It’s catchup time on the blog! Since crossing the Colombia River from Idaho, we’ve seen the best of Oregon. Sandy deserts to mossy rain forests to misty beaches, we love it all. Tonight we’ve put together 3 blogs wrapping up the first stage of our Pacific Northwest adventure.
Luxury Cruising in Coeur D'Alene
Saturday morning, we woke up in Frank and made a big breakfast for ourselves and Melanie. Tim and I were then off to ride the incredible Bend trails that were accessible from Melanie’s front door. Ben’s to Whoops to Phil’s – it was a great day of dirt packed, pine needle covered, smooth singletrack. The folks of Bend have worked hard to create some of the nation’s best mountain biking trails. Talk to any Bend denizen and the local bike pride shines through. It is well deserved.
Enjoying Downtown Post Bike Ride
After our ride, Melanie took us exploring in the city. We walked along the banks of the Deschutes River and had delicious cheesy goodness at the local’s favorite Pizza Mondo. We sat on the street, drinking local beer, watching the parade of classic cars go by for the Bend Auto Show.
Checking out the Deschutes with Melanie
The Bend of Bend
Next up for the day, we climbed into Frank with Melanie’s puppy Pheobe and drove out of town. Past Mt. Bachelor, we turned onto one of the many side roads on our way down to Elk Lake. Every Saturday night at the Elk Lake Lodge, local talent comes up from town for a mini music festival. We settled in on the straw bales to watch Bend’s new musical phenom Mosley Wotta rap through the evening.
Mosley Wotta lights up Elk Lake
The crowd loved it. After the show, we pulled in to camp with Melanie’s friends, Marla, Marla and Carol and watched as the last rays of sun settled over the lake. It was a great taste of the best of Bend.