February 2010 has been a mild winter month in Bend, Oregon with many days to paddle the Deschutes River. Most popular is the Colorado Bridge to the Southern Cross Bridge loop (3 miles). Launching from the new Riverbend Park "beach" is easy. The gradual, sandy slope allows SUPers to mount their boards without getting wet above mid-calf (a good thing when the water temps are between 38 and 42 degrees F.)
Stand up paddling in winter on the Deschutes is a lot quieter than the summer time scene. During the summer there are hundreds of floaters on tubes, mattresses and every other inflatable imagainable. A city bus with a trailer for the floaties ferries floaters back up the river for $1.00. Not only is it a bargain for the floaters, navigating the crowd gives us stand up paddlers slalom practice!
For now, it's a quiet and serene time on the river (as long as no one falls in).
Photos:
- Tom Burke is heading under the old logging bridge over the Deschutes River toward the observation deck. Notice the clean glide on his 12' x 30" Hobie ATR SUP board (just so you know, we have this board in stock. No sales tax. Free shipping.)
- Tom Burke demos a pivot turn - pretty good in 42F degree water!!
May, 2012 Update
We now also have the new 12'2" Hobie ATR II boards in stock. The 12'2" ATR II is even more stable that the original 12' ATR, making it an awesome family SUP board - super stable for kids and pets to ride on the front. We don't know of any other board that has such a combination of high volume, light weight and top quality construction. Features updated colors and graphics, bamboo inlays, amazing finish, built-in tie down points and leash plug and the softest deck pads in the industry. We also have the 11' Hobie ATR II and the 10' ATR II.
