central oregon.

We hit the road without too much of a plan. The weather forecast looked good and we had some time. Driving out from Portland past Mt. Hood, the surroundings are full of lush greenery and dense forest that stand as evidence of all the rain of the long winter. However, about two hours out the landscape begins to become dry, the tall trees begin to fade, and there is a desert-like element to each side of the road. The familiar breathtaking snow-capped peak of Hood can be seen in the rear-view mirror, while mountains new to our eyes greet us along our way. The beauty of Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington, the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mt. Bachelor come into view as we drive along. The quiet symmetry of the dark tree-covered Black Butte stands in comparison to the jagged snow-caps of its neighbors.  In less than four hours, we are out of the city and into a drastically different land of giants.

We set up camp at Smith Rock, about 20 miles north of Bend, and one of the foremost destinations for rock climbing in the area. The summer sun allowed us to hike up at 7pm, packed sandwiches on hand, right in time to catch the sunset over the mountains. The rock is composed of compressed volcanic ash (hints of the volcanoes' activity are all over Central Oregon), and has a reddish quality to it that makes you feel like you are in Utah or New Mexico.

After waking up to this rustic beauty, we made coffee and bagels and headed off to Bend. The Deschutes River cuts through the city, which was the inspiration for the Deschutes Brewery, by far one of my favorite beer discoveries of my time out here. It was awesome to be able to get there and see all of the different inspirations for the beers they make, like the Black Butte Porter and Green Lakes Organic Ale. The beers are named after the surroundings, with a picture of it drawn on the label. Their new summer ale, Twilight, actually has a picture of Smith Rock on it. So, it ended up that we were on a little Deschutes Brewery tour of our own.

The Summerfest was taking place downtown, so we were able to walk along the craft tents, grab some food at the food carts, and enjoy live music on the different stages. Bend is known for its amazing access to skiing/snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor (amazingly accessible at only 20 minutes outside of the city), water activities along the Deschutes, and intensive web of mountain biking trails. This limitless potential for outdoor activities sets the tone for a laid back adventure-seeking culture, and the people that have relocated themselves to Bend to soak up this culture are certainly not devoid of stories or excitement.

Tumalo Falls

Mike and I Couch Surfed for the first time in Bend, which was awesome because we had a great host who introduced us to her group of friends. It was a great opportunity to share stories and discover the insider tips to Bend and the surrounding area. They took us on a hike up to a river spot where there were natural rock slides (read: so fun!).

They also told us about a lake up in the mountains past Mt. Bachelor that was a great less-populated spot to rent canoes. We headed up that way and did just that. It is amazing to see all of the snow still on the mountains and along the drive. The clear turquoise-blue lake was lined with trees and three mountain peaks around it. Canoeing had definitely been on my summer bucket list, and it was the perfect place to do it.

All and all I do not think we could have asked for a better spontaneous trip--especially considering the little that we had planed. That is the thing about exploring places like this. With an open mind and free agenda, there is an unlimited potential for adventure in such a beautiful part of the world. We found people who were like-minded and ready to divulge their own adventures. Even the beauty of the drive back to Portland was striking. 

Sigh, Oregon is a gem.
And I am a thankful lady.