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McKenzie River Trail
Cross Country Fun
The first stop after we left Portland was a trail along the McKenzie River, aptly named the McKenzie River Trail. I had read about how amazing it was in Bike magazine, and a number of people had echoed the same sentiments. I wasn’t too happy to be riding it by myself, but it was high on my list of must-do’s. Most people start at the top and follow the trail for 24 miles down the river, through lava fields, forests, riversides and over a multitude of bridges. A few sickos turn around and ride back up. Since I had my own personal shuttle driver, I opted for the downhill only. I had to readjust my expectations after the big stunts and fast downhills of Whistler and Hood River. Once that was done, the trail was a blast. Lots of swooping through the forest, using trees as slalom gates and sprinting up the short uphills. I was having so much fun I totally lost track of time. We had planned to meet at the end 2 ½ hours after I started, around 2:15 pm. When Nate called at 2:50 pm just to make sure I was still alive, I could have sworn I had been riding for no more than an hour. It was that fun.