Blogs from Bend, Oregon, United States, North America - page 3

Aug 9-11: Having sipped at the cool well of friendship in Walla Walla, we headed south on Rt. 11 to Pendleton, had lunch in the park next to the rodeo stadium (we've found that every western town seems to have a lovely verdant park—and most towns are by some water source), then south on Rt. 395 through grassland and range country and on up into Umatilla National Forest. Thanks, Jerry, for the recommendation of the forested state park at Dale. We had it all to ourselves!! We like to pull in early, so we have time for reading, walking, whatever. Next day was a big driving day, and we got an uncharacteristically early start because I had lost track of my sunglasses and didn't want to be heading due west in the afternoon without them. So ... read more

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 newest addition to the family and just a living doll. We had a very nice visit and got to watch both of the older grandsons - Jacob (13) and Bryson (10) - play some football. ... read more

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 little over ankle high and when I ride, my socks are exposed to the elements. So as I rode that last hour before lunch, I could feel the rain pouring down into my boot. My ... read more

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 go back through Reno as I made my way north. I think I finally figured out what bothers me about this place. Besides being ugly, it just doesn't belong here. As I drove back through ... read more

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 accepted a more moderate stance and both styles have found various areas to thrive in. All ethical considerations aside, Smith was a wonderful place to climb and a wonderful place to be. One of the ... read more