"Big Ride" Coming to Bend

'Gran Fondo' means "big ride" in Italian.  The first ever Gran Fondo is going to be hosted by world-class cyclist Chris Horner of Bend beginning August 18th. Horner says it's all about having fun: "Everyone's first objective is to have a good time. After you have a good time, you can do whatever you want to do on the bike. So certainly, with guys there's a testosterone problem; so somebody's' gunna race, for sure. so there's a little prize at the finish for they guy who wins it or the girl who wins it. But it's more to have a good time. We’ve got three days set aside. We’re going to have a dinner one of the nights, and a talk at the downtown theatre. And then we're going to have a ride on Saturday." Horner says the 85 mile ride through the Cascades mountains begins and ends at the Deschutes brewery. It is a fundraiser for several charities, including World Bicycle Relief, Livestrong and the Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation.