Adventure Biking Southeast Oregon

Warning! The vast emptiness of Oregon's Outback is also one of its greatest dangers. If you become stranded alone away from a major road, and you haven't filed a travel and rescue plan with someone responsible, no one may find you alive. You should also observe the additional cautions and warnings listed later on this page.

Orientation

Cautions

Resources

Trips

Orientation The trips described on this site are spread across the southeastern quadrant of Oregon, more or less south of 44 degrees latitude and east of 121 degrees longitude. Warning: map is for orientation only and may not be to scale. Use real maps for navigation. 11 areas, demarcated approximately by major features and access highways, are described: Hampton Valley, a broad empty plain punctuated by occasional buttes and cinder cones. Well-known to drivers traveling US 20 between Bend and Burns. Christmas Valley, an agricultural area with numerous unusual geologic features including Fort Rock, lava flows, alkali flats, fossil beds and a large area of shifting sand dunes. Diablo Mountains area also includes salty Summer Lake at the foot of towering Winter Ridge. Warner Basin, including the Warner Mountains, Abert Rim, Warner Wetlands wildlife area and the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. Oregon Grasslands, a remote area of rims, solitary buttes and oceans of sage and grass. Buzzard Creek, a little-traveled area of flat plains, dry lakes and low rims. Steens Mountain, including the lush Blitzen Valley, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and the newly-designated Steens Mountain National Conservation Area. Malheur Mountains, a rugged jumble of remote mountains, picturesque buttes, and intimate canyons. Sheepshead Mountains, a dry, treeless range interlaced with dirt roads well-suited to mountain biking. Area also includes the northern end of Steens Mountain and an extensive lava bed. Alvord Desert, including the monumental east face of Steens Mountain, the vast and empty Alvord Desert proper, numerous several hot springs, and the impressive Pueblo, Trout Creek and Oregon Canyon mountain ranges. Owyhee Canyonlands, Oregon's answer to Southern Utah. A breathtakingly vast sagebrush plateau slashed by deep canyons gives way to lava beds and rhyolite badlands as one follows the river north.

Caution! The high desert of Southeast Oregon can be as dangerous as it is beautiful. Many things can go wrong, and the chance of rescue can be essentially zero unless you are traveling with an experienced group or have filed a travel and rescue plan. A partial list of cautions is listed below. Storm clearing over Sheepshead Mountains at sunset. Disclaimer By reading these web pages, you agree to accept responsibility for your own safety. You must: Obtain relevant maps. Research your trip carefully. Study all relevant maps and guidebooks. Prepare your vehicle appropriately. Carry essential survival items - especially plenty of water. Observe all applicable cautions while driving, biking and hiking. Unless you're traveling with an experienced group, file a detailed travel and rescue plan with a responsible party. Remoteness Most of the trips described on this site take place on and some are reached by very lightly-traveled dirt roads. Many of these tracks are used once or twice a year by ranchers on cattle drives, if at all. If something goes wrong and nobody knows where to find you, it is likely no one will. The most likely cause of death will be dehydration when your water runs out, and it is an extremely unpleasant way to go. That said, many of the trips listed on this site can be accessed from relatively well-traveled roads. So don't get too freaked out - just take appropriate cautions. Car problems Gee, what could go wrong? Your car could overheat in summer (good luck finding water for your radiator!), or fail to start in the winter cold. Carefully follow the maintenance schedule recommended for your car's cooling system. You could blow a tire on the extremely sharp rocks (which has happened to me numerous times). The compact spare standard on many vehicles may not be capable or durable enough to get you back out on the road you came in on. A full-sized spare is very strongly recommended. A patch kit and 12V air compressor can come in handy as well. You could also blow a tire on bitterbrush, greasewood or another thorny plant. Don't drive off-road. You could then blow your spare trying to get back to Burns or Lakeview, home to the only full-service tire shops in the region. A second spare is a good idea if you plan to leave the major roads and you have room for it. You could run out of gas. Gas stations are far apart - top off whenever you get the chance, and always plan for your next gas stop. If you have a way to carry a spare gas can outside your vehicle (never inside!), it is probably a good idea. You could ruin an oilpan, differential, axle or exhaust system on a rough road. Drive with caution when away from major highways, and make sure you know your and your vehicle's limits well. The roads could turn muddy after a rain, which can temporarily strand even four-wheel-drive vehicles. Carry chains (they work in mud, too!) and a tow strap. You could get snowed in - at higher elevations, this can happen any day of the year. Even if warm weather melts the snow quickly, the resulting mud may be even worse. Carry chains, a shovel and maybe a little sand or gravel for traction. Some important part could pick the most inconvenient time to break. You might feel far a long way from Oregon Law out there, but the long arm of Murphy's Law is harder to escape. Keep your car maintained, and consider having it inspected before any serious adventures into the deep desert. Weather The weather of Southeast Oregon is probably more extreme than you are used to, especially if you live west of the Cascades. Andrews, Oregon, on the edge of the Alvord Desert, has the greatest observed temperature range of any place in Oregon: from -33 degrees to +107 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the forecast before you go, and get updates whenever you can find a phone - see the Resources section below for more information. Sun. Wear a hat and sunscreen! The sun shines well over 300 days a year in much of Oregon's Outback, and there is NO shade whatsoever in large areas of the desert. With the added effects of elevation, you can really get scorched: except for the Owyhee canyons, the lowest elevation in the region is generally about 3900 feet (1250 m). Loose-fitting, long-sleeved and -legged clothes work are more comfortable than shorts and a t-shirt. Heat. Summer temperatures in the basins frequently exceed 95 degrees, and with the low humidity you may not realize just how hot it is. And the relentless sun can bring the effects of heat on faster than you expect. Know how to identify heat-related illnesses like heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Drink lots of water - 1 gallon per day is an absolute minimum, more if you're working hard or it's hot. Cold. Most of the year, this is a more likely hazard than heat. Much of the desert sees frost 250 to 300 nights a year or more. Air temperatures often plunge well below zero in winter, and combine with frequent high winds to produce extremely dangerous wind chills. Wind. Although lovely and calm days are not unusual in the desert, windy days are more frequent. Wind can greatly contribute to dehydration and to the chilling effects of the cold. Rain. It only rains 7-12 inches in most of Southeast Oregon, but much of it is brief and intense. As mentioned above, roads (and trails!) can become impassible after heavy rain. While flash flooding doesn't pose the hazard that it does in Southern Utah, there is some risk in narrow canyons, so use caution if rain is forecast. Lightning. Aldo Leopold said you haven't lived until you've ridden out a good desert thunderstorm, fearing for your life as the thunderbolts crash off the rimrock. True, you haven't lived unless you've had that experience, but it could kill you. A number of Eastern Oregon ranchers have met their maker while tending their herds, and famous Leslie Gulch is named after an early settler who was struck by lightning there. Thunderstorms frequently occur on summer afternoons, and can pop up out of nowhere. I once turned my back on blue skies in the Alvord Desert for 10 minutes to set up camp, and looked up to see a fast-moving and violent storm bearing down on me. I barely had time to finish pitching my tent and jump in it before the thunderbolts and downpour washed over me. Know what to do to minimize your exposure in lightning storms. Animals There are few critters that will bother you out there, but here are the some of the threats that could exist: Rattlesnakes are probably your biggest animal hazard. But contrary to myth, the desert is not crawling with snakes. In 15 to 20 trips to the Oregon Desert I have encountered rattlesnakes 3 times. Still, you should be on your guard, especially in rocky areas when the sun is out, even when it's fairly cool. Also, be aware that while movie snakes universally sound like maracas, real snakes may sometimes sound more like large bees or hornets. The current medical wisdom (as of the early 2000s) is that most snakebite kits don't work, and can do more damage than harm. It is now considered wiser to hike out to safety if possible. If not, elevate the affected area (probably your ankle), remain calm and stay well-hydrated, and wait for the authorities to carry out the rescue plan you've filed (right?). If you're an adult in good health, an Oregon rattler probably doesn't pack enough punch to kill you. Venomous arthropods like scorpions and black widow spiders may inhabit some of the hotter areas, but this not being Arizona, they're not that common. I once found a scorpion in my camp in Mickey Basin. check your shoes before putting them on in the morning. Bees and hornets are common but seem to mostly leave people alone. Be aware of wasps and bees that may burrow into the ground along lakeshores and mudholes. Also use caution when hiking off-trail, especially if you are known to be sensitive to insect stings. Mosquitoes aren't a problem in most of the desert. Wetland areas may be infested in Spring and Summer, however, and mountain areas may also be positively inundated for a few weeks after the Spring snowmelt. Big critters mostly pose little hazard. Cougars and bears may inhabit the western fringe of the desert. Also in that area, elk could be belligerent during rutting season. Mule deer, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep, common everywhere, could hurt you if you got close, but they won't let that happen. While the coyotes' lonesome howls and playful barks may send a chill up your spine at night, they pose absolutely zero risk to adult humans. But if you bring your kids with you, keep a close eye out. Vegetables Malicious plants are common in hotter deserts of the American Southwest, but in Oregon you'll have a hard time finding plants with have barbs that work themselves under your skin, or poison to give you serious inflammation or infection. Not much cactus either. There are plenty of other sharp spiny plants though, most notably bitterbrush and greasewood, and these can be sharp enough to puncture a tire or give you some cuts and scrapes. Lack of plants -- that is, edible plants that could help you survive if you become lost or stranded -- is a bigger danger. Carry plenty of food in your car, and pack some extra energy bars or gels on your rides too. Minerals Desert rocks seem to be exceptionally sharp. Be prepared to handle flat tires, on your bike or on your car. And wear a helmet, at least on downhill stretches. I have been known to carry my helmet on hot climbs and put it back on for the descents. Use your own best judgment. Helmets are a no-brainer. People You're not likely to run into that many people in the Oregon desert. Here are some of the characters you may encounter: Ranchers are not a danger to you. Forget your differences in lifestyle or politics. In my experience desert ranchers are universally generous, helpful and friendly. If you get in trouble out there, chances are very good it is a rancher who will save your bacon. Be nice to them. Hunters sometimes seem to be around every corner during hunting season, even in this region that seems completely depopulated the rest of the year. They are not expecting you. Wear bright clothing. Yahoos are your only real human danger. Most of the people you will encounter are decent, but not all of them are. Remember that the majority of people you meet will be armed. Dangerous individuals are mostly only a problem near towns, and on busy holiday weekends. Other recreationists will be found near hot springs, wildlife areas, campgrounds, Leslie Gulch and Steens Mountain. You may encounter anglers, birders, campers, hikers and target shooters, though few other bicyclists. Mostly harmless.

Resources Looking east across Heath Basin, Sheepsheads crest in background. The trip descriptions on this page are pretty light, for a number of reasons. Please don't try to plan a bike trip to the Oregon Desert based solely on what you've read here. Below are some resources you can use to plan your trip. Most of the maps and books listed below can be obtained from the following stores: Oregon Blue Print, 732 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland. Nature of the Northwest, 800 NE Oregon St, Suite 177, Portland. Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI), five Oregon locations: Portland (1405 NW Johnson), Hillsboro (Streets of Tanasbourne), Tualatin (Bridgeport Village), Eugene and Bend. Oregon Mountain Community (OMC), 2975 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland. Joes Sports, numerous Oregon locations. Maps One caveat about maps: you'll be very dependent on them, and you'll want to carry good maps -- and know how to use them -- in case your life depends on it. But don't bet your life on them if you don't have to. A minor road that shows up on the map may actually be in a slightly different place, may not go through, may not be in the condition stated on the map, or simply may not exist. There is no substitute for good judgment. Benchmark Maps Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas. Absolutely indispensible for navigating the backroads in your car. Much better detail for Eastern Oregon than the DeLorme atlas, especially with respect to roads. Available at Costco, REI and Joes Sports. USGS 30 x 60 minute (1:100,000) folding maps are ideal for biking the desert. They cover large enough areas that you don't need to bring half a dozen adjoining maps on a bike ride and $200 worth of them in the car, but they still present as much detail than you will ever need for following the jeep roads of the desert. You really need a good topographic map out there, and in my opinion this is the one to carry. $7 each, and a fairly small stack of them covers all of Southeast Oregon. Available at Oregon Blue Print, Nature of the Northwest and some REI locations. DeLorme Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer. Not very useful in the desert, because the eastern half of Oregon is shown in a much larger scale, and with 600' contour intervals instead of 300'. One advantage over the Benchmark atlas is you don't have turn to a separate, larger-scale page to see property ownership shading. Available nearly everywhere. USGS 7.5 and 15 minute sheet maps are the standard for hikers and climbers, but do not work well for the more gentle and vast terrain of the desert. Useful if you plan to do side hikes in areas with great relief like Steens and the Warner Mountains. Generally not available (for Southeast Oregon, except Steens) in stores. BLM Recreation Maps show all the roads on the BLM land where you'll be spending nearly all your time. Can be confusing to read because they do not show elevation or most natural features. Very useful for determining land ownership on the ground, but often completely useless unless you also have a USGS map to figure out where you are first. Available at Oregon Blue Print, Nature of the Northwest, and generally at REI and Joes Sports. Books and Articles Oregon Desert Guide, by Andy Kerr, Mountaineers Books. You need this book! It is absolutely indispensible, with a wealth of information about the natural and human history of the desert and its various regions, as well as tons of practical information. Most of the trips in this book are hikes, but don't let that put you off. Some of the trips are bikeable, some work well with a bike ride as an approach to the trailhead, and many others are well worth hiking in their own right. Oregon's Outback: An Auto Tour Guide to Southeast Oregon, by Donna Lynn Ikenberry, Frank Amato Publications, 1996 ( Powells | Amazon). The side trips listed in this book are short, but it gives a good milepost-by-milepost overview of some of the desert's best spots accessible by car. Great Bike Rides in Eastern Washington & Oregon, by Sally O'Neal Coates, Wilderness Press, 1996 ( Amazon). This book mostly describes road rides in areas outside the Oregon Desert. "Oregon's Outback", by William Least Heat-Moon, National Geographic, August 1997. A short but lovely article depicting the Oregon Outback in the Geographic's signature style. Links Oregon Natural Desert Association, an environmental group dedicated to preserving Oregon's high desert. oregonsoutback.com, for visitors to Lake County. bikeoutback.org, information on mountain biking Lake County including the annual Outback Challenge MTB race. Fremont National Forest has an excellent recreation page showing opportunities, with links to current conditions, in the Diablo Mountains and Warner Mountains areas. Travel and Rescue Plan If you are venturing away from the main roads in the Oregon Desert alone or in a small group, it is essential to file a travel and rescue plan with someone you trust. Your plan can be fairly simple but it must contain the following elements: When should authorities be contacted? When I am in the desert for several days and visiting more than one region, I usually designate one or more specific day by which I should have checked in to say I am moving from one region to the next. This allows a search to be narrowed by eliminating regions I have already visited or haven't visited yet. If I haven't checked in by a designated time, authorities should be contacted to initiate a search. Be realistic: telephones and cellular service are still rare out there. For example, as of 2005 pay phones have been removed from Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge HQ as well as Plush and Adel; weak cellular service could be obtained on Plush Cutoff Road and just outside Adel, but otherwise it would be necessary to drive to Lakeview just to check in. Plan your travels accordingly. Who should be contacted? The first point of contact should generally be the Lake, Harney and/or Malheur County Sheriff's Department. Your plan should specify which counties you will be in on which days, and include phone number for each relevant Sheriff's office. It would also be good to contact the Vale, Burns, Lakeview and/or Prineville BLM Office, because the BLM is more likely to already have someone out in the field who can start looking for you before the Sheriff can get deputies there. Know which BLM district you expect to be in on which days, and include those phone numbers in your plan. If you expect to be on the Hart Mountain, Sheldon or Malheur National Wildlife/Antelope Refuges, include the appropriate phone numbers for those agencies as well. Where should they look? This may sound tedious, but it's a extremely important to be as specific as you can in describing where you plan on driving and where you plan on parking for your bike rides and/or hikes. The Oregon Desert is so vast that if searchers and rescuers can't find your car they'll never find you. Also be as specific as possible in describing where you plan to once you leave your car. What should they look for? Include a vehicle description and color, license plate information, number of people in your party, the fact that you'll be on bikes, names and general physical description. How should they search? Instruct searchers and rescuers to first find your vehicle, with as much information as possible on where to look for it.

Trips Following are some suggested explorations in each of the Oregon Desert regions, along with suggested car camping locations in each area. Before embarking on any of these trips, make sure to obtain the relevant maps, research and plan carefully, prepare your vehicle, carry essential survival items (especially water), observe applicable cautions, and file a detailed travel and rescue plan. A Note about Trip "Levels" I've attempted to rate each of the trips by the "Level" of adventure involved. These levels are highly vague and subjective: one person's "Insane" is another person's "Moderate," and vice versa. These ratings are an attempt to rate the very approximate level of adventure involved, including not only the level of physical difficulty, but also the remoteness, the chance of getting into trouble, and the severity of the consequences should you get into trouble. Remember also that I haven't done all of these trips yet (which will take a lifetime), which further adds to the subjectiveness of the ratings. Generally: Basic trips, such as Horse Ridge, are relatively close to populated areas and may be traveled fairly frequently. Like any outdoor adventure, they still carry risk -- which you assume. Moderate trips are quite remote by most city people's standards, and you can easily get into serious trouble. They should only be undertaken by people with significant prior wilderness experience, but for those with such experience they are a good introduction to desert riding. It is imperative to observe all applicable cautions and file a travel and rescue plan for trips of this level or greater. Advanced trips are generally longer, and/or take you into country that is quite remote even from "major" desert roads. They should only be undertaken by people with significant desert wilderness experience. Extreme trips are long and extremely remote, covering vast distances that require either overnight camping or very fast riding, coupled with the ability to survive until rescue even if you're dozens of miles from a significant road. Many of these will be long traverses requiring a vehicle shuttle. If you're an experienced enough rider that you're ready to take one of these on, you probably know pretty much everything on this web page already. Warning: map is for orientation only and may not be to scale. Use real maps for navigation. Hampton Valley This place is close enough to Bend that you could spend the night in a motel there or in any of the numerous nearby campgrounds. Closer to your destination, there are some good camping spots around Horse Ridge, on Pine Mountain and in the China Butte area to the south. Trip Level * Description Horse Ridge doubletrack October 2003 December 2002 Basic          Ridden numerous times including December 2002 and December 2003 - click left for ride reports. Explore the vast Christmas Valley sand dunes. Ideally done when frozen, on a very cold day after a rain. Horse Ridge singletrack Basic Ridden numerous times. A popular ride among local Bendites, accessed from just off US 20. Bend Badlands Basic to Moderate Ridden in May 1997 and January 2005. Accessed from north of US 20. Christmas Valley There is a primitive but semi-developed campground on Green Mountain, along with lots of good potential camping spots in the Sand Dunes/Lost Forest and Little Devils Garden areas. Trip Level * Description Nothing but Sand Moderate Ridden in March 2003 - click left for ride report. Explore the vast Christmas Valley sand dunes. Ideally done when frozen, on a very cold day after a rain. Lost Forest Moderate Ridden in March 2003 - click left for ride report. Park at the "entrance" to Lost Forest, exploring the woods and the rolling basins beyond. Little Devils Garden Moderate Ridden in March 2003 - click left for ride report. One way in and one way out. Diablo Mountains Not many secluded spots to camp in the immediate area other than Summer Lake Hot Springs (which also offers cabins!) Otherwise, you may be better off camping in the Forest Service campgrounds just over Winter Rim or south of Paisley. Fremont National Forest also has several isolated cabins and lookouts in the area that you can rent. Trip Level * Description Warner Basin Very few secluded camping opportunities here. Some people camp along the lakes although they're still out in the open. Hart Mountain and the Warner Mountains also have developed campgrounds within reasonable driving range. Trip Level * Description Oregon Grasslands Spaulding Lake isn't too bad of a spot, and there are probably some nice spots on the flanks of Beattys Butte. Otherwise I usually am camped at Hart Mountain or the Warner mountains when I visit this area. Trip Level * Description Buzzard Creek Rolling terrain with a few low rims means not much seclusion, at least physically. On the other hand, this area is so little used that no one will see you even if you do camp out in the open. The BLM's Chickahominy Reservoir near Riley is a pretty crummy place for tents, but at least it's a developed campground. Trip Level * Description Steens Mountain There are several nice campgrounds on the western flanks of the mountain. If you don't like aspens, you might want to go somewhere else! Trip Level * Description Malheur Mountains Haven't visited this area much, so I can't say much about camping opportunities -- or bike trips, for that matter. I've never been to Riverside Campground but I suppose it's a possibility. Trip Level * Description Sheepshead Mountains Looking south in the western Sheepshead Mountains from the Heath Lake - South Lake area. Best car camping site in the Sheepsheads area is Mann Lake (on Fields-Follyfarm Road), with a semi primitive camping area, decent pit toilets and plenty of space. There are also a few suitable pullouts on Ryegrass Creek Road and on the road through Mickey Basin. The Alvord Desert (see below) is just a few miles down Fields-Follyfarm Road, and offers additional car camping possibilities. Trip Level * Description Mickey Grade Moderate Ride south up out of the Alvord Basin starting from near Mickey Basin, cresting to a view over Coyote Lake basin. SW Sheepsheads Long Ride Advanced Ride north from Mickey road into SW sheepsheads, continuing east towards the Sheepshead crest and back. SW Sheepsheads Loop Moderate Ridden in May 2005 - click left for ride report. Ride north from Mickey road, looping around in the SW Sheepsheads. South Sheepsheads Jeep Trails Advanced Ridden in May 2005 - click left for ride report. Ride NE out of Mickey basin, looping around in the far southern Sheepsheads. Coffin Butte Loop Advanced Ridden in April 2002 - click left for photo. Ride east from Fields-Follyfarm road, near Mann Lake, looping around Coffin Butte. I did this ride in spring 2002. Heath Lake - South Lake Loop Moderate Ride east from Fields-Follyfarm road, near 10 Cent/15 Cent Lakes, into the Heath/South Lakes basin, looping back to the main road. I did this ride twice in 1997-1998. Rincon Canyon Loop Ride/Hike Advanced Ride across Follyfarm flat to the western base of the main Sheepshead ridge, continuing as far as possible, hiking down to the Heath/South Lakes basin and looping back via road. Stone Cabin Road Advanced Ride up Stone Cabin Road over and beyond the summit of northern Steens Mountain. Juniper Grade Advanced Ride up Juniper Grade (from 10 Cent/15 Cent Lakes) over the far northern end of Steens Mountain, and beyond. Ryegrass Creek Ride/Hike Advanced Ride up Ryegrass Creek Road as high as possible, hiking to the Sheepsheads crest. Saddle Butte Lava Field Advanced Explore the minor roads in the lava field. Alvord Desert Good places to camp: Near the Hot Springs by Fields-Follyfarm road. A couple of side roads lead to good spots. Along the western side of the playa, accessed a couple miles south of the hot springs. The condition of the access roads varies from year to year, so caution is warranted. In the vast complex of dunes on the eastern side of the playa. Same cautions about the access road apply, and more. You're extremely exposed to storms in this area, so make sure you know how to ride out a lightning storm in flat terrain. And do NOT attempt to cross the playa when it's even a little wet. You'll get in more trouble than you can imagine. Even if you're stuck on the other side, you're a lot better off waiting it out until things dry up. After a brief rainstorm that can take as little as 20 minutes. Trip Level * Description Owyhee Canyonlands This area is so vast it's hard to catalog the camping opportunities. A partial list of developed camping areas includes the north end of Owyhee Reservoir, Succor Creek State Park, the bottom of Leslie Gulch and Cow Lakes. Informal camping opportunities abound where the terrain gives some relief, but you sure wouldn't want to be stuck up on the Owyhee uplands in a storm. Trip Level * Description Shangri-La/McIntyre Loop Moderate Ridden in May 2005 - click left for ride report. Ride west from Succor Creek Road, up to the base of Three Fingers Mountain, looping around McIntyre Ridge and back down. Dago Gulch May 2005 May 2003 Moderate Ridden in May 2003 and May 2005 - click left for ride reports. Ride south up Dago Gulch from Leslie Gulch Road, continuing to the ridge crest. Vast exploration opportunities may exist on the unmapped roads to the south. Owyhee Ridge/Leslie Gulch Loop Extreme Ridden in June 2003 - click left for ride reports. Ride west from the north end of Succor Creek Road up onto Owyhee Ridge, continuing south across Three Fingers Gulch all the way to Leslie Gulch. Return north a few miles further to the east, passing by the base of Three Fingers Mountain. Return to top of page | Home

Designed, created, maintained, and © Wright Consulting Services, Inc., 1996-2007.