARE a mountain biker, here are 10 things you should make sure you do (I've done 9 of them):
http://vimeo.com/80735548

3. Danny MacAskill's Imaginate - it really shows off his skills in a fun way, even though it isn't pure mountain biking it is still amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3xVOs7_No

4. Four guys having fun - which reminds me of riding with the "Old Men."  While I do a fair amount of solo riding, it is always more fun with friends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua15Yn_m2p4

5. Urban Downhill - I like these because it reflects how we all started, riding in the streets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4RM_I3Ig-Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIe6hYAdw_I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqBnmhjzzoo

6. Just for fun - Red Bull does make some great videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jmSsQ5ptw

7. More fun from "Monster" with a drift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvXpsdxQ9PE

Sandy Ridge - It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

Sandy Ridge - just saying that brought up visions of riding nirvana.  That's what I thought because of what I had heard from other riders and read in magazines like Mountain Bike Action.  Once a quarter, a group of like minded riders plan a surprise trip.  We don't know the location or plan, we are just told to show up at a certain date and time and away we go.  The most recent trip turned out to be Sandy Ridge.  Of course the day we road it, Sandy Ridge was the only place in the state where it rained.

Sandy Ridge is located at the base of Mt. Hood just past Sandy, Oregon on HWY 26.  After passing through Sandy look for a left onto Sleepy Hollow Road at the sign that says "Sandy Ridge."  After a short drive you come to the parking lot with plenty of parking and a non-flush toilet.  Sandy Ridge is built around a paved four mile climb and a number of trails (green, blue, black diamond) braking off and intersecting each other. 

This difference about riding Sandy Ridge is that these trails are built for mountain biking, they are not hiking trails converted to riding trials, they are pure mountain bike rides.  Switch backs are banked for fast turns, lots of little jumps and pump track experiences.  It rained or misted the entire time, but you wouldn't know it on the trails.  The trails are covered by the trees with a very rocky consistency, so they hold up well and drain well.  We did get muddy though, from the splatter.

Seven of us approximately 27 miles and climbed 5000 feet all with nothing but smiles, hoots and hollers! We finished the day off with great burritos at "Two Brothers" Mexican restaurant.  All the way home the conversation was all about how much fun the day was and when could we get back their again to ride.  The following link takes you to the map of the trails:

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/files/brochures/sdo_sandyridge_map2013_508.pdf

 

Bend 2013

Each year I spend a week riding in Bend.  For 2013 it started on Memorial Day as everyone was heading home (bumper to bumper) heading out of Bend and I was driving to Bend at full speed.

Monday - Before heading over I did a standard ride in Mac Forest.  In the Mac it is either up or down, this day it was 12 miles and about 2000 feet of gain.  If you are heading over to Bend from the valley, I also recommend stopping and doing the Iron Mountain hike.  You can't ride your bike on it, but it is a great hike. The trail head is at the top of Tombstone and it is 1.8 miles to the top (1350 feet of gain).  You cross the Santiam Wagon Trail which you can ride your bike on.

Iron Mountain Trail

Tuesday - I like to stay at the Inn at 7th Mountain because I can get into the Phil's trail system or the Deschutes River trail right out my front door.  My "go to" ride is riding up COD and Funner and then coming back down and hitting ODP (Old Dirty Pirate) on the way back.  It takes me about 2:15 and you get 21 miles and only 1650 in gain.  There are a number a great obstacles on each of these that are all very rideable (I especially like the Pirate Cove trail).  You have to know where this is, as it is not on the "official" map. After that morning ride, I went out to the Lava Lands National Park to walk through the lava fields.  A very cool short hike.

Lava Fields

 Wednesday - With a planned hike up Tam McArthur Rim out of Sisters, I had to do a shorter ride. I chose the Deschutes River Trail (DRT) which is a ride I never get tired of.  There are more technical and challenging rides in the Bend system, but there aren't many that are more beautiful.  You can ride it from Bend to Sunriver or out to the Lava Lands monument.  It can be short or long.  I went from 7th Mountain up to meadow and back.  Just a perfect morning with a stunning view as the fog lifted.

Then it was off to TMR for 5.4 miles round trip hike with 1250 feet of elevation (recommended) and then back to Sisters for lunch.  I also stopped at Blazing Saddles and Euro Sports bike shops.  Euro Sports has the best buys on Specialized Demo bikes, but they don't start selling them till Labor Day weekend. For example, a 2013 Specialized Stumpjumper like mine (see picture) with dropper seat post was $2,500.

Deschutes River Trail

The Meadow

A perfect view

Sunrise

Tam McArthur Trail

Thursday - This was my "rest" day which started with another classic ride.  I climbed COD (and did DOP) and Funner, then after the pump track came down Tiddlywinks and Storm King. It was 23 miles and 2100 feet.  Finished the day reading by the pool.  A great rest day.

Friday - Woke to rain which isn't bad in Bend in the summer as it knocks the dust down.  Skipped a morning ride and headed to Smith Rock state park to scout out the trails and get in a hike.  They have a great mountain bike trail that circles the "rock" and goes along the river then out and around the back side.  I elected to go up to "Monkey Face" and then up and over which was very very steep up and down, but great views.  Then that night I had my wife shuttle me up to the Funner trail head and I road Funner and COD under the lights.

Smith Rock State Park

Monkey Face

Climbing Up on the Misery Trail

View coming down (bike trail in the distance)

Saturday - Started the day with a quick lap on COD (10 miles and 730 feet) then ran in a Bend Charity 5k race (took third).  It was their first one ever and there was considerable confusion on the route, so I could have just as easily finished last, but it was fun.  I thought about an afternoon ride, but it was very relaxing by the pool and I finished my once a year Clive Cussler novel.

Sunday - it was a true day of rest and time to head home. Great fun, riding, food and rest.  I can't wait for 2014.  If you get to Bend, be sure and stop in at Repeat Performance and here are some great restaurants to try:  Flat Bread (by REI), Chow, Noi, Zydeco, Los Agaves (Sisters), Kebaba's, Barrio's, Parilla Grill, Baldy's BBQ and Nancy P's Bakery! 

17000 Vertical in a Day - Oakridge at it's Best

Oregon Adventures offers the best way to see Oakridge and ride some of the best trails around.  It is called 17000 Vertical in a Day and that is just what you get, 46 miles of riding, about 4300 feet of climb and about 40 miles of downhill fun, flowing and challenging single track. Here is what I got to experience with Wayne and his single speed:

First, our timing was perfect, it rained the day before which knocked down all the dust and made the trails perfect.  We left at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at 7:00 in Oakridge (great time in Wayne’s BMW) which was about 1/2 before they wanted us to be there.  As with any adventure when you first pull up, you wonder how professional things are going to be and OA runs a great program. 

At 7:30 a.m. we were making our lunch and you could have as much as you wanted.  BPJ or various meats all on Dave’s Killer Bread.  They had chips, apples, fruit bars, etc. At 8:00 a.m. we were on the bus and our bikes (there were 19 of us) in a van.  They did all the loading and unloading and wrapped each bike in a moving blanket before rolling out.  They also carried our lunches in a cooler and two large water jugs.  We had two drivers and three guides. 

  

Our first ride was Alpine were we climbed about 1900 feet and the ride was about 16 miles long (at least 14 downhill). Then we did Lowler which is 10 miles and 1000 feet of climb. This ride finished in Westfir and they had a little park with a pump track. The third ride was called “Hardesty.” I think it was this ride that we dove back down into the fog and completed the last of our real climbing.

The way the rides would go is that one guide would take off and then about in the middle of the pack would be another guide and then a sweeper who would never get in front of the last person.  But there are times that we would do a One in One Out process.  If there was a key juncture, you would wait until the next guy came to make sure they took the right turn.

It was also on this third ride that I started to feel the effects of always going down hill at a fast pace.  You know you are having fun when you are looking for a little uphill to rest your body (and hands) or you want to stop going downhill for a rest. This ride was 7.5 miles and about 1500 feet of climbing. We also switched to two 15 passenger vans at the end of this ride.  I should point out that almost all the climbing is at the start of the ride, then it is pretty much downhill.

At this point you are done climbing and only have downhill left for the last three rides.  The next ride was a short one called Larison Rock which was 3 miles of of flow and switch backs!  About the 4th switch back down as I chased Wayne I yelled out “Hey Wayne?” “Yeah?” “Wipe that grin off your face!” We popped out across from Lookout Reservoir and got picked up for the ride back to and through Oakridge to the Flat Creek and Aubrey Mountain rides.  Each about 5 miles long and very fast and flowy and very very fun! We popped out at the end of town and peddled back to the shop arriving about 7:30 pm. for some final refreshments.

In summary none of the riding we did was as technical as the North Rim trail on Mary’s Peak and all of it was like riding the East Rim, North Rim or McKenzie. Narrow hillside and old forest runs with great views that flew by.  We road and shuttled for almost 12 hours and yet it seemed to go by super fast because of the intensity of the riding and the thrill of being totally in the moment (everything was new). In the end we climbed more than I expected (both fire road and single track) about 4300 feet and 46 miles total, 40 of that wonderful downhill single track (Strava from my iPhone).  It would take you a number of trips and effort to do what we did in one day.  I would say that from a pure riding experience it is better than MBO in that you don’t have to camp out for three days and juggle with everyone for shuttles and trails (don't get me wrong, the signatures in the bus prove what a great event MBO is, first class - See Outside Magazine or talk to anyone, it is a great celebration of Mountain Biking).

We had 3 flats (me a perfect snake bite pinch flat and Wayne a burb on his tubeless and maybe another pinch flat on the replacement tube) so bring tubes, etc, but the guides are helpful, carry radios and have some equipment with repairs.  I brought a change of jersey, socks and gloves which was perfect for an all day event.

Cost was $149 and I would suggest a tip of at least $20 per rider that goes to the drivers and guides. These are scheduled several times a year, but with a at least 5 people you can schedule your own day. So start saving your pop cans and pennies and do it!  https://oregon-adventures.com/tours
Here are some shots of the day:

Wipe that grin off your face!

The Limos

Above the fog

Stop to see the views, don't do it while riding!