Browse All Stories
The Fight for the Lower Deschutes River
Discover the story of Oregon’s Lower Deschutes River in The Last 100 Miles, a powerful documentary about the fight to restore a once-pristine river damaged by well-meaning changes. Anglers, scientists, and locals rally to protect this wild place. A must-watch for conservation advocates.
Piping Canals, Why?
In this 2.5-minute video, learn about the 2025 canal piping project near Madras . Once completed, the project will conserve 7,000 gallons of water per minute by preventing seepage and evaporation. It will also save the average farmer between $20,000 and $150,000 per year in irrigation pump operating costs.
Visit Central Oregon to award $280,000 in Future Fund grants to seven regional tourism-related projects
Visit Central Oregon has announced that seven recipients will be awarded a total of $280,000 in grant money as part of the Central Oregon Future Fund. Now in its third annual cycle, the grant program supports local tourism projects that benefit both visitors and Central Oregon residents. Visit Central Oregon selected the seven recipients from […]
$280,000 granted to tourism-related projects across Central Oregon
BEND, Ore. — Visit Central Oregon is granting $280,000 to seven different tourism-related projects throughout the High Desert. The money comes from Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund, which raises money through Oregon’s transient room tax.
Parkinson’s Foundation Webinar with Dirty Freehub
Dirty Freehub is excited to participate in the Parkinson’s Foundation webinar on April 27th.
The Ride! OC&E (Yonna Valley Meadows)
A quick 2+ minute video of what to expect on your ride.
A Video Tour of Glass House
A 2-minute video tour of the Glass House, including some beautiful drone footage.
The Story of Shirk Ranch
In this 2-minute video, explore the history of Shirk Ranch, home to David Shirk and his family in the early 1880s. Shirk Ranch was part of a border movement of ranchers and settlers into southeast Oregon, shaping ranching life that persists today. The ranch illuminates how early settlers to eastern Oregon relied on the landscape for their livelihood and day-to-day life. The cinematography in this video is outstanding!
The Greater Hart-Sheldon Wildlife Corridor
In this 3-minute video, discover the beauty and importance of this remote sagebrush-steppe ecosystem—a unique landscape that supports pronghorn, sage-grouse, mule deer, golden eagles, and more. There’s nothing else like it in the world!
The Ride! Experimental Rattlesnake
A quick 2+ minute video of what to expect on your ride.
Gravel Riding Around Oregon’s Painted Hills
I pedal my gravel bike up to the shaded overlook at the Painted Hills Unit, a particularly beautiful part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. I’m halfway through the day’s gravel ride on one of the area’s dozen routes with my dad and his friend, and we’ve made a split decision to stop […]
March Newsletter
Our latest and greatest information about what’s happening in Dirty Freehub.
Michael Orwick – The Artist
In this episode of The Connection , we speak with Michael Orwick, an oil painter whose work is deeply inspired by the unique light and atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest. Michael shares his artistic journey, from studying illustration at the Pacific Northwest College of Art to transitioning into landscape painting. He describes his creative process, which focuses on capturing fleeting moments of illumination during sunrise and sunset, using layers and a mix of warm
and cool colors. Michael also explains how his style leans towards impressionism, using optical mixing and broken brushwork to create energy and movement in his art.
He draws inspiration not only from the Pacific Northwest but from his global travels, including a year-long trip where he painted with children from orphanages around the world. We are thrilled to incorporate some of Michaels work in our upcoming ride guide and possible future collaborations with Michael and other artists alike.
Michael is the artist that provided the art in the Eastern Oregon All Access Gravel Guide and the Western Oregon All Access Guide.
Deschutes River Canyon Bighorn
Bighorn sheep in the Deschutes River area went extinct in the 1940s, but thanks to a reintroduction effort in the early 1990s, their population has grown to 600. Learn how to spot these muscular creatures among the basalt cliffs with wildlife biologist Jeremy Thompson in this 2-minute video.
Fish Lake and the Cascade Canal
In the early 20th century, the Rogue Valley in southern Oregon faced a pressing need for reliable irrigation to support its burgeoning agricultural industry. To address this, the Fish Lake Water Company was established in 1898, proposing an ambitious project to expand water storage by enlarging Fish Lake and creating Fourmile Lake. These efforts culminated […]
