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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2022)
SPORTS PULLOUT & CLASSIFIEDS INSIDE • B SECTION • FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2022 THE REGION’S HUB FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Get text alerts with up-to-date outdoor activities and events around Central Oregon. Scan the QR code or go to bendbulletin.com/text Overland in Central Oregon Overland Expo Pacific Northwest set for Redmond fairgrounds Friday through Sunday BY MARK MORICAL • The Bulletin A s Nick Jaynes explains it, overlanding is all about the journey and not necessarily the destination. Central Oregon seems to be an ideal spot for overlanding enthusiasts, and the first-ever Overland Expo Pacific Northwest is set for Friday through Sunday at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond. Overlanding is self-sustained, long-distance, off-grid travel, via a 4x4 vehicle or a motorcycle, ac- cording to Jaynes, the director of communications for Overland Expo. “It’s who you drive with, the communities you engage with, your experience on the trail and self-re- covery and all those good things that make overlanding really a pas- sion for a lot of people,” Jaynes said. “It’s living in harmony with nature, your vehicle and your own gear.” Founded in 2009, Overland Expo is billed as the world’s premier event series for do-it-your- self adventure travel enthusiasts. Hundreds of vendors of adventure travel equipment, camping gear, bikes, vehicles, and services con- vene at every Overland Expo event. Each Expo hosts hundreds of PHOTO: A 4x4 vehicle at the Overland Expo West event in Flagstaff, Ari- zona, in May. Submitted photo See Overland / B9 Slackliners strike a balance in Bend parks BY JULIE BROWN For The Bulletin Summer is here, the air is warm and, for some commu- nity members, it’s time to grab the hammock or slackline and enjoy all that Bend parks have to offer. While using a slack- line or hammock is allowed in parks, it is important to take steps to enjoy the park respon- sibly and to protect the trees. In recent years, slacklining and protection, has rapidly in- creased in popularity. I see it more and more as I visit our parks and trails. I checked in with some of my colleagues — from beginners to those with 10-plus years of experience — about how to enjoy this activ- ity and where some of the best parks are for it. Impacts to trees One of the biggest impacts that hammocks and slacklines have in the parks lies in the damage they can do to trees. As the anchor material that’s tethered to the tree fluctuates (due to either bouncing on the slackline or rocking in a ham- mock), it can cause significant wear on the outer layer of the bark. Since the outer layer of bark is a tree’s first line of defense, damage to the bark needs to be avoided to help prevent susceptibility to in- sects and disease thus jeopar- dizing the tree’s life. Luckily, there are some sim- ple solutions to provide the trees protection so everyone can enjoy them for years to come. First, always use padding between the anchor material and the tree. See Slackliners / B9 Submitted photo A slackliner practices in Drake Park near downtown Bend. Note how the anchor of the slackline protects the bark of the tree.
