Another Deer Park summer has come to an end. We had four wonderful months filled with truly special friends and almost daily golf. Though we're sad to leave all of that behind, it does feel good to be on the move again and we'll be seeing everyone at various times and places throughout the winter. Our first stop was Pendleton, Oregon, where we spent 10 days visiting with Shawn & Christina (Terry's daughter) and their three kids, Jacob, Bryson, and Sheviann, and with Todd (Terry's son) and his two kids, Krister and Kessa. Kessa - age 4 months - is the [View Full Entry]

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This trip is already starting off on a crazy note. My plan had been to work the majority of my shift and just leave a couple hours early to give me time to drive the 130 miles to the airport and catch our flight. Instead, we awoke to 3-4 inches of fresh snow covering the car and roads. Jose helped me load the suitcases and everything into the car so that I could leave straight from work and he would bring Mia and meet me in Redmond. The drive to work soon convinced me that this plan was not going to [View Full Entry]

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We left late from Medford because of rain and cold and finally got on the road around 10:30. Our route took us north up past Crater Lake, but not in view of the lake. It is very high and there is still a lot of snow around the rim. We did go over the pass near the lake at an elevation of about 6,000 ft. and there was snow in the ditch along the road. It began to rain and it poured pretty hard for about the last hour before we stopped for an early lunch. My motorcycle boots are a [View Full Entry]

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I walked outside last night and I could hear the wolves howling. They seemed to be everywhere. The sky was clear and I could see millions of stars. The cool breeze felt really good...then I headed back in to sit by the fire. :-) I awoke this morning and looked out the window. Did I mention it was going to be cold and windy today? I put on my long-johns and headed for the golf course. Crosswater Golf Club is the site of one of the Majors for the Champions Tour. I checked in at the Pro Shop, loaded up the [View Full Entry]

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I intended to sleep late this morning but I awoke on CDT after going to bed on Pacific Time...again. I tried to go back to sleep but could not. So I got up, packed up, and hit the road. I knew where I was going but wasn't sure of the route. I just knew I wanted to stay off the Interstates. Carson City is the State Capital of Nevada. It has a small town feel to it, and unlike Reno, has a unique character to it. I really liked Carson Valley. What a beautiful place! Today's trip would require me to [View Full Entry]

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Hello, everyone! Well, we're settled back in at home now, and wanted to send out some pictures of our time in Bend. When we got up Tuesday morning, the day that we left, it was snowing! Of course, it's always amazing for us to see snow, but at the end of April.......come on! Actually, it snowed off and on until after we reached Mt. Shasta in northern California. It was in the low 40's, so it didn't accumulate, and the roads were fine. It was great to see my brother and his family. You'll see pictures of Mark, his wife [View Full Entry]

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One of the best summer vacations we had as a family was in Sunriver, Oregon when the kids were still around. We rented a condo for a week, and drove up there in August. Though it was the height of summer season vacationing, it was a pleasant, restful, and interesting week. Sunriver Resort is located on the dry side of the Cascades. Skiing is avilable nearby at Mt. Bachelor during the winter. Matt and Sarah would find lots to do there. It is about an eight hour drive up to Sunriver, just 15 miles south of Bend. We took off early [View Full Entry]

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Smith Rock, Oregon. A small, nondescript state park whose name doesn’t conjure up images of wild landscapes or scenic crags. In truth, quite the opposite is true. Smith Rock is the home of sport (bolted) climbing in the US. When it was ethically prohibited to place bolts in the rock unless absolutely necessary which often translated to very sparse protection and very scary and potentially dangerous routes. Smith Rock was one of the first parts of the US to embrace the then radical concept of placing bolts where convenient rather than placing them at utmost need. Today, many areas have [View Full Entry]

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As I explore so many wonderful places around the Bend area I find myself falling more and more in love with this place. It comes over me in waves and is caused by the littlest things, like the way the residents are so warm and friendly. When you pass by people walking they look you in the eye, smile and say hello. There is something about the elevation that makes the sky more brilliant - when it is blue it is a deep rich blue, when the sunrises (yes I have been up that early!) it is a brilliant pink, and [View Full Entry]

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Bend is a city sitting at 4000 feet in the high desert in Oregon, around 2-3 hours drive from Portland. The scenery is pretty wicki wicki wild wild west round here. Bend is a bit of an MTB mecca in the US but doesn't seem to hold the status in the UK of Moab in Utah or Fruita in Colorado. Like Whistler it has numerous shops where a great trail map is available with topography, recommended routes etc, we didn't get lost once and minimum stopping to read the map was required. I imagine Bend would be popular with the singletrack [View Full Entry]

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