The first week of summer is showing off in Bend, dressed in festive colors and bringing smiles to the faces of visitors and locals alike.  After a long spring, the passing of the Solstice has brought warm weather, sunshine, and evening fires at O’Kanes Square to our little city along the Deschutes River.

Taking full advantage of this special season requires experiencing a summer powder day; getting up early to sneak in a ride before the workday begins, when the mountain biking trails are still tacky with moisture from the overnight dew, yet the air is warm enough to ride without a jacket or long fingered gloves.

This morning was a summer powder day.  “Today is the best day of the year to ride your bike,” my friend announced as we headed out from the Wanoga parking lot. Similar to a morning skin to the summit of Tumalo Mountain on a Tuesday when the rest of the world in bed, at work, or getting the kids off to school, the forest was silent and we were the only ones on the trail. We floated down the single track, our tires finding traction in corners that will soon turn to moon dust.  The birds sang their sweet morning songs as the lupine and Indian paintbrush greeted us along the way.

Those few morning hours were ours, our own private trails in our own private forest.  Just a couple of friends, a couple of bikes, and summer full of smiles.