Hop When You Have To

Happy Birthday to this amazing human. 8 years old. So much has changed. So much is still the same ebullient, adventurous, kind soul. Climb On!

High Cascades wonderland. Another shot from last weekend’s overnighter. The area above Happy Valley is such a lush contrast from the desert just a few miles east. Magical riding. Link to the route in my @ridewithgps routes. #bikepacking #publiclands #wild #oregon #deet (at Broken Top)

You will make the world better. Never cruel, never cowardly. Never give in, never give up, kid. #dogoodbegood #relentlessoptimism #stolendrwhoquote (at Dee Wright Observatory)

Boys night out. Creek wading and castle climbing. Love these two men in training. #dadlife #oregon #publiclands (at Bend, Oregon)

Success! Finally@completed my leather roll-top frame bag. MANY mistakes made and lessons learned in the process. Can’t believe I actually made it work. Now for some test rides! This was a humbling process, to say the least. Happy with the result. Happier with the process. #bikepacking #makestuff #makingitupasigo #planb

Lava Lake A few miles into the return trip from the loop around Bachelor. #bikepacking #yourpubliclands #wild #oregon #publiclands #fishing (at Lava Lake)

High Cascades S24O - scenes from the first half. Wanted to hit the loop of single track from home out to Lava Lake for a while now. Nixed last year due to fires. Was in great form Friday night. Great time with the right mix of suffering and smiles. More to come in a bit... Good to be young (at heart), foolish, and alive! #bikepacking #yourpubliclands #publiclands #s24o #mountainbike #wild #oregon @bendtrails @intergalacticsurlybikes #surlykrampus @tenkararodco #bikefishing @ridewithgps (at Three Sisters Wilderness)

Making the most of the 5-to-9: some bikefishing and food carts. Life is good. #bachelornight #bikefishing #tenkara #yourpubliclands #krampus (at Robert Sawyer Park)

Wide open spaces and empty roads. Oregon, we love you. The Paisley Loop in the Fremont-Winema NF of Southern Oregon is a gem. A barely visited area, with high mountain springs, winding lonely roads, and expansive meadows. Route link in profile. #bikepacking #wild #oregon #yourpubliclands #adventure #adventurecycling #gravelgrinding @ridewithgps @intergalacticsurlybikes @bendvelo (at Dog Lake)

Yellow bike, yellow flowers. @dawnraek picks the best parking spots. This was from our camp outside of Bly, high above Campbell Reservoir. Route link in profile. #bikepacking #wild #oregon #yourpubliclands #adventure #familypacking #gravelgrinding @intergalacticsurlybikes @revelatedesigns @swiftindustries @bendvelo

The photo never captures the steepness. #bikepacking #oregon #wild #yourpubliclands #strongwoman (at Bly, Oregon)

Leather frame bag: round 2. Older and wiser (hopefully). Picked up some important lessons from my last failed attempt and the successful x-pac one I sewed for the tandem. Love the process of dreaming, planning, building. #makestuff #bikepacking #planb #relentlessoptimism

Rivers of the Fremont-Winema, pt 3: The Chewaucan. Just out of Paisley, a gorgeous green valley winding up into the hills. After so much desert riding and touring, we were blown away by how good of a water situation there was on this route. High mountain springs, clear flowing creeks, fat running rivers. Made the camping and riding so much mentally easier and fun. #bikepacking #yourpubliclands #wild #oregon #bikefishing @tenkararodco (at Paisley, Oregon)

Rivers of the Fremont-Winema, pt 2: Slide Creek (and lake) Awesome recommendation from passing fishermen on July 4th for a can’t miss creek-side camp off the road and short walk to a great fishing lake. Good reminder of the kindness of fellow travelers, and the importance of bikepacking/fishing as cultural bridge. #bikepacking #wild #oregon #bikefishing @tenkararodco (at Paisley, Oregon)

Spontaneous family bikepack overnight, courtesy of @dawnraek One part inspiration, two parts restless wanderer. To the ends of the earth! (Or just a few miles up the Mrazek) #bikepacking #wild #oregon #yourpubliclands #s24o #whysleepinside (at Deschutes National Forest)

Rivers of the Fremont - pt 1. The Sycan. #bikefishing #bikepacking #tenkara @tenkararodco #wild #oregon #yourpubliclands (at Fremont–Winema National Forest)

Cockpit view. #bikepacking #bikefishing @tenkararodco @revelatedesigns #yourpubliclands #oregon #wild #adventure (at Fremont–Winema National Forest)