zpl

Last week I took my new Checkpoint ALR5 out to ride the Deschutes River Trail, which is about a 1.5hr drive East of Portland, OR:






The trail itself is around 19 miles, so I did an out and back to the end of the trail. I read reports of rattlesnakes and goathead thorns on the trail, but only encountered one rattlesnake and thankfully no goatheads - it must not be their season yet. Starting this ride early is a must, as it gets really hot during the summer and shade is hard to find on the trail. I brought 4 liters of water, and that was barely enough. Other than seeing a couple of fly fishing folks on bikes in the morning, I was alone the whole time, so it's important to be self-sufficient. I had brought 4 tubes and a patch kit just in case. It was a great adventure and start of my new gravel riding obsession!