Oregon

For a few days in mid-January, I had come up to Bend, Oregon, with one of my best California friends as a little road trip and vacation and to join a Fort Collins friend who was also visiting there. As I had never been here in the winter, it was particularly interesting to see how Bend — which I had nearly moved to 2.5 years ago — looked like at this time of year.

Below are some notes. Verdict: I still love Bend, but am glad I ultimately chose Fort Collins as my place to live. It’s a better fit for me at this stage of my life. That said, I certainly could have been very happy in Bend just as well, just like I’m sure I could have been perfectly happy living in any of my “best places to live” nominees. Continue reading »

When my friend Kimi told me the home she’d be at was “in Bend right across from Smith Rock,” Tori and I didn’t think too much of it. We figured she meant it was “somewhere near Smith Rock,” as Smith Rock actually isn’t even in Bend, and actually isn’t even in Redmond 10 miles north of Bend. It actually is in Terrebonne, north of Redmond. Terrebonne, Redmond, Bend — ok, maybe that’s “close enough.” Continue reading »

My friend Tori had told me about her desire to check out Bend, Oregon, sometime in early 2008, and by happy coincidence, a friend from Fort Collins mentioned that she’d be housesitting for her mom in Bend for a whole month and we were welcome to come up and visit. Road trip! Continue reading »

Due to a tip from Lisa (thanks!) I decided to take a longer way to Bend to check out the McKenzie Highway from Eugene to Sisters (along Highways 126 and 242). It was as gorgeous as she had claimed, if not moreso. The fall colors reminded me of that brilliant stretch of aspen from Ouray to Silverton in Colorado, and yet there was something more intimate and certainly less touristy about the McKenzie Highway. A light drizzle trickled softly among the brilliant yellow leaves dangling overhead, while secluded homes and rustic barns appeared occasionally across the road from the McKenzie River. Photos are here.

Ashland marked the end of my Great American Western Road Trip, which began on July 28th. Hard to believe it has been over 2 months already! In any case, Ashland was a wonderful end to an amazing trip. This town of 20,000 people has lots of character, culture, and beauty. Excerpts from an email are below: Continue reading »