Join Dirty Freehub for an in-depth geology bike tour with our one and only Rock Doctor, Dr. Kim Ely (Rock Doc) — geologist, educator, longtime Dirty Freehub contributor, and expert storyteller of Central Oregon’s volcanic past. Rock Doc has a gift for connecting big geologic ideas to the places we ride, turning “cool scenery” into a deeper understanding of why this landscape looks the way it does. She will take you on a tour of the Water and Lava Route and talk about the following: – How the area formed over time and the ages of the lava flows that shaped it. – How lava blocked and redirected the Deschutes River, changing its course. – The story behind Lava Butte and the larger Newberry Volcanic Complex. – Why the iconic red cinder roads exist — and what makes cinder cones stable (or not), including the critical steepness of their slopes. – The different types of volcanic products you see along the route: lava, cinders, and more. – Those coarse crystals in “the rock” — how they formed, what they tell us, and just how much that rock actually weighs . – Why rocks fall off cliffs (and onto routes…). If you’ve ridden the Dirty Freehub Water and Lava, route you’ll come away seeing familiar landmarks in an entirely new way. If you haven’t ridden it yet, consider this the ultimate preview of what makes the route so special. Bring your geological questions and your curiosity. Registration is required as spaces are limited.
📍 Here, amazement is something you fall into, and it’s waiting eagerly for anyone who’s willing to make the trip to seize it. #ThisIsBend
