Bend, OR was a well kept secret that we happened to find out about.  It's perched about 3,600 ft above sea level, making it a great training location for endurance athletes.  The locals are super friendly and welcoming and seemed to want to show off the city with cycling recs.  There are a bunch of cycling events throughout the year in Bend where you can experience the local cycling culture and find a group to ride with.  

Anyway, on to the ride.  I bought a road cycling route map from Hutch's Bicycles when we arrived and this was the top route.  The map was a bit pricey maybe $15?  So hopefully this Strava route will save you some $ for taco's at El Sancho after your ride. 

Smooth roads, wide shoulders, challenging punchy climbs, dense forest sections and wide open views of the Cascade Mountains make this a great tour-de-Bend ride.  

Route details:

• 27.9 miles
• 1,606 ft elevation gain

Strava link to download GPX file