Over the weekend I went over to Bend with my buddies Sara and Ron. We left Portland where it was pouring and soggy outside. As soon as we crossed the Cascades it was sunny with pretty skies. Apparently Bend averages 300 sunny days a year. If they only had some jobs…

We did our riding on Saturday at Phil’s Trail, just outside of Bend. We had heard it was the trail to ride so we gave it a shot. It was nice singletrack that weaved through the trees and up the gentle hill.

It was fun riding up the hill and we were pretty psyched for the downhill. At the top of the hill it got steep and we walked a few sections cos we’re lazy and the dust was pretty thick.
We saw on the map that there was a section called Whoop-de-doos. We weren’t sure what it was, but it’d be different than going down the part we just did. A party of bikers passed us and I asked how the trail was. We wondered why it was called “Whoop.”

“Lots of potential for air.” Ron thought she said “error.” Either way she’d be right. The downhill was fairly modest, but the trail whipped through tight sections of trees and over moguls. After the first one, Ron and I were yelling and hollering as we bombed down the whoop-de-doos. The moguls were placed about 10 feet apart so you’d get air on one and have to get ready for the next right away. And then you’d hit a banked curve and do it all over. I’m sure we didn’t get over 2 feet of air on each jump, but you add it up and it’s pretty sweet.

We booked down the rest of Whoop-de-doos and then hit Ben’s trail. It didn’t have as many jumps, but it was still dope as we sliced through trees and around curves.

We celebrated the 16 mile ride by hitting the Deschutes Brewery and getting a few beers. And then going back to our campsite for Whiskey Sours, brauts, beer and brownies made in a dutch oven.

I’m sure everyone has heard about the Kryptonite fiasco (which affects all similar locks.) I figured I’d give it a whirl on my lock. I didn’t have a pen that fit the lock correctly but I got a pen in there after pounding it into a wall in the parking lot. And the lock did make a 1/4 turn.
But then I couldn’t turn it all the way, or get it back to where I could put my key in. I eventually got the lock back to a good state after pounding it against the ground with a cheapo pen. I’m going back to using a combonation lock until I get a rebate and can buy a new NY Lock, which is not supposed to have these issues.

On Sunday my buddy Sara and I met in Woodland, Wa to go up to St. Helens for a little biking. My body decided it was time to get the runs, so I ate a few Immodium ADs. I thought it was the calamari from Saturday night when I went out for greek food with Faustina after the Tears for Fears concert. They only played a few songs, but it was all good (and free!)

At the trailhead there were two other cars with bikers going up the hill. And a hunter in camo sitting on a rock near us. I asked him what season it was.

He looked up to the sky, “Summer.”

The other bikers laughed a little uncomfortably and said “We asked him the same thing.”

“It’s Elk season”, he finally said, ” and bikers.” No smile.

“Well, we don’t taste too good.”

“That’s ok. I just drop the Elk and bikers and leave them there.”

I figured he was just joking with me and seeing if I’d react like a liberal and say “Hey, you can’t just leave the animal there, that’s wrong.” So I just laughed.

We got ready and he came over and chatted more with us. I think we passed some sort of test. Or the runs made me think more was going on.

“I see all of these fancy bikes.” Which makes me worry when people say that… “And no kick stands!” I had to laugh.

“I know, you’d think you’d get one.”

“I’d take it back. Those shoes good for pushing up the hill?”

“You know it, not good for biking, good for pushing.”

And we were off up the hill, to do some pushing. I remembered the Ape Canyon trail being pretty difficult cos of the elevation and being out of shape. It wasn’t too bad this time. I stopped from time to time to relax. Ok, to breathe. But it was ok.

It was pretty up on the Plains of Abraham and we toodled around, taking pictures and looking around. We couldn’t see the top of the mountain because of the low clouds, but every now and then the sun would pop out and make the area look like pictures of Tibet.

We went over towards Windy Ridge, which funnily enough was pretty windy. You could see the main visitor center towards the North, with no real vegetation inbetween.

The clouds started to come in so we started back and flew down the hill back to the car. We celebrated our conquest of St. Helens with a shake, a few burgers and some fries.