Since Water and Lava is Dirty Freehub’s most popular gravel bike route, we figured it was time to dig a little deeper — literally. This route, located in Bend, Oregon, is a living geology lesson on two wheels. 🌋🚴‍♂️ So let’s slow it down, zoom out, and explore what’s really going on beneath the tires.

Join us for an in-depth virtual geography tour with our one and only Rock Doctor, Dr. Kim Ely — geologist, educator, longtime Dirty Freehub contributor, and expert storyteller of Central Oregon’s volcanic past. Kim 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. During this webinar, Kim will walk us through the evolution of the Water and Lava landscape, including:

• 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 into routes…)

If you’ve ridden Water and Lava, 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.

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When:
Tuesday, January 27th 7:00 PM PST (Pacific Standard Time)

Registration:
Please register to attend. Registration is required so we can email you a short homework assignment and any last-minute notices or instructions.

How to Join:
The webinar will be held on Google Meet. A Google Meet link will be sent to you about 24 hours before the webinar. There is no software to download; Google Meet runs within a browser.