Off to Bend

We didn't think it was going to be possible  to go to Bend this year and we were having a hard time with it. A major portion of our conversations on rides and with friends end up talking about Bend at one point or another. It is that cool of a place. We decided that a shorter trip was better than no trip so tomorrow we are gone. All of a sudden 100 miles of suffering is in my near future.

One of my only complaints on my 429 is that it will drop the chain on rough terrain. In last years 100 miler it came off a few times. Nothing kills your flow like having to get off the bike and fix something at the bottom of a downhill. I bought this chain guide from Bionicon. Hopefully this will solve my issues.

Suckered!

 Sometimes maps can be misleading, and descriptions can leave out a lot of suffering. Lucas and I took on this particular adventure. What it doesn't tell you is half of the "downhill" from the reservoir is border line unhikeable with a 35lb bike in your hands. them when you get to the trail it is totally blown out dg sand. By the time we got to Kennedy I had been out of water for 3 hours, Lucas 2. 

7.5 hrs later we really enjoyed our beer.      

 The views on this ride were amazing. You can see Lucas is real happy about where we are going next.

He did find the house he was looking to buy. Great location, no neighbors, rough road though.

Cramming

 About a week ago we decided that we were going to go to Bend in spite of all the things that have been going on in our lives lately. This means that I have a 100 mile race that I really haven't been training for in my very near future. I have been trying to get in as many miles as possible. Tuesday I couldn't handle the idea of riding in 101 degree weather so I headed up to Eagle Meadows. This photo is about half way up the Eagle pass trail. Eagle peak is right above my bike.

 I have been talking about getting to the top of this trail for about 8 years.

 The view alone was worth the hike a bike.

8960' thats why I was tired, not because I'm out of shape.