Spring Mountain Bike Ride
	Deschutes River Trail

Each year, Troop 21 likes to participate in one or two bike rides. This spring, the troop elected to do a mountain bike day ride along the Deschutes River Trail. This is a gorgeous stretch of trail that follows the Deschutes River from Century Drive (leading up to Mount Bachelor) up through the forest, brush, and lava flows all the way to Benham Falls. The US Forest Service maintains the trails in this area, and there are several day use areas along the way. The trail is rated as easy to moderate, although there is one stretch rated as moderately 'technical', with large boulders and twists and turns. The total round trip is just under 15 miles.

Scouts on this outing had the opportunity to work toward or complete the following requirements:

• Tenderfoot 6 - Safe Rules of Hiking
• Tenderfoot 9 - Buddy System
• Tenderfoot 11 - Identify Local Poisonous Plants / Treatment
• 2nd Class 1b - 10 Mile Bike Ride with Map and Compass
• 2nd Class 5 - Animal Identification
• 1st Class 3 - 10 Troop Activities
• 1st Class 6 - Plant Identification
• Cycling Merit Badge - 10 or 15 mile prep ride, and other requirements

To ease congestion on the trail, the troop broke into three groups, with at least two adults (front and rear) of each group. The groups stopped at each major section of the trail to discuss the terrain ahead.

	The Deschutes River Trail is just a short drive from Bend up Century Drive. The map at the left shows the general route. Click on the map for an enlarged JPG version (94K). Click here to download the map and route handout in Adobe PDF format (1.2Mb).
Getting ready to go. Staging area at the Lava River Falls Day Use Area.
	The Deschutes River near the Big Eddy rapids.
Waiting for the rest of the group on the stretch above Dillon Falls.
	Dillon Falls from the more technical section of the River Trail.

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