Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Riding in the Columbia Gorge




Well, Portland is wet. Let's put it that way. But its nice in the summer...Or if you get over the Cascades to central Oregon. The Columbia Gorge, however, is worth the miserable wetness. And on this particular weekend, it was pretty darn dry. My friend, Anthony, drove us out to ride a trail called Syncline (it includes "Little Moab" AND "Little Maui." You can't beat that. Everything in one fell swoop.) Anyhow, Syncline is amazing, to put it short. The best trail I've encountered here. Looking over the glacier-formed Gorge over a 100-foot cliff (from which a Mountain Biker fell to his death last year).

The story behind this photo is sort of funny. It was actually not taken by me, but Anthony's friend (who got lost). He (Brian) was riding a bit slower than Anthony and I, and apparently he took a wrong turn. He was lost for about three hours before we met up again. He had my camera in his backpack and he knew that I wanted to take some photos. So he took the one of the meadow. Doesn't really show the trail, or the Gorge, but it's a nice field. Maybe next time I get out I'll get some shots of the trail and some riders. But for now I'm looking forward to trekking down the Oregon and California coast back home to West Marin County. I have just returned from Colorado Springs, where I was visiting Colorado College. I got to ride a couple of epic trails there (Captain Jack's and The Chutes). Unfortunately, I forgot my camera (like always). I plan on attending Colorado College next year, and the Mountain Biking is an excellent added perk. Hope to be sending sweet photos from there next fall, and until then, Happy Summer.