Any ST’ers out there that live or have knowledge of what it is like to live and train in the Bend, Oregon area. What are the roads like for cycling? Do they have aquatic facilities, etc.? I think there are at least a few pro cyclists and former (and perhaps current) pro triathetes that live and train in the area.
From everything I hear, there is no better place to train and live. Lucky you.
Steve Larsen baby!
Plus lots of great nordic skiers, Chris Horner, I think Conrad Stoltz…should be fun.
Kurt
Speaking of the Lieto brothers (okay, that was another thread), younger brother Matt moved up there from Danville, California last May (2005) and reportedly loves it. Sounds like an awesome area to live and train.
Yeah, you’ll be more than fine. Everything you could ask for in a triathlon paradise plus centrally located to hit Idaho, Washington, and NorCal.
Cheers!
Bend is a wonderful place tro train and be a triathlete. I was there last year for the Raid Series adventure race and Pacific Crest Festival (like 4,000 folks racing), and it was a multisport fantasyland. I did a magazine story on it, and definitley compared it to a “mini and early stage Boulder” - small, super bike and athlete friendly, great training facilities, as well as the “body support” services, and a really solid tri shop: Bend Bike 'N Sport. The night I arrived, Larsen, Stoltz and Lieto (Matt) were doing a clinic there. Housing, like Boulder, is pricey; but, that reflects the value of the area.
Bend, check the OBRA site… lots of racing. http://obra.org/
I grew up in Bend and it is a Mecca for outdoor life. I am actually headed there for a 2 week vacation/training trip. The weather is great, the mountains are awesome, the food is great, and there are a lot of top notch athletes living and training there. Last time I was home I attended a lunchtime ride from Hutch’s cycles and amonst the group were Steve Larsen and Conrad Stoltz. It was a hammer fest. I’m trying to move back!
two words: Deschutes Brewery.
Plus all the other stuff too.
bump… anyone else want to comment? considering a move…
-soon to be DEN_TRI or RDM_TRI
Yesiree; good beer to be had there. Really good beer.
Bend also has a Pearl Izumi outlet. What more could you ask for?
Fresh Air Sports has a triathlon club and they will answer any of your questions. You can find them via google. Very friendly.
Outside Magazine just named Bend the best trail running town in the country.
Get in to XC skiing. Otherwise the winters could get tough on a typical Tri routine. They do get snow and very cold temps from Dec. through Mar. But, consider this a gift as they have an amazing XC scene there. Home prices are nuts however. If you live a few miles from town it’s not as bad. Maybe rent for a while before you jump on a home assuming you are planning on permanent status.
They have a new acquatic center that I’m told is very nice.
Welcome to Oregon. We have no sales tax, and you cannot pump your own gas.
I like your handle… PDX… AUS is about to become RDM or DIA 
It appears to be right up my alley. Dry, smaller and not $$$ totally outrageously… that last one of course is relative to where one is and in comparison to the other places that one is looking at. My question is… Career wise… what is there? I think myself flexible and have a good set of skills. My university training is in finance but am willing to try other things. Willing to do the bike shop (4 yrs exp. there) or hourly thing to get started there but would also be very interested in finding something more solid.
Any thoughts are much appreciated sounds like a great place!
I have friends there and my fiancee and I still talk about moving there. We almost did a few years ago. Probably won’t be for a few more years though if at all. Seems like everything I could ever want.
Killer snow ----big powder days for alpine skiing.
Killer nordic skiing
and from all accounts I’ve heard you can’t beat the road and tri scene there.
I think pro mountain bikers Adam Craig and Carl Decker also live there.
I grew up in Bend. I have a lot of strong feelings, plus and minus, about that place.
PLUSES
Scenery
Hiking/trail running
Road biking heaven. Lots of long varying routes with little traffic. Your choice, flat or hills.
Gorgeous lakes to swim in (though they’re not right in town and they’re not warm enough till late June)
Lots of athletes, and a kind of athletic culture. Plenty of athletic clubs, shops etc.
Not a rushed kind of place.
Summers are warm but not humid.
MINUSES
It DOES get cold Dec-March, so like someone said, you have to like XC skiing or you won’t get your cardio.
Juniper pool - yes, it’s pretty nice, but I believe it’s the only game in town. Funny that a town of 70,000 would have only one place to swim for the public? Or I could be wrong about that. Ask the tri club there.
Triathlon season seems a little short. June through early September. Although you could drive over to the Willamette Valley for some earlier/later season tris.
“The culture” in Bend is somewhat lacking - if you caught Martin C’s irony. Sure there are some occasional concerts, some theater, etc. but don’t count on lots of it. Not a university town.
Related to that: There are very few non-white people in Bend. I never met an African American in my life till I left Bend at age 18. No kidding. It is a little better now but not by much. If diversity is important to you then it’s not great. Also, it’s slowly being taken over by the retired/resort-oriented crowd.
Career-wise. The main industry is tourism. So there are a lot of low-paid jobs - which contrast to the high cost of housing. I can’t think of how I would make it there unless I changed careers.
Sprawl. Bend used to be a cute little town. In all my years living there and then going back for visits, I have never seen a good vision articulated for smart growth. It’s all random growth, uglier and uglier by the year. I now live in a town 10 times the size of Bend and guess which of the two has more eyesore big-box stores? Bend has every one in creation and lots of new ugly subdivisions. I guess this is true now of most towns in the USA. But I would have liked to see a little more vision from Paradise.
Boulder, CO has well-thought-out open space and smart growth development. Frankly I would rather move there.