“The best part about triathlon newbies is they still know how to have fun while competing,” says Joanne Stevens who runs a triathlon training program in town.

Only a childlike sense of excitement could propel the average athlete/couch potato past the finish line of a race that includes swimming, biking and running. Armed with a desire to prove they can do it, or just a need to cross another thing off their bucket list, beginner triathletes are flocking to the multi-sport event.

There are plenty of extreme sports for adrenaline junkies in Central Oregon. But those who really want to fly should consider taking a ride with U Fly Tandem, a local paragliding business in Bend.

Lisa Darsonval started U Fly in 2010 as a way to supplement her income.

“I love paragliding and wanted to share it with other people,” she said. “We thought, ‘What would we want to do to bring in some additional income?’ And this seemed like something fun to do.”

The toughest part about summer skiing is finding your gloves. OK, maybe that’s not the toughest part, but it was probably the most difficult part of my recent skiing excursion. Well, that and wiping the smile off my face when I sauntered into the office at 9:30 a.m. with three summit runs under my belt – in late June.

Of course, I had the benefit of a chairlift, or more precisely, chairlifts, thanks to Mt. Bachelor’s decision to re-open for an early summer stint on the weekend prior to the Fourth of July holiday.