Come for an evening of sharing your adventure stories with others in the outdoor community. Settle in to listen or get prepared to share your adventure stories in 10 minutes or less from 7-9 PM. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
You can’t shred gnar, bomb down trail, climb volcanoes, and run whitewater all the time. But at Boldly Went we know that when you’re not, you want to talk about your adventures with other people who get it – probably over beer. And every thru hiker, trail runner, mountain biker, climber, paddler, sailor, scuba diver, flyer, and Indiana Jones wannabe has at least one story that will inspire, inform, or at least entertain the rest of us, so we’re pulling together crowds of you and randomly selecting you to go on stage to give us your best.
How it works: Event format is casual and starts with a brief review of how to tell a good outdoor adventure story. Anyone interested in telling a story will be encouraged to complete the storyteller sign up sheet throughout the evening. Of those signed up, names are drawn at random. Selected individuals are given 10 minutes to tell their adventure story.
Storytellers are judged by select audience members using criteria described in detail on the Boldly Went website. A winner is announced at the end of the evening. Stories are recorded and may be shared later in the weekly podcast.
Everyone is welcome to attend and no one will be required or pressured to tell a story.
See the Boldly Went website for more details about what to expect at the event and tips for preparing your 10 minute story if you think you have one to share.
Join the Twenty20 Pro Cycling Team for a group ride on Saturday and Sunday morning. Rides will begin at 7AM on both days from LOGE Bend and will end at Mt. Bachelor.
The authors of the popular book, The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life: Eternal Truths for Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds” are bringing their traveling show to XXX to collect your adventure stories and share them in their popular Boldly Went podcast. Come for an evening of sharing your outdoor adventure stories and meet like-minded people. Settle in to listen or get prepared to share your adventure stories in 10 minutes or less from 7-9 PM.
You can’t shred gnar, bomb down trail, climb volcanoes, and run whitewater all the time. But at Boldly Went we know that when you’re not, you want to talk about your adventures with other people who get it – probably over beer. And every thru hiker, trail runner, mountain biker, climber, paddler, sailor, scuba diver, flyer, and Indiana Jones wannabe has at least one story that will inspire, inform, or at least entertain the rest of us, so we’re pulling together crowds of you and randomly selecting you to go on stage to give us your best.
Check out the webpage for more details about what to expect at the event and tips for preparing your 10 minute story if you think you have one to share.
Brisk mornings, less traffic and changing leaves make fall in the High Desert an ideal time for both road and mountain biking. You don’t have to travel far from Bend to be the only person on a road or trail. It’s what makes the fall shoulder season a favorite time among local riders. “To me, fall in Central Oregon is the nicest time,” said Brad Boyd, owner of Eurosports bike shop in Sisters. “Cooler temperatures, less wind; I’m always amazed how quiet it is.” While in spring you might still be waiting for snow to melt at higher elevations, and summer heat can make riding a bear, the right fall day is without equal. With that in mind we’re focusing on the Sisters area and offering up three fall road rides that you don’t need to have Tour de France-level conditioning to enjoy.
Photo by Duncan Galvin
MCKENZIE PASS
The thirty-mile, out-and-back ride from Sisters culminates at the historic Dee Wright observatory lookout, a one-of-a-kind structure carved out of solid lava rock by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, some eighty years ago.The intrepid explorer will also find distinct remnants of the 1860 wagon trail that was similarly carved out of the unyielding lava beds and remains largely as it was when the route was abandoned in the 1920s.
While it gains roughly 2,100 feet of elevation, the climb is spread gradually throughout the ride, particularly on the final eleven miles.
“For someone who is comfortable riding on roads and can handle a hill, it’s great ride,” said Alex Phillips, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department bicycle recreation specialist.
From Sisters, the ride cruises past horse ranches and into a thick forest of tall Ponderosa pines. The real climb begins roughly four miles in, but continues at a steady, manageable rate. The final five miles open up with views of the expansive lava fields. Mount Jefferson looms in the distance.
Boyd suggested continuing on an additional five miles of rolling highway to Scott Lake, before the pass begins the lion share of its 3,600-foot decent to the McKenzie River Valley.
“That section, in both directions, is just fantastic,” he said.
Photo by Duncan Galvin
METOLIOUS RIVER/CAMP SHERMAN
If climbing isn’t your thing, consider the Metolius River/Camp Sherman area. Formerly designated a Scenic Bikeway by the state, the region has a hidden gem quality, especially in the fall.
“It’s a beautiful area. People love riding there,” said Phillips. With the crystal-clear headwaters of the Metolius, historic Camp Sherman and a variety of roads are scattered through Ponderosa pine forest, offering loops from three miles to around twenty miles with options for thirty-mile plus rides. There’s something for everyone with minimal elevation gain and occasional mountain vistas.
“We tell people September and October are the best months to be here,” said Camp Sherman Store owner Roger White.
“Everything lines up perfectly. Once we start into fall the colors start and the weather gets even better. Traffic drops off a lot. Come the start of school, there will be a lot less people.”
Boyd agreed.
“There’re some beautiful colors there,” he added, describing fall. “There’s nothing going on. You’re pretty much by yourself.”
ALONG THE WAY
Each of our three fall rides offer a variety of stops and sites along the way. Consider starting your day in Sisters with a morning coffee at Sisters Coffee Company or breakfast at Sisters Bakery. For additional ride information visit Brad Boyd’s Eurosports bike shop in town or nearby Blazing Saddles bike shop. Boyd, a longtime area resident, offers a number of beers on tap for post-ride celebration in the shop’s beer garden. In the summer, the shop hosts a number of food carts, which Boyd said may remain open on weekends through the fall. Three Creeks Brewery, just outside of Sisters on the way to Bend, also makes a solid option for a post-ride bite and brew.
Photo by Sebastian Foltz
SISTERS TO SMITH ROCK
The lesser known Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bike Ride also makes for a great fall ride. Less prone to fall colors, the route from Sisters east through Terrebonne gives a taste of the High Desert without the blazing summer heat.
“People don’t tend to focus on it, and it’s spectacularly beautiful,” said Phillips. “A lot of people think it’s all downhill one way. It’s really not. It’s a lot of rolling hills.”
The thirty-seven-mile route (one-way) fluctuates within a range of 660 feet of elevation gains and losses. Phillips recommends it as a great introduction to bike touring, with camping options on either end of the route.
Boyd also suggested shortening it to an out-and-back by turning around where the route crosses the Deschutes River, a little more than halfway through the ride.
With its high desert climate, this route remains a solid option through much of the winter and long after snow has begun to fall on the Metolius area and McKenzie Pass.
