Sometimes, riding your local trails becomes mundane. It’s like going to the gym each week, where it’s more of a discipline rather than an epic and awe-inspiring adventure. Don’t get me wrong, like going to the gym, I still enjoy riding on my local trails. However, it’s always good to mix things up. That’s what I did when I ventured to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort in Eastern Oregon.
I visited Anthony Lakes to write an article for Trail Builder Magazine. After riding the Timberline Bike Park on Mt Hood (see article “Is There Anything Better Than Opening Day at the Bike Park?”), I wanted to cover another story about an Oregon bike park at a ski resort. While Timberline is like many other lift-assisted bike parks, Anthony Lakes is not lift-assisted. In other words, to ride the trails, you must first pedal and climb. Luckily, we stayed at the Creston Yurt at the top of the chair lift, where the trail begins. To hop on the trail, all I had to do was walk out of the front of the yurt, and I was at the trail.
At 8,000 feet in elevation at the top of the chair lift, we were afforded amazing panoramic views of the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountain. Not only was this a spectacular place to ride, but also to brew and drink coffee. I grabbed one of our new 2lb bags for the trip and tossed it into the tote with the rest of my coffee gear. While staying in a yurt was definitely not camping (more like glamping), coffee was still essential each morning.
Exploring the trails on Anthony Lakes was more than rewarding. Riding new trails in a different part of the state makes one appreciate mountain biking that much more. Not only were they new trails (to me), but the soil was different than what I’m used to around Portland. The trails were made up of decomposed granite. Mixed with recent rain, the trail conditions were sublime, with the perfect amount of moisture for superb grip.
For me, the best kinds of adventures are with coffee and bikes. It is as simple as that, and that’s not an exaggeration. My recent trips to Anthony Lakes in eastern Oregon and then to RezDuro in the Navajo Nation reminded me of how beautiful a community there is around bikes. Great things happen when we come together to ride. Coffee is also a great connector and builder of community. It’s another reason why bikes and coffee go together.
Words and photos by Sean Benesh and Grant Benesh
Loam Coffee Founder and Brand Manager
Email: sean@loamcoffee.com