Peterson Ridge 17-Mile Loop, Sisters, Ore.

Drove to the small town of Sisters, Oregon for the second time this month to try out the new mountain bike and get some sun while Portland was socked in with clouds and drizzle. We chose the Peterson Ridge system as an easy alternative to the Phil's network in Bend (where we've only ridden once, with a guide). It was just my speed. Some sports are difficult for a low-risk control freak, and this is one of them. Hopefully I will learn to trust my bike a little bit more. And I still don't think it's as hard as cross country skiing, so there's that. At least a mountain bike has brakes. And the fast and flowy parts through the pine are almost as good as hiking.

Black Butte, from the West Trail.

Posing on the trail. I spent a good portion of this ride either grinning like a maniac or grunting like Martina Navartilova.

Pretending to be more boss than I actually am. Riding over boulders is scary, there I said it.

Central Oregon colors.

I could seriously live here. 

Um, yeah, so lots of pics of Black Butte. North Sister was pretty close, but mostly shrouded in clouds.

We stopped for lunch at this conveniently-placed picnic table where the east and west trails meet.

Dr. B snapped this cool shot somewhere along the East Trail.

McKenzie Pass and Parkdale Weekend Rides

Starting off the 15 mile ascent to McKenzie Pass (highway 242) out of Sisters, Ore. Why, you ask? Wait.

Anticipating a harder climb, hitting the Hammer gels early.

Mostly pleasant climbing after 5 miles of false flat.

The lava fields are why you do this. That's Mount Washington and the flank of Belknap Crater off to the left.

Approaching the Pass.

Dee Wright Observatory ahead.

The Sisters, near where the PCT crosses 242.

I was so cold on the descent that I consented to wearing Dr. B's Raph-tard jacket. I am ashamed to admit that it is awesome.

Self-explanatory.

From Windy Pass, about 12 miles up.

Dr B's sweet ride.

I'm in there somewhere.

This ride gets the Charles Atlas seal of approval.

Day 2, riding from Hood River to Parkdale, with Mount Hood at the end of the highway.

Bitchin ride.

Feeling pretty badass right about now.

My compatriots like this "beer" stuff. I don't get it.

Timothy Lake Test Run

Okay, so I didn't go all the way around Timothy Lake for my big practice run in preparation for the half marathon next month. Because apparently I'm an idiot, I accidentally looped back around to my car about 4 miles in. That's the kind of mistake you make when you're overconfident, not looking at a map, going "fast" and listening to headphones. When I realized what I did, I decided to explore about the same distance in the other direction and hit the PCT junction before turning back around. Essentially, I did an 8-mile figure eight. Great. My limited impression is that is was a) hot, and b) hillier than I expected. Parts were flat, sure, but some weren't, and that made me nervous. I'm hoping that I was just accidentally off-trail for those parts, otherwise it's entirely possible that I will be crawling over that finish line on June 2nd.