Ride day! A bit different today – we’re going to do a shuttle. But first, breakfast! While talking about our trip on Facebook, a gal named Cate chimed in and said “You’re in Bend? I live in Bend! Let’s get together!”, or something like that, so today we’re going to do it! She suggested Palmer’s Cafe for breakfast, so off we went. I had – what else? – Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, but was wary, because it was a bit pricey, especially for such a hole in the wall place. However, when the food showed up, the portions were HUGE, so not pricey after all! Here it is after I’ve eaten half of it:

Met up with our new friend Cate, and she took us on a little tour. We dropped her car off at the bottom trailhead, then took off for Dutchman Sno-Park Trailhead with her and her bike aboard. At the top, unloaded, and headed out the Flagline Trail. Close to the start, I looked back and was rewarded with this:

Wow! Some guys passed us while we were admiring the view, and here they are going up the trail:

Kicking up quite a bit of dust. This trail is actually kind of cool, it starts off going slightly downhill for the first mile and a bit (maybe 1.1 or so), so you can kind of warm up, then it climbs for about three miles, some of it kind of steep, but never very steep for very long, and then eleven miles of almost complete downhilling bliss. WOW! Very nice!

At the top, at the four mile mark, we saw this:

We stayed on that until it got to Swampy Lakes, where we went down South Fork Trail. About three miles down, we took a left to go see Tumalo Falls:

Went back to South Fork Trail where we had left off, and continued along Tumalo Creek, until we met up with the West Trail, which we took to the Skyliner Sno-Park Trailhead, where Cate was parked. Wow. I say that a lot, but the photos really do NOT do it justice. You have to be here.

Overall, 15 miles, and we were quite toasted. Off for lunch at Parrilla Grill, where I had a most awesome Fish Burrito, and drank lots of water and lemonade. Beer will come later, on the way home. Awesome ride, thank you Cate! Oh, also got to meet her husband Donovan and their daughter Emily – Hi guys! Thanks for letting us borrow Cate for a few hours!

Tired? Oh, yes! But we still stopped by 7th Street Brewery in Redmond for a brewski, this time the Scottish Ale, some sort of McDugal something – waitress took the menu before I could read it – Quite tasty! So much so, we got a growler-full for later!

Tomorrow? Probably ride again, we’re suckers of punishment, but it will be a very flat ride – our legs are toast!