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7 Romantic Getaways in Bend and Central Oregon

Romantic Getaways in Central Oregon

Central Oregon is a magical place that fills visitors with a sense of wonder and, sometimes, romance. There’s just something about a getaway, an escape from the everyday humdrum of life, that fuels love. Maybe it’s the sudden alleviation of stress upon leaving work responsibilities behind or the free time to be attentive to the relationship and spend fulfilling one-on-one time with your partner. Or, it could be the chance to indulge in plenty of wine, chocolate and local craft beer. Whatever it might be, there are some amazing places across Central Oregon where couples can connect in romantic getaways.

Suttle Lodge at Suttle Lake — Suttle Lodge | Photo by Katy Weaver

The Suttle Lodge

Located near the pristine waters of Suttle Lake, about forty-five minutes from Bend, The Suttle Lodge embraces rustic Pacific Northwest style without skimping on quality whatsoever. Nestled directly in the Deschutes National Forest, this getaway truly feels like an escape from all things urban. Outdoorsy couples will thrive with the opportunity to hike, snowshoe, stargaze, snowmobile, cross-country ski, and do pretty much any other activity one would do in a lakefront forest in the winter. From rustic, reasonably-priced cabins to luxurious premium cabins, couples will find a lodging option that fits their taste and their budget. Don’t forget to stop by SKIP, the cocktail lounge that features homemade, locally sourced drinks and meals.

Tetherow

Tetherow is perfectly situated near the edge of the Deschutes National Forest but still only minutes away from the heart of Bend. Seven minutes from the Old Mill District and twenty from Mt. Bachelor, Tetherow becomes the perfect home away from home for couples who love the best of both worlds: urban amenities and natural adventure.

Stay bundled up and lounge by the fireplace on the private decks and patios in the many rental options offered, or go for a nature walk on the miles of available trails. Couples who love to do it all will enjoy Tetherow’s proximity to Bend and the Deschutes National Forest, where they can shop and dine minutes away from skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing opportunities.

Brasada Ranch

Nicknamed “The Ranch,” Brasada Ranch is a quick thirty-minute drive northeast of Bend. Guests here are encouraged to connect with nature and “find your wild” as they pursue adventure while hitting pause on life. Lovebirds should check out the Romance at The Ranch package, which includes a two-night stay in one of The Ranch’s luxury cabin accommodations featuring a private hot tub, wine with complimentary glasses to take home, locally made toffee and artisan bath bombs, all awaiting for guests prior to arrival. Brasada Ranch was named The Most Romantic Honeymoon Cabin in the US by Brides Magazine in 2021.

Interior lodging Brasada Ranch — Brasada Ranch

McMenamins Old St. Francis School Hotel

What was once a Catholic school for Bendites in the 20th century has since been renovated into a movie theater, pub, restaurant and hotel featuring unique rooms filled with old-school style. Couples can often be spotted in white bathrobes making their way from private accommodations to the soaking pool, a semi-enclosed pool room covered in turquoise tiles that depict images of St. Francis in a style reminiscent of Catholic churches.

In fact, handmade tiles and stained glasswork are found across the entire property. Add some extra romance to any stay with the Add A Little Romance package, which adds sparkling wine, keepsake champagne flutes, chocolates and massage oil to any room.

The Oxford Hotel

Perhaps the most urban stay on our list, the Oxford Hotel puts couples right in the middle of Bend, with seemingly endless options for entertainment. The rooms utilize a modern style that celebrates natural materials, neutral tones, clean lines and geometric features. From enjoying the plentiful shopping and restaurant scene downtown and in the Old Mill to wine tasting, brewery hopping and even play watching at the Tower Theater, the Oxford Hotel provides a high-end sanctuary and becomes a great basecamp for a romantic Bend adventure.

Sunriver Resort

An ever-popular destination for weddings in Central Oregon, Sunriver Resort rests in the shade of the Deschutes National Forest under towering ponderosa pines and overlooks plenty of sunny glades near the Deschutes River. The resort features forty miles of paved trails through idyllic nature scenes, ready to be explored on foot or by bike, and couples should consider special deals offered in the relaxing resort spa, such as couples massages and more. For a romantic night out, stop by the Oregon Observatory, a huge telescope sponsored by NASA, perfect for stargazing on clear nights. With 245 guestrooms and suites, along with many more fully furnished condos and vacation rentals, the resort is able to provide couples with any lodging they need.

FivePine Lodge & Spa

couple with wine outdoors at FivePine Lodge With a claim to be the most romantic getaway in Central Oregon, couples can expect to be wowed while staying at the FivePine Lodge & Spa, located in Sisters, a small town with a cute Western-themed downtown strip, about thirty minutes away from Bend. Select either the Classic Romance package or the Ultimate Romance Package to cater the stay to personal tastes, and prepare for a two-night stay in a private, luxury cabin with wine, chocolate, bubble baths, couples massages, two tickets to the Sisters Movie House and much more. It’ll be tough to leave FivePine without feeling giddy about romance.

romantic getaway at FivePine Lodge

Click to read about more TRIP IDEAS and STAYCATIONS around Central Oregon or upcoming EVENTS on our calendar.

Bend Barbershops Combine Tradition with Modern Practices

Records from 296 B.C. in Ancient Greece tell of a place where men would gather to get their hair and beards trimmed, and of course, debate political and philosophical subjects while they were at it. In reality, the practice of barbering—or cutting men’s hair—goes back even further, as nearly every culture throughout history had some sort of standard for men’s grooming. While the methods of cutting hair, products used and styled appearances have changed over time, barbershops are still considered gathering places for men to sit back, take care of themselves and perhaps even gossip a bit. Across the country, these businesses that traditionally cater to men can be identified by the swirling red, white and blue streaks of a barber pole outside their front doors. In Bend, when someone walks into a barbershop, they are often greeted with a local beer or whiskey to sip while waiting for a turn in the barber’s chair.

Central Oregon Barbers — Beau Beach of 4.fourteen Gentlemen’s Grooming

The Business of Barbering

In Deschutes County there are 141 people licensed as barbers, practicing a career that has traditionally been for those who want to be their own boss. According to many barbershop owners in Bend, the trend in Bend and throughout the country isn’t to employ barbers, but instead to rent out chairs for barbers to practice their craft. In this way, most barbers are self-employed—they dictate their own schedule and many of them have their own loyal following of clientele that is somewhat separate from the overall shop’s roster.

For many owners and barbers such as Debbie Bennett, current owner of L & K Barber Shop which has been open in downtown Bend since 1968, this method of employment has significantly more pros than cons. Bennett said that barbers can oftentimes make more money in self-employment. Beau and KayLea Beach, the husband and wife owners of Esther Salon and 4.fourteen Gentlemen’s Grooming, both located within the Widgi Creek Resort, said that there are two sides to the chair-rental form of employment. “The flexibility of self-employment is nice, but some stylists and barbers are going to want the stability that a nine-to-five income brings,” said KayLea. Beau echoed the statement by adding that some barbers appreciate a more hands-off approach when it comes to scheduling, booking clients, advertising and handling finances. “Self-employment can work out really well if you’re the kind of person who wants that control and independence,” he said.

At the West Side Barber Shop, owner and barber Travis Maxwell asserts that the biggest pro to being your own boss is that it allows you to truly be yourself. “I’ve always wanted to be a barber,” he said. “I’ve always had an interest in it because it’s an old-school practice that lets people still be people.” In his barbershop, Maxwell is able to be himself. He is heavily tattooed in the American traditional style and spends his free time fixing up hot rods. He believes that the very nature of self-employment attracts people like him to barbering.

When asked about the biggest challenge they faced while running their businesses, each owner echoed the same point: the pandemic shutdowns were difficult to survive, but barbering is an ongoing practice because grooming is consistent when hair grows at a rate, for most, at a half an inch per month. Today, many shop owners are happy to say that their books are almost always full, keeping their respective businesses steady and profitable. A challenge facing the industry today is the lack of young barbers, creating a somewhat hot labor market with a high turnover rate.

Barbershop Culture

Socially speaking, barbershops have traditionally played an important role in society. Beau and KayLea agree that barbershops have been one of the only socially acceptable places for men to make time for self care and talk about their personal lives. “Historically speaking, and especially with older generations, many men haven’t had an outlet to talk about themselves or treat themselves to something nice,” KayLea said. “Barbershops have always stood out because they allow men to do just that.” At each barbershop, the owner has an opportunity to create their own type of environment. Beach and Maxwell, for example, help their clients relax by serving them a complimentary beer or whiskey and are television-free to keep channels open for communication, they said. Bennett considers her shop more traditional with a television to watch during a wait for a haircut, but no beer is served.

Keeping up traditions

No matter how they approach cutting hair, each owner emphasizes one thing: tradition. From the way that Beau trims long hair with a straight razor using what is considered an old-fashioned technique to how Bennett rejects serving beer, tradition is something that is very important to barbers. While techniques and aesthetics change in the future, just as they have in the past, the industry of barbering will not go away: hair will need to be cut, and the barbershop as a gathering place for men to relax and accept pampering will remain in some form. Today, the tradition is visible with the welcoming signal of a whirling barber’s pole.

Three Winter Lodging Getaways near Bend

Deep in Oregon’s forests, there are opportunities to experience a true winter wonderland, the kind many people only ever see in movies. These getaways provide guests with a multitude of activities, no matter their interests. From adrenaline junkies to bookworms and for everyone in between, there are forested retreats to inspire a winter getaway.

Hemlock Butte Cabin

Let’s kick things off with a true retreat to a primitive Forest Service cabin, where guests can really get away from it all: Hemlock Butte Cabin. Situated in the Southern Cascades, this eight-person, three-story A-frame cabin, sits about two hours south of Bend. The location is so remote that all guests must complete a four-mile ski or snowshoe journey just to reach the cabin, explaining why the Forest Service recommends that all guests have some backcountry experience.

The amenities offered here are slim, and guests at a primitive cabin should pack in most supplies themselves. However, the bare-bones nature of a cabin is what draws people in year after year. For backcountry skiers, Hemlock Cabin is heaven on earth. Nearby Mount Bailey offers miles of terrain that can be explored by both downhill and cross-country skiers, including nearly 3,000 feet of vertical descent.

On the flip side, the remoteness of Forest Service cabins can create an incredibly peaceful environment. Guests may sip on tea or hot chocolate, back themselves into one of the cozy nooks the three-room cabin provides and crack open a good book. If guests haven’t experienced this kind of remoteness before, try this: walk out into the snow and be as quiet as possible while breathing deeply the mountain air. Primitive lodgings are available through the U.S. Forest Service. See fs.usda.gov.

Elk Lake Resort

For a more accessible getaway closer to home, head to Elk Lake Resort. Thirty-two miles from Bend and just past Mount Bachelor, Elk Lake is a popular getaway for locals and visitors to enjoy more amenities while maintaining a feeling of remoteness. The resort is surrounded by a snowy forest of ponderosa pines, and there are thirteen cabin rentals available for guests. During the winter, the highway to the resort is closed, making this getaway accessible by snowcat and snowmobile only.

Fans of adrenaline will love the many opportunities to explore the nearby trails and meadows from the back of a snowmobile. With more than 100 miles of trails to explore, many guests come to Elk Lake exclusively for this adventure. Elk Lake offers snowmobile rentals, so even first timers can get the chance to experience these thrills. Just be sure to bring the proper winter gear to keep warm.

For a more peaceful day of exploration, the resort offers snowshoe rentals. While this can still be a workout, the added tranquility of snowshoeing cannot be understated. Snowshoeing allows guests to immerse themselves in the environment and feel one with the stillness of nature. For any guest looking for a more relaxing stay, try out the Elk Lake Lodge bar and restaurant. Dine on rustic American fare and sip on cocktails or local brews while marveling at Mount Bachelor, South Sister and the view of of Elk Lake. See elklakeresort.net.

Cedar Bloom Farm

The furthest location from Bend is well worth the drive. About four hours southwest of town find Cedar Bloom Farms, a family run farm, campground and event venue. Located in the Illinois Valley of Southern Oregon, Cedar Bloom is a 100-acre property filled with forested land. Owners said, “We are putting the 100 acres of land into a conservation easement this Fall so that the land can never be logged or developed. This will ensure that the land will stay wild and cared for for many generations to come.”

A stay at Cedar Bloom can be ripe with adventure. The nearby Siskiyou National Forest offers plenty of hiking options and chances to explore the banks of the Rogue River. The nearby town of Cave Junction is aptly named, because guests can explore the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, a cave system discovered in 1874 that put this town on the map. Make a day trip to the Siskiyou Mountains for more winter sports and backcountry adventure.

While Cedar Bloom can provide adventure, their forte is tranquility. The available camping options are clean, cute and oh-so cozy A-frame cabins, high-quality canvas tents and a dome that overlooks the nearby river. As winter rolls around, Cedar Bloom can feel like a fairytale come to life; many guests prefer winter stays to reconnect with nature and loved ones.

No matter the getaway one picks, there will be something for everyone; a winter wonderland can provide peaceful quiet or high-adrenaline fun. Don’t miss the chance to experience these wonderlands, so check websites and book reservations early, as many spots fill up quickly.

Bend nonprofit Destination Rehab offers New View on Neurological Recovery

Destination Rehab is a Bend-based nonprofit that helps individuals with neurological conditions get back outside and into their communities. Eugene native Dr. Carol-Ann Nelson received her doctoral degree of physical therapy from Duke University before working at a large rehab facility for adults with neurological conditions in Florida. There, she noticed a gap in patient care–the rehab patients were receiving didn’t translate to real life scenarios, like going on a hike or strolling a museum.

After moving back to Oregon and settling in Bend in 2015, Nelson reflected on her experience and felt compelled to do something. She founded Destination Rehab in 2016 and now works with a dedicated team of physical therapists and volunteers who help bridge the gap between rehabilitation and actually getting back into the world.

Stephanie Odell, the donor journey coordinator (the person who turns potential supporters of the nonprofit into volunteers, advocates and partners through outreach, media relations and grant writing), explained how the nonprofit runs without a physical office or clinic. “Without a brick-and-mortar establishment, we do everything outside at local parks and trails. For the winter, we partnered with Embark Fitness and used their space twice a week when it was extra cold outside.”

Destination Rehab makes sure that the patient’s goals come first. “Neurological conditions present themselves differently in every patient,” Odell said. “Whether a patient comes to us wanting to get back on their bike or be able to go kayaking, or even if they just want to be able to go grocery shopping with confidence, we cater our treatment to make that possible for them.”

To meet these goals, Destination Rehab keeps up with the latest adaptive technology, offering their patients everything from recumbent bikes to an exoskeleton that can help patients walk again. “We have some patients that come to us after not having touched grass in years,” Odell said. “We build confidence and independence in our patients, as a part of the rehab. We have some of the best technology available to us, and we’re always on the lookout for new innovations that can help our patients.”

Treatment at Destination Rehab can be done in many different ways. The main form of treatment is their outdoor physical therapy program, which offers one-on-one rehabilitation with a physical therapist who specializes in neurological conditions, catered to the goals of the patient. The Adventure Group is a program that runs for six months during the warmer months. Sometimes patients gather for an activity that is physical, like hiking, and sometimes it’s something more along the lines of going to the High Desert Museum.

PEAK Fitness is another one of their programs. Similar in format to the Adventure Group, PEAK Fitness focuses only on physical activity and exercise, with monthly check-ins to evaluate progress and to keep the patients on the right track. A more unique program is the adventure retreat, which is a two-to-six week program where a patient from out of state comes to Bend for a rehabilitation-based vacation. The goal here is to provide exercises and a new sense of confidence that the patient can take with them when they head back home.

The team has just purchased a van that can haul around all of their required equipment, and they are hoping to travel to neighboring communities to offer treatment as well as encourage physical therapists in those communities to offer outdoor rehabilitation as part of their own services. Acquiring a brick-and-mortar location is on the horizon, but for now, the vast outdoor space in and around Bend does a great job.

“What we want to show people is that life doesn’t end when you are diagnosed with a neurological condition, or if you are the caretaker of someone with a diagnosis,” Odell said. “I’m so thankful that we’ve been able to give patients a second chance at life and inspire hope in the future.”

For more information on services offered and volunteer opportunities, please visit destinationrehab.org.

5 Central Oregon Spices for Your Next Recipe

They say variety is the spice of life, but what happens when you have a variety of spices? You get introduced to a world of flavor, from smokey and sweet to tangy, peppery, floral and every flavor in between. Some innovative Central Oregon businesses are creating unique spice mixes locally, sometimes even featuring ingredients grown on farms just outside of Bend. Read on to learn about five unique spice mixes and how to incorporate them into your cooking.

Smoked Nasturtium Salt from Sakari Farms

Sakari Farms is known for growing Indigenous produce from ancestral seeds that have been passed down for generations, exempt from commercial genetic modification. One of their crops is the nasturtium flower, an edible flower used on salads that produces a floral, spiced and peppery flavor. In the Smoked Nasturtium Salt, the flower is dried before being mixed with a high-quality smoked sea salt. The resulting salt mix can be used in baked goods, savory dishes, ice cream, brines, meat dishes and cheeses.

Bake it: Bake a whole wheel of brie in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with about a tablespoon of blueberry jam, fresh nasturtium petals and a sprinkle of the Smoked Nasturtium Salt to taste. Serve with crackers.

Sakari Farms | sakarifarms.com

Mt. Baker Chai Seasoning from Savory Spice

Savory Spice is a spice shop located in Bend’s Old Mill District with a huge selection of spice mixes featuring global flavors and ingredients. The Mt. Baker Chai Seasoning is named after Mt. Baker in Washington; a tourist attraction that has a wide appeal, like this spice. This mix is a sweet, earthy and spiced mix that relies on cinnamon as a core ingredient, along with ginger, cardamom, allspice and more. Add to your next baked good for a complex and satisfying flavor.

Mix it: Chai Apple Butter

Peel, chop and core ten large apples. Add half a cup of brown sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice, one teaspoon of vanilla paste, a half teaspoon of salt and five teaspoons of the Mt. Baker Chai Seasoning to a slow cooker with the apples, and cook on high for five to six hours, stirring occasionally. Mash and blend the resulting mix and store your apple butter for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Park Hill Maple & Spice from Savory Spice

Also found at Savory Spice in the Old Mill, the Park Hill Maple & Spice mix is a dried maple sugar based mix featuring sweet and peppery notes. This mix is named after the beautiful tree-lined streets of Denver’s Park Hill, which are reminiscent of neighborhoods of old. The core ingredient of this mix, pure maple syrup, is as old-school as its name. This mix is perfect for adding some sweet spice to savory dishes like pork chops and salmon, or for making a sweet glaze for grilling meats.

Glaze it: Mix three tablespoons of your Park Hill Maple & Spice mix with three tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons of whole grain dijon and two teaspoons of olive oil. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined and serve anywhere you’d like. This goes great on chicken, ham, potatoes, roasted veggies, any sort of caprese dish and even as a finisher on pizza.

Savory Spice | 375 SW Powerhouse Drive Suite #110, Bend

Cinder Dust from Bend Sauce

Founder and Owner of Bend Sauce, Craig Reinhart, came up with the idea for a dry-version of Bend Sauce when he noticed how much chipotle byproduct the sauce was creating. “The sauce is made from whole chipotle, but we strain out the pulp, seeds and skins to keep the product smooth,” Reinhart said. “We knew these parts of the chipotle pepper had tons of flavor, so we began experimenting by dehydrating these byproducts of the sauce.”

Those dehydrated byproducts were turned into a flavorful powder. Twenty-five percent of Cinder Dust is made from that powder, while the other 75 percent is made from the same ingredients as Bend Sauce, just their dry counterparts; vinegar was replaced with vinegar powder, for example.

Cinder Dust is a very versatile addition to any kitchen. Its smokey, sweet and spicy flavor lends well towards Mexican dishes, but can really be used as a meat rub and seasoning on anything; try sprinkling it on popcorn, or using it as a cocktail rimmer.

Sprinkle it: Sauté ground pork, finely diced sweet onion and garlic over medium-high heat with olive oil until the meat is browned, breaking up any chunks you see. As you are cooking the pork, sprinkle in a generous portion of Cinder Dust along with salt. Mix about a cup of sour cream into a bowl with a squeeze of lime juice, some freshly chopped cilantro and Cinder Dust to taste. Add a teaspoon of water at a time to the bowl and mix thoroughly each time until the chipotle crema has reached an ideal consistency. Warm up your corn tortillas, fill them with the sautéed pork, sprinkle on some queso fresco (or any cheese you prefer) and top with a drizzle of your chipotle crema.

Bend Sauce | bendsauce.com

Original Bend’s Best BBQ Seasoning & Rub from Cody’s Country Catering

After three generations of barbecuing, a move to Oregon, a rebranding and years of serving up supremely good food, Cody’s Country Catering still uses the same seasoning and rub that they started with. In 2013, Cody’s Country Catering started to sell its spice mix, and it has been very popular ever since. “We were using it on our own food and constantly had people asking us about it, so we said ‘why not?’” said Cody Serbus, the current owner.

The mix itself is a blend of eight spices, but the exact measurements of the ingredients are kept a family secret. Paprika, salt, onion, garlic and parsley all play a role, and the final mix is a sweet and savory,
all-purpose seasoning and rub that goes perfect on tri tip, the restaurant’s staple.

Grill it: Rub your roast head-to-toe in Bend’s Best BBQ Seasoning & Rub one to three days prior to cooking. Prepare your grill for hot direct heat on one side, and indirect heat on the other. Sear the roast for 3-4 minutes per side in direct heat. After searing each side, move the roast to the side without direct heat, fat-side up, maintaining a grill temperature of between 250 and 300 degrees. Cover the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches between 120 and 140 degrees, depending on preferred doneness. This should take anywhere from twenty to forty minutes. Once the roast reaches the preferred temperature, remove from heat and rest for fifteen minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and enjoy.

Cody’s Country Catering | 900 SE Wilson Ave. #B, Bend | bendcatering.com

6 Campgrounds to Explore Near Bend

As a Bendite, car camping holds a special place in my heart. Growing up in Bend provides many fond memories of contacting friends, loading up the car and driving until we found a suitable place to sit around a fire and rest our heads. Car camping is more accessible because all you really need is either a car you can convert into a bed, or at least a car that can get you and your tent to the right camping spot; no need for any sewage, water or electrical hook ups for costly RVs, let alone a backpack and lightweight gear for backpacking. This summer, explore Central Oregon and consider spending the night at one of these campgrounds, all located within a ninety-minute drive of Bend.

Skull Hollow Campground

Less than forty minutes north of Bend, just past Terrebonne and Smith Rock, Skull Hollow Campground is a welcoming place with an intimidating name. Skull Hollow is a first-come, first-served campground with seventy standard campsites that each come with a picnic table and a combination fire pit/grill. The campground is located in the high desert landscape near Haystack Reservoir, where campers can boat and swim. The nearby Gray Butte trailhead offers a hiking trail up Gray Butte that can provide panoramic views of the Cascade Range. Head south to Smith Rock State Park for some of the best mountain climbing around. Horseback riding is another popular activity here, with miles of trails to access. Campers beware: Skull Hollow has no drinking water, so come extra-prepared!

Chimney Rock Campground

About forty-five minutes east of Bend and past Prineville, there lies a geological landmark amid a vast landscape of cliffs, canyons and deep ravines. Chimney Rock and Chimney Rock Campground are located near the Crooked River. Chimney Rock Campground offers a relaxing wooded setting among tall and mangled juniper trees, and beneath massive rock formations and cliffs. The campground is open year-round and is equipped with sixteen first-come, first-served campsites along the water. Campers can enjoy river access for fly fishing, bird watching and swimming. Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities for campers here, especially when campers want to check out the nearby Chimney Rock Trailhead.

Lava Lake Campground

With just over forty campsites, some of them right on the water, Lava Lake Campground is a local gem for anglers and nature lovers of all kinds. The campsites are positioned between two lakes: Lava Lake and Little Lava Lake. The lakes are surrounded by a mature pine forest that provides shade during the hotter months. Everything from hiking, mountain biking, swimming and fishing can be found here. The two lakes were made from ancient lava flows that can still be seen as rock formations on the banks of the water, hence the name. The campsites come with the standard picnic table and fire pit/grill combo and are first-come, first-served. Situated in the Deschutes National Forest, this campground provides access to more than 1,600 miles of connecting trails. The campground is less than an hour from Bend, south on Highway 97 and connecting with Lava Lake Road.

Perry South Campground

Located along the Metolius Arm of Lake Billy Chinook, the Perry South Campground within Deschutes National Forest offers easy access to a popular lake without having to deal with a large, crowded campground. A diverse evergreen forest surrounds each of the sixty campsites, which must be reserved in advance. Sites are equipped with drinking water and come with a grill/fire ring. Motorized boating and fishing is popular here, as well as hiking and just enjoying the surrounding nature. Perry South can be reached by driving about an hour and a half north of Bend, past the communities of Culver and Grandview.

Pringle Falls Campground

As the name might suggest, the Pringle Falls Campground provides access to the Pringle Falls section of the Deschutes River. Instead of one big waterfall, Pringle Falls is a series of drops over 800 horizontal feet that create whitewater rapids ranging from class II (novice) to class IV (advanced). Kayaking here is recommended only for experts! There are only seven campsites scattered throughout the campground, providing unmatched space from any camping neighbors. The campsites, six of which can be reserved in advance, are adjacent to the water and provide access for swimming, kayaking and fishing, along with nearby hiking and mountain biking trails. This is a great base camp for visitors looking to spend the day exploring the Newberry National Volcanic Monument and return to a remote car camping location. Much like Skull Hollow, there is no fresh water here, so come prepared with your own drinking water. The campground is about forty minutes south of Bend, outside of La Pine.

East Davis Lake Campground

Last but certainly not least, East Davis Campground is a small but mighty area near the east side of Odell Creek where it enters Davis Lake. The campground offers guests the opportunity to experience the beauty and recreational opportunities of the eastern Cascade Range. A sparse treeline gives way to a tall grass marsh as Odell Creek snakes through. Outdoor enthusiasts from birdwatchers and anglers to mountain bikers and hikers will reminisce about their time spent here. Seventeen single campgrounds and three doubles provide guests some privacy, along with shade from the trees and views of the nearby creek. Each site is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be ready to drive out early! Visitors can reach East Davis Campground, located outside of Crescent, Oregon, by driving an hour south from Bend.

Spring Grilling

3 Fresh Ideas to Spruce up Your Cookout with Local Ingredients

When the clouds clear up, the sun shines and spring weather finally graces Central Oregon, friends and families around the region will be firing up their grills. This spring, consider grilling up some of these awesome local ingredients, taking inspiration from the recipes here.

THE PROTEIN: Chicken

A crowd-pleaser for any age and picky palates, grilled chicken is a tried and true classic that will undoubtedly be seen on grills across town. As versatile as it is delicious, grilled chicken can be the centerpiece on a cookout plate, seasoned and slathered in BBQ sauce, or tossed into a salad for a savory protein boost.

Locally, there are plenty of great options for fresh and all natural poultry. Great American Egg is an aptly-named poultry farm near Powell Butte supplying factory-free eggs and meat to Central Oregon. HolmesStead Ranch is just nine miles east of Bend down Highway 20 and offers chicken, as well as pork, goat and turkey; all raised free-range and antibiotic/hormone free.

Soak in the Flavor

A quick marinade can bring out tons of flavor and juiciness from grilled chicken. Remember to marinade for a minimum of thirty minutes, and don’t be afraid to get creative!
Start with a base such as olive oil, salt and pepper and build on flavors from there.
For Mexican flare, add fresh sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and cumin.
For an Asian-style flavor, try using chili or sesame oil instead of olive oil, and add soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chili paste.

THE FRUIT: Peaches

Throwing fruit on a hot grill might sound odd, but try grilled peaches and your perspective is likely to change. The heat from the grill can intensify the natural sugars and help them caramelize, similar to grilling onions. The result is a sweeter, softer and slightly smokier flavor that can be enjoyed on its own, tossed in a sundae or parfait, or added to a vibrant salad.

For tasty Oregon-grown peaches, try Thomas Orchards, which has produced high-quality fruit on a family run farm since 1947, just outside of Kimberly, Oregon. Cody Orchards, also family run, has served fresh fruit just outside of Hood River since 2006.

All Dressed Up

To offset the sweet, caramelized peaches, try using a darker, slightly bitter salad green
such as arugula.
A soft and creamy goat cheese can go well with the sweetness while offering a rich flavor, while a harder and bolder feta or blue cheese can add a stronger flavor and texture.
For more texture, try adding candied pecans or walnuts for sweetness or roasted pumpkin seeds or hemp hearts for a more savory taste.
For dressing, try either a sweet or citrus vinaigrette, and avoid heavy, dairy-based dressings like ranch or blue cheese.

THE VEGETABLE: Artichokes

A savory appetizer that’s also visually appealing, artichokes are often neglected when it comes to spring grilling, but that’s worth reconsidering. Grilled artichokes can be a bit tricky for new chefs, but with the simple addition of salt, lemon juice and butter, home cooks can turn an artichoke into a dish that’ll have people talking.

Artichokes unfortunately don’t tend to grow too well in our Central Oregon climate. However, the Oregon Coast offers much more favorable growing conditions for artichokes. If you want to purchase as locally as possible, consider trying out Bear Creek Artichokes, a small farm on the highway between Lincoln City and Tillamook.

Prep Work

Try steaming a batch of artichokes for about twenty minutes before throwing them on the grill. Artichokes require a very moist cooking method, otherwise they will dry out. Once the steaming process is done, put them on the grill for five to ten minutes; just long enough to get some grill lines.
Mayo Aioli: Serve the final product with a mayo-based aioli. Try mixing one-third a cup each of mayo and greek yogurt into a bowl with garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Craft Whiskey, Food Trucks and Bagels at Badlands Distillery in La Pine

Trevor Mayfield wanted to try something new. The owner and distiller of Badlands Distillery considered opening up a brewery before landing on a distillery, and considered Bend before choosing La Pine. The result is a restaurant, whiskey bar and food truck combo, based around a “non-typical distillery” that began with a commitment to high-quality distilling and an emphasis on using real ingredients that push boundaries while never cutting corners.

“I saw that Bend was already full of breweries, but I thought that we were lacking in quality local distilleries,” said Mayfield. “That realization plus the greater regulations and red tape you have to cut through to make a business in Bend pushed us out towards La Pine, where they were lacking the entire brewing, distilling and food truck scene.”

Located just off the main highway that cuts through La Pine just thirty minutes south of Bend, Badlands Distillery recently unveiled a new tasting room, restaurant and retail space that includes plenty of patio space for summer drinks, room for kids to run around and even a stage on which local musicians can perform. The building was originally a Mexican restaurant that had packed the interior with as many tables and booths as possible. Part of the renovations included a new black and grey color scheme for the entire building, as well as efforts to clear up the interior to add more space. Many touches add a rustic feel, like cow skulls on the wall, black metal accents, and tabletops made from cross sections of large trees.

While Badlands is officially a restaurant, bar and retailer, Mayfield sticks to his roots as a former Bendistillery employee and lifelong homebrewer, and maintains that the distillery is still his top priority. “When it comes down to it, we make some of the highest quality liquor around. Some people ask us why we only produce four liquors while some Bend distilleries have twenty or thirty to try,” Mayfield said. “Then I just ask back ‘well, did you like any of them?’ and the answer is almost always a hesitant ‘kind of.’”

photo Tambi Lane — Badlands’ bagel sandwich paired with a whiskey cocktail

While Badlands currently only distills four liquors–cucumber gin, plum & sloe berry vodka, wine cask vodka and double-barrel rye whiskey–Mayfield prides himself on only producing at a very high quality with fresh, local ingredients.

“Some other distilleries will make one vodka, and then just add some artificial flavor or concentrate to create different varieties, and we don’t do that here. The cucumber gin uses only peeled and natural cucumbers to achieve that flavor. The plum vodka uses tons of real plums, nothing fake, ever,” Mayfield said. “People who are really into tasting these liquors will always tell the difference.” From the commitment to never adding sugar, artificial flavor or color, to the use of high quality water from the Newberry Caldera Springs, every step of Mayfield’s distilling process is drenched in quality and attention to detail.

While distilling is number one, Badlands has brought to La Pine a trend often seen in Bend: a central location serving food and drinks that hosts both food trucks and musicians. On the menus, Badlands offers standard fare from coffee and warm bagels to sandwiches and salads. Looking for something else? Check out Junior’s Grill, a mac and cheese focused food truck that has BBQ inspirations, parked just outside. In collaboration with Badlands, the BBQ sauce they use on their pulled pork is made with their double-barrel rye whiskey.

“We saw how successful and fun the food truck pods in Bend were, and wanted to bring that to La Pine. In the summer this place is amazing. You see people getting lunch, grabbing a cocktail made with our liquor and heading out to the patio to enjoy some live music and let the kids run around. We want this to be a place for everyone,” Mayfield said.

Vowing to never cut corners, Mayfield has plans to expand the distilling operation into the future to accommodate growing sales and the potential for new liquors to be added to the menu. As an added bonus, Badlands Distillery is working on getting new food trucks to park at their lot. When the weather warms up, expect to see a full lineup of local musicians playing on the patio.

Badlands Artisan Distillery & Bistro | 51500 US-97, La Pine | badistillery.com

Bend, Oregon Food Trucks. Read more about the amazing culinary scene in Central Oregon here.

Mountain Bike Exploring on the Madras East Hills Trail System

Most avid mountain bikers from Bend probably know nearby popular routes such as Phil’s Trail like the back of their hand. As great as these tried-and-true trails are, it never hurts to add some variety to your life and try something new. The Madras East Hills Trail System is Central Oregon’s newest and potentially most unique trail system, offering downhill-adrenaline and uphill climbs just an hour’s drive from Bend.

The organization managing the trail system, the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, got involved back in 2019 after Brennan Morrow, who is now the Madras Representative for COTA, moved to Madras and noticed a lack of nearby mountain biking trails. Morrow approached the city about the land known as the East Hills, which is owned by the city of Madras and other private entities. “The city was excited to create a trail system to support healthy living in Madras,” Morrow said.

With approval from the land owners, COTA got to work on a trail system that breaks away from the norm in Central Oregon. While most trails in the region exist on federal land like the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, and therefore have restrictions on what can be built on the trail, the Madras East Hills Trail System is privately owned and is exempt from these restrictions.

Fuel Up in Madras

After a day on the saddle, take some time to explore the city of Madras and refuel for the next big ride. Madras Brewing offers pub fare featuring ingredients from nearby farms and craft brews made locally in Central Oregon. Known for authentic home cooking and burritos the size of your head, Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant is your stop for vibrant flavors and refreshing drinks.

This means that not only are class 1 ebikes allowed on the trail (ebikes with a capped top speed of 20 mph), but the trails themselves are covered in manmade features. “The East Hills offers many types of trails for all users from beginners to advanced riders. We have berms, drops, jumps, and excellent wood features,” Morrow said. The unique nature of the trails has contributed to their popularity among local mountain bikers. Most trails around Bend on federal land can have features, but they must be built into the natural environment and typically incorporate logs or rocks. It’s the sheer amount of manmade and constructed features that makes the East Hills so special.

All together, mountain bikers have around fourteen miles of trails to explore, while horseback riders have six miles of trails for themselves. Along the way, bikers can test their skills with jumps of varying sizes, drops, tall, well constructed berms, paved corners and tons of wooden features to ride on. The passion and effort put into these trails is clear, and any biker enjoying the trails will notice that.

Biking in Central Oregon — photo Steven Heinrichs, courtesy of visit central oregon

Cycling in Madras

While you’re in Madras, don’t miss your chance to take your bike and pedal down the Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway, a thirty-mile stretch of paved road, suitable for most riders year-round. The bikeway showcases some amazing high desert landscapes and passes through the towns of Madras, Culver and Metolius. Take some time to soak in the views at the many overlooks above Cove Palisades State Park and Lake Billy Chinook.

The new trail system has helped put Madras on the map, and is a pretty popular spot on the weekends. Morrow remarked that many people use their weekend to travel out to Madras from Redmond, Bend, Portland and farther, because the East Hills have become a Central Oregon mountain biking destination. These trails are accessible year-round but have varying conditions, depending on the time of year. Dry summers call for lighter, dustier dirt while winters pack the dirt densely and sometimes reveal some mud on the trails.

The East Hills Trails are accessible near Juniper Hill Park on East Ashwood Road. From the trailhead, bikers have three trails to choose from that all splinter off into several other sections, providing bikers tons of unique combinations to keep their riding fresh. With trail names like Gut Punch, Leap of Faith and Valley of the Bones, bikers should expect a day of fast-paced, intense downhill action.

Want more mountain biking, click here. | Read more local adventure articles here.

Adding a Backyard Greenhouse in Central Oregon

While planning his summer gardening season last year, John Kiesler of Redmond found himself wanting to get a head start growing his warm weather produce, such as tomatoes, squash and pepper plants, but was finding Central Oregon’s climate a bit difficult. Cold weather and frost can stop these types of plants from growing, even as late in the year as June, shortening a gardener’s season quite a bit. To combat this, Kiesler last June invested in a new backyard greenhouse from NW Green Panels, a company in Terrebonne. With the greenhouse in place, Kiesler was able to successfully grow those warm weather plants, and he is looking ahead to another extended growing season this year.

Any avid gardener in Central Oregon can benefit from adding a greenhouse. Options include prefabricated greenhouses and greenhouse kits that can be purchased and set up on most properties, or custom, DIY greenhouses offering a deeper level of specialization for each gardener. In either case, gardeners can choose a greenhouse to match the needs of the local climate, available backyard space and the types of plants grown. “Greenhouses, especially in Central Oregon, are vital for getting a good harvest from your home garden,” said Kody Turner, the customer service and sales manager at NW Green Panels in Terrebonne. “Greenhouse gardens will grow faster and produce more because of the steady temperatures and diffused sunlight.”

In general, greenhouses can add a level of consistency to a gardener’s growing season; something that can be highly sought after in climates like Central Oregon where it isn’t too uncommon to see snow in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon in the spring and fall, or warm days with very cool nights in the summer. “In Central Oregon, we tend to get quite a bit of sun, even in the winter. When it’s freezing outside, but the sun’s still shining, we’ve had our greenhouses reach temperatures of around 70 to 80 degrees,” Turner said.

photo Jennifer Gulizia | The Flowering Farmhouse,
thefloweringfarmhouse.com

Ashley Joyce, founder and lead gardener of Bend Urban Gardens, said that a gardener should evaluate their personal needs before purchasing a greenhouse. Typically, gardeners who focus on growing short-season, cold-tolerant plants like beets, carrots and some dark leafy greens might not benefit too much from a greenhouse. However, gardeners who choose to grow other types of plants, especially heat-loving varieties like squash, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, would benefit from a greenhouse that keeps the rather unpredictable Central Oregon frost away. “We often use June 1 as our last frost date, but in reality, we don’t really have a reliable last frost date,” Joyce said. “This makes growing vegetables in our region more challenging than in most other regions of Oregon and requires high desert gardeners to be prepared to protect their cold sensitive plants.”

The draw of a greenhouse in Central Oregon is clear, as they protect frost-vulnerable plants from dying in the extreme cold, but what are the benefits of constructing a DIY greenhouse? According to Joyce, the benefits include general personalization for a gardener’s personal needs. For example, a custom DIY greenhouse can use restored materials to decrease a gardener’s carbon footprint, and it can be constructed in ways that fit small or oddly shaped backyards. Joyce’s personal greenhouse was constructed to account for the amount of snow in the region, to make sure it would never collapse under the load.

With so many benefits, it is no surprise that greenhouse sales have been steadily increasing over the past few years. According to Turner, 2020 was a big year for greenhouses for a few reasons. “We saw an uptick in new gardeners, because they were spending much more time at home and finally had time to grow a garden. Also, it seems that many people want to be self-sufficient and grow their own food. Our customers want to eat healthy and not rely on grocery stores.”

Kiesler’s greenhouse out in Redmond is made entirely of cedar wood cut and stained by NW Green Panels. The structure ended up being eight feet wide and twelve feet long at the base with benches and shelves on either side to maximize the possible growing space. “Due to the frost that can be in Redmond until the middle of June, I can get a head start on my tomatoes, squash and pepper plants, and then transplant them to an outdoor garden when the cold weather has passed,” Kiesler said.

Whether the goal is to get a head start on this year’s growing season or have the flexibility to extend the season longer, a greenhouse can be a reliable way to manage Central Oregon’s unpredictable climate. Winter is the perfect time to start planning this structure, likely to become a high desert gardener’s most important backyard asset.

Oregon gardener Jennifer Gulizia’s backyard greenhouse was built using panels from NW Green Panels in Central Oregon. See what’s she growing by visiting @thefloweringfarmhouse on Instagram.

Authentic Tacos to try in Central Oregon

There is no denying that the street taco craze has hit Central Oregon. All across the region, chefs can be found serving up tacos, often adding personal touches such as lightly crisping the shell, incorporating cheese or a slaw of some sort, and using meats and salsas more familiar to the American palate. However, when someone wants to find an authentic taco, where can they go? And what exactly makes a taco authentic or not? Read on to learn about three Mexican eateries that keep old traditions alive, and discover what makes authentic Mexican food, authentic.

The Basics

The word “taco” comes from the old Nahuatl word tlahco which means “half or in the middle,’’ referring to the way Aztecs wrapped veggies, meats and spices in tortillas. It is believed that these early tacos actually evolved from the diet of the Olmec, also known as La Cultura Madre. This society created many practices still found in Mexico today, including the creation of masa for tortillas.

“The most authentic piece of a taco is a handmade tortilla,” said Hansel Chavez, who co-owns the El Taquero food truck with his fiance, Hanna Cain. “That’s the base it’s all built on. It’s a key piece of our tacos that we can’t do without.” This sentiment is shared by the owners of the other two authentic eateries featured here, Omar Florez and Crystal Jimenez of the Alebrije Oaxaca food truck and Rosalba Villicana of La Frontera.

Each also said this: an authentic and traditional taco has a handmade tortilla (corn, not flour), meat, freshly chopped onion and cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a dash of a hot, homemade salsa.

What is the final word on authenticity? Consumer response. Each owner said that when a customer comes from Mexico, whether they lived there or just traveled there, and reports that one of these restaurant’s tacos tastes exactly like the ones served in Mexico, the chef knows she or he has done it right.

Carnitas at La Frontera

Rosalba Villicana prepares the masa and salsas fresh daily. “I was born in Michoacán. When you’re little in Mexico, they teach you how to cook, and I always loved it,” said Villicana, who was taught to cook by her aunt and her mother, although most of the recipes served at La Frontera are her own creation.

Villicana said that carnitas are a staple dish in Michoacán, and her recipe remains extremely similar to the carnitas tacos that she ate growing up. Similar to American pulled pork, carnitas start with a fatty pork shoulder slow-cooked for a minimum of two hours, usually longer. The pork fat slowly cooks out into a liquid that helps the meat fry, and adds a deeply rich and savory flavor to the meat, which ends up being incredibly juicy, while still being crispy.

Sticking to her roots, Villicana portions the carnitas onto a handmade tortilla and tops them with onion, cilantro, lime and some of her supremely spicy salsas. “Salsa needs to be spicy, very spicy,” she remarked, with a laugh.

La Frontera | 2330 South Highway 97, #8873, Redmond

Quesotacos at El Taquero

The quesotaco proves that authenticity is a tough thing to define. The quesotaco proves that authenticity is a tough thing to define. “It’s not what most people consider authentic, but it was also created in Tijuana using authentic ingredients,” said Chavez. “A lot of our older Mexican clientele don’t see that as a real taco at first because of the cheese, but when they try it and recognize the authentic flavors in the meat, salsas and tortilla, they usually change their minds.”

Making the quesotaco begins early in the morning to prepare the birria. The recipe belongs to Chavez’s mother, who always makes the stew by heart with no steps or measurements written down. Twelve different spices, peppers and veggies are blended together to create the consomé broth that the diezmillo or chuck steak cooks in for a minimum of four hours.

The resulting meat is incredibly tender, and is removed from the stew to be placed in a handmade tortilla with Oaxacan cheese, onions and cilantro. The taco is then grilled on a flat top with a bit of the consomé to aid in the frying process. The end product is a crispy shell filled with cheese and meat that seem to melt together and encapsulate the onion and cilantro. Try them with a cup of consomé for dipping and some of Chavez’s mother’s salsa for a kick.

El Taquero | 228 NE Greenwood Avenue C, Bend | el-taquero-llc.square.site

Pork Adobada at Alebrije Oaxaca

Serving cuisine specifically from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, Alebrije Oaxaca specializes in dishes like mole enchiladas, memelitas and of course, tacos. One of the owners, Omar Florez, was born and raised in Oaxaca and strives to bring to Central Oregon the same flavors he grew up with by using recipes that come straight from Oaxaca.

Adobada translates to “marinated” in English, but pork adobada typically follows a loose recipe. Cuts of pork shoulder are left to marinate in a red chile sauce with notes of citrus and vinegar for hours, before the meat is dropped onto a searingly hot grill and quickly cooked to a crisp. The resulting meat is crispy on the outside with a tender and juicy interior with just enough fat to add a rich flavor, like bacon. You can probably guess what goes on this authentic taco: cilantro, onion and lime with a splash of hot salsa, all held together on a handmade tortilla.

A common theme found in these authentic Mexican tacos is this: instead of trying to add new touches to each dish, Mexican food strives to take simple ingredients, as fresh and as high quality as possible, and make the most out of them by sticking with traditional cooking methods and recipes that have been passed down for generations.

Chavez said, “It is important to us to keep these traditions alive, because not too many people do that anymore.”

Alebrije Oaxaca | 42 NW Hawthorne Avenue, Bend | alebrije-oaxaca.business.site

Bend Artist Hikerbooty Celebrates Public Lands Through Illustration

Rachel D’Antona thought she had it all. The founder and original artist behind Bend’s Hikerbooty, an artist duo specializing in illustrations of public lands, wasn’t always drawing maps and art of trail systems. A 2010 grad from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in interior design and construction technology, she was working her “dream job” as a drafter and project manager for a nonprofit in Louisville, Kentucky. Years into the position, she’d racked up more 16-hour work days than preferred, and was questioning her career choice. “I just knew there had to be something more for me out there,” she said.

On a whim in 2015, D’Antona decided to head west, suspend her career and hike the Pacific Crest Trail in its entirety from Mexico to Canada. From April to October, she hiked through California, Oregon and Washington and had a life changing experience.

While on the trail in Oregon, D’Antona had a medical mishap that landed her in Bend during Brewfest. “The Les Schwab Amphitheater was packed, people were floating the river, and I thought to myself, ‘what a magic little town,’” she said. Upon finishing the PCT, she would move to that magical town in 2016 and begin her own business, based on her experience on the trail.

“After completing the PCT, I wanted something to remember the experience. I thought a map would be perfect, but nothing I could find captured why the PCT was so important. No map I found mentioned all the trail angels and amazing stops that made the hike special,” said D’Antona.

Hikerbooty map — photo submitted by Hikerbooty

As a result, D’Antona drew up her first map of the PCT, posted it to social media, and the rest is history. “That first map I posted took off more than I expected it to, I had people telling me they’d like to purchase something similar, and Hikerbooty grew from there,” she said.

Now, D’Antona works with Brian McGregor, who joined Hikerbooty in 2018 as a visual artist specializing in illustration and watercolor, and the duo collaborate on a multitude of projects that highlight the beauty of America’s public lands.

Hikerbooty Art — photo submitted by Hikerbooty

“Working with Brian makes me feel a little like I’m in college again,” D’Antona said. “It’s fun to bounce ideas around and hype each other up.”

The name, Hikerbooty, stands out for obvious reasons. “I could have picked something mundane and boring, but I wanted the name to mean something,” D’Antona said. She goes on to explain that Hikerbooty can mean a few things. To some, it can be a reminder of the treasure-memories and experiences-that are found on the trail. To others, it is a reminder of a certain tradition in the hiking community where, upon summiting a peak, hikers take a barebutt photo. “It’s a camaraderie thing, among hikers. A reminder that you just worked your butt off,” she said.

While the name is a lighthearted reminder to never take oneself too seriously, the mission behind Hikerbooty is a serious one: as the population of Central Oregon continues to grow, more and more people are in need of education on how to properly take care of and respect public lands. The mission of Hikerbooty is to draw people into these public lands so that they can enjoy them, but then also take on the responsibility of advocating for the same lands. “It’s really about doing your part! If you’re going to take the time to use and enjoy public lands, it only makes sense that you should care about their preservation,” D’Antona said. “People have life altering experiences in nature all the time, and we should all want to keep our public lands safe for future generations to enjoy as we have.”

For the future of Hikerbooty, D’Antona is optimistic. “For now we’ll have to keep things to the United States, but I’d love to offer a public lands map of each state, and I eventually want to make a book of my artwork surrounding Oregon’s public lands, full of fun facts and anecdotes. I’d like it if someone could pick up that book and realize that exploring the outdoors isn’t so intimidating.”

Find Hikerbooty art in Bend at The Bend Store, Wild Roots Coffee and Powderhouse, or see hikerbooty.com.

A Guide to Bend’s Winter Backcountry

Around Bend, people hear the term “backcountry” thrown around pretty often. Backcountry skiing, backcountry snowmobiling, backcountry snowshoeing… you get the idea. Bend’s backcountry is alive and well, with more people choosing to explore these areas than ever before. While breaking into the backcountry can be intimidating for beginners, backcountry enthusiasts swear by the experience and say that the freedom and the sense of exploration is unparalleled. Ready to get started?

What is Backcountry?

A backcountry area is any area of wilderness that is sparsely populated, and undeveloped; this means fewer people, but also fewer resources, should someone need something like food, equipment or medical attention. Locally, there are three main backcountry areas that athletes, explorers and adrenaline junkies frequent: Tumalo Mountain, Three Sisters Wilderness, and Tam McArthur Rim.

“Those are the most popular backcountry areas around Bend,” said Zoë Roy, a development director on the board of directors with the Central Oregon Avalanche Center. “Splitboarding, ski touring and snowmobiling are the most popular activities, but snowshoeing and cross country skiing can be added as well.”

Adventure skiing — photo Jules Jimreivat

Skip the Resort

These popular backcountry activities can be accomplished in areas that are more developed and safer, like a ski resort, but to Roy and other backcountry enthusiasts, that doesn’t matter so much. The backcountry provides athletes more independence, a cheaper day-to-day cost, and way fewer face-to-face interaction with strangers. “The backcountry is an amazing alternative to resort skiing because there are fewer crowds and once you have the equipment, it’s free,” Roy said. “The backcountry is peaceful, beautiful and quiet, which I think more and more people are appreciating.”

Barry Wicks, the sports marketing director at Kona Bicycles, head consultant at Hella Sweet Ink, professional mountain biker and avid backcountry skier, echoes these statements. “I started skiing when I was 2, mostly terrorizing the mountain in what we referred to as the ‘Flying Wedge,’” Wicks said. After taking a skiing hiatus post-high school to focus on racing mountain bikes, Wicks got back into skiing when he moved to Bend in 2010. “I was pretty tired of riding chair lifts, and skiing in the backcountry gave me all the sensations I was familiar with and loved from riding mountain bikes: freedom, a sense of adventure and exploration, and escape from the crowds.”

Ok, I’m In! Where Do I Stay?

As exciting as the backcountry might sound, there are some barriers for people wanting to join in the action. Finding lodging can be one of these barriers, but it can also create another excuse for adventure. Tent camping in the backcountry, especially during winter, should only be done by those with experience and the proper equipment. The temperatures at night can easily drop below freezing and into the negatives, so staying warm and bundled up is essential, and will require having gear that is tested and approved for extremely low temperatures. The safest way to camp overnight would be in a camper or RV, staying at one of the nearby sno-parks. Kapka and Wanoga Sno-Park both have overnight RV camping spots available, and both of them can access the backcountry through skiing and snowmobiling trails. Renting a cabin is also a great alternative, with a few options offered locally.

Camping on a backcountry adventure — photo Christian Murillo

Nordic ski huts are available in the Three Sisters Wilderness area, and there’s even a guided, multi-day ski tour that has guests staying in the huts. Yurts are available for private rentals as well, in the same area. A bit closer to Bend but still near the action, the winter cabin rentals at Elk Lake resort offer a bit of mountain luxury to any backcountry experience.

However, the most popular choice of lodging is your own bed. Many backcountry enthusiasts opt to start their day in their own home and hit the sno parks early, around 5 a.m, then drive back home before nightfall to avoid the hassle of winter lodging. Out-of-towners should consider renting a spot for the weekend in Bend, Redmond or Sunriver.

Safety First

It is crucial to remember that backcountry sports have little to no safety net. Crashing on skis and injuring yourself on Mt. Bachelor property will get you an express ticket to the bottom of the mountain via mountain rescue and a snowmobile. Injuries in the backcountry don’t have the luxury of a quick rescue, and that is why it is so important that backcountry athletes have experience in their sport and an understanding of their own limits.

Skiing at a resort means that the runs have been groomed, tested and ranked based on their difficulty. The backcountry won’t have that, so athletes must determine what is safe and what isn’t, on their own.

The biggest safety concern in the backcountry is avalanches, especially when using a snowmobile. “More people are using snowmobiles to get farther and faster into the backcountry,” Roy said. “This is awesome, but also important to remember that snowmobiles can travel in avalanche terrain and sometimes they break down. Be prepared for both scenarios!”

This writer remembers backcountry snowmobiling growing up in Bend, and dozens of times where it felt like we spent more time digging the snowmobiles out of deep powder than we did riding them. Lesson learned, backcountry athletes always need to be prepared to get themselves out of a bind, especially avalanches; we would never leave the house without a shovel, a handsaw, food, water, extra layers and medical supplies.

“It’s so important that people are heading into the backcountry with the correct avalanche equipment,” Roy said. “It’s one thing to carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe, it’s a whole different thing to know how to use them. Education is just as important!”

On safety, Wicks said, “I’ve taken avalanche classes, spent time with backcountry wizards, and I try hard to be a student of the mountains, paying attention all the time to changing conditions, terrain and weather.” Wicks also recalls a moment where an avalanche took a member of his skiing party, and quick action led to a rescue without incident. “Being in the backcountry can be scary, but it does not have to be,” Wicks said. “Wise decision making and conservative choices can help mitigate risk, but I always have the mindset that anything can happen at any time, and I try to be ready for any eventuality as best I can.”

Three Sisters Backcountry, Oregon Ski Guides and Central Oregon Community College all offer multi-day avalanche education courses. Central Oregon Avalanche Center hosts free, monthly refresher classes that are a good place to brush up on, or begin, your education.

Central Oregon Veterans Outreach Helps Veterans, and Others Too

Central Oregon Veterans Outreach was founded in 2005 by members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #820 in Bend. They had a vision of an organization that could support veterans of every generation and followed through by interacting with the local homeless camps around Central Oregon. “This group’s first focus was to get these homeless veterans off the streets, fed and warmed up,” said COVO’s executive officer JW Terry, a thirty-year Navy veteran and lifetime member of Chapter #820. “While those original vets have drifted apart, I know they are all proud of what COVO has become.”

Connecting with local homeless populations evolved into the homeless outreach program, which reaches both vets and non-vets. “A lot of people don’t know, but around 50 percent of the people we assist are non-veterans,” Terry said.

“We still sometimes get people who say ‘this donation has to go to a veteran’ and things like that, and for those people, we have ways of making sure that specific donations go to certain places,” Terry said. “But over the years we’ve learned to not turn away anyone who needs our help.”

COVO regularly does outreach into homeless communities to build trusting relationships. This can be tough, as unfortunately in some instances, individuals have been seen taking advantage of these populations by inappropriately taking pictures and videos of them. “A lot of people don’t really understand that that tent is someone’s home,” said Ron Moore, a veteran who spent seven years living homeless who now works as an outreach specialist for COVO. “You can’t just go shoving a camera in someone’s home and expect them to be okay with it.”

Once trust is established, COVO evaluates each client on a case-by-case basis to match them with the right program. COVO offers food, tents and clothing, as well as other programs that promote finding affordable housing, stable jobs, medical assistance and support along the way. Specifically for veterans, COVO offers healthcare, as well as supportive services for veteran’s families. “That transition can be a hard one,” said Moore. “Without support along the way, it can be possible for someone, even with an apartment and a job, to fall back into homelessness.”

The employees at COVO, many of whom are veterans who have experienced homelessness, wish members of the community understood that this is a complex issue. They outlined factors such as high medical bills, mental health issues, addiction, social isolation, high housing costs, low wages, and more as causes that can contribute to homelessness. During the pandemic, these factors hit communities harder than ever.

The future of COVO is a bright one, full of collaboration with NeighborImpact and the City of Bend. Terry said that in the ideal future, COVO wouldn’t exist, but he’s sure it will. “We’re still dealing with issues the Romans dealt with thousands of years ago,” Terry said. “These issues aren’t going to go away anytime soon. But, neither are we.”

For information on how to get involved, visit covo-us.org.

The Lost Ski Areas of Central Oregon

Central Oregon is known nationally for outdoor recreation, and that’s in part because of the amazing skiing around here. However, years before Bachelor Butte became a resort destination and people flocked to Bend for our snow, back when skiing was still considered a new sport in the United States, local clubs and residents tried their hand at skiing some other local spots. These old ski hills may have been lost to time, but a local historian is digging their stories back up.

Skiier jumping at the 1965 Junior Olympics, held on Pilot Butte. — The 1965 Junior Olympics were held on Pilot Butte. Pictured is the ski jump competition, with spectators and fellow competitors watching from the sidelines.

Steven Stenkamp, a former firefighter and Bend city mayor turned local historian, has become an expert on lost ski areas. Through his independent research, he has found four forgotten ski areas near Bend: Overturf Butte, Skyliners McKenzie Pass, Skyliners Tumalo Creek and our very own Pilot Butte.

“A lot of the history we’re talking about here wasn’t written down, so much of it is largely unknown,” Stenkamp said. “I’m really happy to help share that history and keep it alive.”

To understand how Central Oregon grew as a ski destination requires an understanding of a certain old Bend club. The Skyliners Club, a group of
like-minded individuals who enjoyed outdoor recreation, was formed in 1927. The group’s first goal? Find a permanent and organized area for winter recreation, such as skiing, ice skating and old-school toboggan sledding.

The Bend Skyliners at the original McKenzie Pass ski area jump site in 1930

“The Skyliners selected a spot seven miles west of the town of Sisters on Forest Service land, next to the original path of the Oregon Skyline Trail,” Stenkamp said. “Construction of a small lodge, a toboggan run and ski jump were completed in time for a December 1928 opening.” The lodge was expanded only a year later to accommodate for the popularity of the site, where skiing competitions regularly saw jumps of over 100 feet.

However, due to a combination of factors such as non-plowed roads, the distance from Bend and the somewhat inconsistent snowfall on the hill, the Skyliners would look for a new spot by 1934, killing the McKenzie Pass ski area by 1935. They moved up to Tumalo Creek, to a fledgling ski area that had first been established with an ice-skating rink in 1933. Over the years, the Skyliners worked to upgrade the hill, adding in lights for night skiing, a lodge, warming hut, a ski jump and even two rope tows to help skiers up the hill. “Before the rope tows, people really had to work to ski,” Stenkamp said. “You really had to want it, to hike those hills over and over.” The hill at Tumalo Creek remained popular until 1958 when Mt. Bachelor officially opened its ski runs.

While the Skyliners Club was doing their thing, other Bend residents were trying to figure out more places to hit the slopes. Overturf Butte began as a toboggan hill in the 1920s, but it wasn’t long before skiers showed up. Eventually, the hill was upgraded with lights for night-time activities, but the toboggan hill proved to be a bit too steep and led to more than a few hospitalizations. Similar to the original Skyliners Hill west of Sisters, Overturf ski area died out due to the opening of the Skyliners Hill near Tumalo Creek.

Skyliners Ski Area with jump — By 1935, the Skyliners had moved their ski area and jump to Skyliner Hill near Tumalo Creek.

In 1962, members of the community expressed their interest in reopening Overturf Butte as a local ski area, but decided to develop Pilot Butte instead when the landowners at Overturf refused. The proposed development included a nearly-too-large ski jump fit with a rope tow, artificial snow and lights that would be open all season long for years to come. However, fundraisers fell short as Mt. Bachelor grew in popularity, and the partial funds were instead used for a temporary ski jump and snow machines on the north side of Pilot Butte, above what is now Pilot Butte Middle School, used only for the 1965 Junior Olympics.

“The first jumper had too much speed and ended up in the sagebrush at the bottom of the hill,” Stenkamp said. “The winner of the jump competition was also the smallest competitor; four-foot eight-inch Jerry Martin from Minneapolis, Minnesota.”

Despite the success of the 1965 Junior Olympics, which had 2,500 people in attendance, Pilot Butte and the other smaller hills just couldn’t compete with Mt. Bachelor. Aside from the new resort eroding the other hills’ popularity, the smaller hills also dealt with more inconsistent snowfall and unplowed roads that made access more difficult. As Mt. Bachelor grew and gained resources, it began to plow roads, offer ski lifts, lodges, classes, competitions and more; all of these amenities were too good to pass up, and other hills were left high and dry, mostly forgotten to history.

That is, until Stenkamp uncovered their past. Thanks to the work of historians like Stenkamp, we can look back and remember the legacy of our community, when people came together for the love of snow. These early hills tell tales of perseverance that directly contributed to the huge popularity of Central Oregon as a winter recreation destination. Any avid skiers, snowboarders and more have these early developments, and the people who pioneered them, to thank for their modern passion.

DIY Dehydrating—How to Dry Your Own Foods

photo @realfoodbytwomoms

Food dehydration is one of the most ancient methods of food preservation, with evidence of Middle Eastern and Asian cultures dehydrating food in the hot sun more than 14,000 years ago. Luckily for beginners, this long history makes food dehydration a very well-researched and accessible method of food preparation and preservation.

Healthy Snacking

Dehydrated foods are naturally preserved (no unnatural additives), typically high in antioxidants and fiber. Self-preparation of dehydrated foods can also mean less plastic waste compared to store-bought varieties, making dehydrating an eco-friendly and healthy choice.

For Julie Mosier of Bend, dehydrating was a way to create convenient and light backpacking meals for herself and her son. Years later, Mosier has authored The Dehydrated Cookbook For Outdoor Adventurers. She has also taught classes at Central Oregon Community College on the subject of dehydration. Dehydrated meals are lighter to carry around, making them ideal for backpackers who don’t want to be weighed down. Preparing these meals on the trail requires very little equipment, so hikers can ditch the bulky propane stove and opt to carry extra water instead to re-hydrate meals. In addition to full meals, dehydrating is a great method to create trail-friendly snacks, such as beef jerky or dried fruits and veggies.

Fruity and Crisp: Dehydrating adds a fun crunch and can make fruits more palatable for kids and adults. Pay attention to portion size as it’s easy to over-consume.

Prepare and Preserve

So, how does dehydrating work? Depending on the resources at hand, dehydrating can be accomplished in a regular oven, but it’s preferable to use a dehydrator appliance. “I recommend trying to borrow a dehydrator, or find an inexpensive model,” Mosier said. “These can be found around town in stores like Sportsman’s Warehouse, Lowes, and Wilco.”

To avoid cooking your food instead of dehydrating, temperatures in a dehydrator are regulated to stay near 140 degrees fahrenheit; any hotter and the food might cook instead of dehydrating, locking in the moisture and preventing long-term preservation. “It’s the most efficient and best quality to have a dehydrator with both a fan and a thermostat,” said Glenda Hyde, associate professor of practice for Oregon State University’s Family and Community Health Program, specializing in food and nutrition for the OSU Extension Service. Hyde recommends getting an appliance certified by Underwriters Laboratories for food safety standards.

Depending on the amount and type of food being dehydrated, and the efficiency of the appliance, dehydrating can typically take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. It often works out to begin dehydrating something in the evening and wake up to ready-to-eat dried fruits, meats and vegetables.

If an appliance isn’t readily available, dehydrating can be done in a regular oven, set to the lowest temperature possible. Since today’s ovens often only go as low in temperature as 170 degrees, this must be a careful process of trial and error, often done with the oven door propped open. Because spoilage is a risk using this method, it isn’t reccomended, Hyde said.

Dehydrating foods — photo Fresh Off the Grid

Keep it Simple: One way to simplify the dehydrating process is by purchasing pre-chopped frozen fruits and veggies and using them on the dehydrator, according to Glenda Hyde of the OSU Extension Service. Hyde recommends using silicone grids below dehydrator racks to prevent small pieces of food from falling through.

Dry This

As far as ingredients, pretty much everything is on the table; local fruits, veggies and meats can be found at farmers markets and stores such as Locavore, Bend’s year-round, indoor farmers market. At first, Mosier recommends keeping things easy and familiar. “At its simplest, one can simply chop up some fruits and veggies, place them in a dehydrator and walk away,” she said. “Alternatively, you can start with meals you already make, such as soup or chili, spread some on the trays, and you’ll end up with a dried version of a meal you already know and like.”

Mosier spent time experimenting with dehydration and testing recipes that would work well as trail meals. “I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to create nutritionally dense meals for my son’s backpacking trip,” Mosier said. These experiments led to some delicious discoveries, including how to improve recipes by dehydrating each ingredient separately for different times, creating different textures once the meal is re-hydrated and avoiding a “homogenous blob.”

Dehydrating in jars — photo Fresh Off the Grid

Shelf Life: For long-term storage, dehydrated foods are best kept in an area that is cool, dark and dry, like a closet or drawer, according to the OSU Extension Service.

One beginner friendly dehydration recipe that utilizes garden leftovers is dehydrated zucchini chips. Hyde said these can be dehydrated plain, or spiced up with barbecue sauce, salts or other herbs and spices. “The flavor just really pops,” Hyde said. Unlike dehydrated fruits, which can be high in carbs and sugar if overeaten, dehydrated veggies, like zucchini chips, are healthier.

Explore a dehydrating guidebook from the OSU Extension Office, which serves Deschutes County, at beav.es/OSUFoodPreservation.

Cottagecore — From Fashion Aesthetic to Cozy Cottage Design

photo Sunday Hendrickson/Lohman

Browse around internet apps like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram, and it doesn’t take long to stumble across an aesthetic that’s seeing a rise in popularity among teens and young adults. Characterized by wicker baskets filled with wildflowers and fresh baked bread, rolling countryside hills and long linen dresses, the “cottagecore” style has taken hold.

Cottagecore is the romanticization of a rural lifestyle that gives specific nods to Victorian era English villages. As an aesthetic, it can influence fashion and food, as well as architecture and interior design. Despite all the different applications of the aesthetic, there is a common theme woven throughout—cottagecore is known to invoke warm, safe and nostalgic feelings from those who experience it.

Translated into home design, a cottagecore home would include aspects that make people feel nostalgic and cozy, with a mix of old and new pieces. Neutral walls, old wooden furniture, a wood-burning fireplace, casement windows with light drapes, exposed wood and brick, vases of wildflowers and greenery, and small reading nooks with antique finds can all add cottage style to a home. Think of a grandmother’s house, but somehow trendy.

Bend-based designers Sarah Phipps and Anna Stringer worked together several years ago on a cottage remodel on Bend’s west side that Stringer now runs as an Airbnb rental. The 1934 structure was looking worse for the wear when the pair of friends first began revamping it. To begin the remodel, the two stripped the house down and discovered the original lap siding, still preserved, and an old brick chimney.

The interior was painted an off-white mascarpone color with a bright white trim and the floor was given new life with a hardwood upgrade. The furniture in the cottage is now a mix of old and new, a modern couch right next to the exposed brick chimney, as well as the old fireplace and an antique davenport, both painted the same white as the trim. A retro-style pink refrigerator from Smeg provides a splash of color.

While the finished space is a great example of cottage design, even Phipps and Stringer are still figuring out exactly what cottagecore is, and how it differentiates from some more established styles. Phipps describes her own style as “OG Cottage,” which can mean different things, depending on the age of who you’re talking to, she said. “Every generation has nostalgia for the past, but the dateline isn’t static,” Phipps said. “We have to realize each new generation takes up the reins and makes what is old their own.”

Cottagecore bedroom — Cottagecore calls for neutral and soft color schemes. When furnishing, mix antique, thrifted and new pieces and keep the space fresh with flowers and plants. Photo Tara Donne

In short, what is considered cottage style to Phipps could be completely different from what her 17-year-old daughter considers cottagecore, based on what each generation considers to be nostalgic and comforting. Theories online suggest that more time spent at home last year because of the pandemic spurred the popularity of cottagecore, along with the idea that isolating yourself can be enjoyable. Many of the pandemic trends, from baking sourdough and experimenting with homebrewing to starting an herb garden or taking up sewing, can all be considered part of cottagecore.

While the cottagecore aesthetic overall is popular with Gen Z, the interior design style is enjoyed by all ages. Stringer said most of the guests staying in the cottage Airbnb love the interior, even if they don’t know what to call it. “I would say people seek it out even if they don’t realize it at the time. Demand has grown substantially over the last few years and renters love the uniqueness of a cottage style rental,” Stringer said.

While a wide variety of colors, textures and items can work as part of a cottage design, there are certain strategies to achieve the look, including a mix of older and newer items. Phipps recommends thrifting for interior decor, as well as checking Facebook Marketplace and antique stores for older pieces to accompany newer ones. She suggests local stores such Lark, furnish., Roundabouts Home Consignments and Iron Horse Second Hand. For inspiration, search for cottagecore on online platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr, and find ways to embrace the design in any space.

Bend’s Janessa Bork and the Creation of VIVI DESIGN CO.

Janessa Bork lived a childhood full of experiences that make her the self-proclaimed “wild child” she is today: an active competitive snowboarder, dirt biker and skateboarder. Born in Bend but raised in Bozeman, Montana, Bork spent her days running free, playing outside and absorbing all the beauty that exists in the abundant mountains and forests of Montana.

Janessa Bork, co-founder of Vivi Design Co. — Janessa Bork in front of the mural she created at Dr. Jolly’s

Her family eventually moved back to Bend, where Bork graduated from Mountain View High School. Since then, she’s moved around but always manages to make it back to Bend. “This is my home, and I love it so much,” Bork said.

Being the child of a rug weaver and an artisan mason, Bork remembers having her creativity cultivated from a young age. “My mom used to help put on summer art camps when I was in grade school and it definitely helped shape my desire to make and create things with my hands,’’ Bork said. “I worked for my dad in the summers doing masonry and construction which taught me a lot about building.”

Fresh out of high school, Bork took a painting class at Central Oregon Community College and met her would-be husband, Josh Ramp. Ramp had just graduated from high school in Alaska and decided to make a new life in Oregon, where he had family. He had dabbled in painting and drawing in high school, and was exploring the subject in Bend in a traditional painting techniques class taught by Professor Bill Hoppe.

“The second we met we were magnetized to one another,” Bork said. “We’ve been together through the thick of it, and it’s really shown our strengths and dedication. We’re far from the perfect couple but we have created our dreams from nothing and stuck to our guns, and I’m so happy it’s starting to pay off.”

The two fresh-faced grads moved to Portland in 2008 to pursue design school together, after Hoppe took note of Bork’s affinity to the arts. After graduating in 2011, the duo worked separately as freelance artists, illustrators and designers, eventually moving back to Bend in 2017 to live the quintessential Central Oregon lifestyle full of high adrenaline sports and ample time spent outside. Bork, in tandem to her art career, had become a snowboarder who is sponsored by Mt. Bachelor, BlackStrap and others.

Graphic design can oftentimes be a job that requires one to sit in front of a computer for hours on end; a stark contrast to an adrenaline-filled lifestyle. Bork decided that a desk job just wasn’t for her. “I realized the last thing I wanted to do for a career was stare at a computer all day,” Bork said. “After a few freelance jobs, I realized I could merge traditional painting techniques with modern design to create a unique quality aesthetic that stands out from the rest.”

To capitalize on that realization and create a career that isn’t exclusively relegated to a computer screen, Bork and Ramp founded VIVI DESIGN CO. in 2018. The company specializes in environmental design, product branding and hand-painted craftsmanship, which translates to designing and painting tons of murals for local businesses. “Our creative process includes analog and digital techniques,” Bork said. “We utilize digital programs and hand-drawn graphics to get that exact design we visualize for a seamless, distinct look.”

Janessa at Josh creating a mural — Just another day at work for Janessa at Josh

The name VIVI has a couple of meanings for Bork and Ramp. “The letters look so aesthetically pleasing next to one another, resembling two halves as one whole through compound words,” Bork said. “The word vivi is from Latin descent, meaning ‘to live, living and alive.’”

Bork goes on to explain how this Latin saying encompasses her and her husband’s daily life; to live with design, to feel alive through design and to live through habitual creativity.

VIVI DESIGN CO. can be found locally in many murals around Central Oregon, including murals done for local businesses such as Dr. Jolly’s, Backporch Coffee Roasters, Kefi Fresh, the Cottonwood Cafe in Sisters, Pioneer Cannabis Co. in Madras and many others. Currently, VIVI DESIGN CO. is designing a mural for a local plant shop, Somewhere That’s Green.

For more, see vividesignco.com.

Get a Taste of Sen Thai Hot Pot in Bend

Walking into Sen, a new Thai noodle house that specializes in street food recipes and hot pot meals, feels a bit like walking into an art gallery. Visitors are greeted by chic white walls, modern light fixtures and high ceilings with towering windows that go nearly to the top—perfect for gazing out over the Deschutes River that flows outside. The décor is intentional; nothing is thrown together haphazardly, and everything has a purpose.

The same could be said about the food, and the ingredients used to create each dish. I ordered the tom yum boran, a noodle soup with ground pork, lime, cilantro, crushed peanuts and bean sprouts, while my friend and dinner date across the table ordered the pad thai goong, adding prawns (goong means “prawn” in Thai) to the classic stir fry dish.

Sen is owned and operated by Rosie Westlund, her parents Paul and Ampawan Itti, and her cousin, Bua Karoon. The same family, originally from Chaing Mai, Thailand, owns another popular Thai restaurant, Wild Rose, just a few blocks away. Westlund explained that Sen acts as an overflow for Wild Rose, and vice versa.

“When people call or walk in and we can’t seat them, they sometimes ask ‘are there any other Asian restaurants nearby?’ and now we can just direct them to our other restaurant,” Westlund said.

Rather than simply opening a second location for Wild Rose, Sen allowed for a diversity of flavors and a wider range of dishes.

“Wild Rose is exclusively a Northern Thai restaurant. Sen brings together flavors from across the country, but the menus don’t cross over,” Westlund said. “In Thailand, most people eat at food stalls that specialize in just one dish. We’ve taken our favorites from when we go to Thailand and decided to serve them all here, as opposed to sticking to one regional cuisine.”

I was delighted to see that each noodle soup came with five different presentations, made up of four different noodle types to choose from or an option to ditch the noodles for a bowl of rice, instead. Westlund mentioned that this is pretty standard in noodle houses across Thailand. Outside of the noodle soups, every entrée comes with the famous (or infamous, if you don’t prefer spice) question, “how spicy would you like that?” Guests can decide how brave they are, on a scale of one through five. Even further to the delight of the table, the waitress brought out a rack with various small jars filled with spicy combinations of peppers, brines, oils and spices—perfect for adding some additional flavor to any dish.

My tom yum soup came out of the kitchen begging to be photographed; each ingredient was placed piling over the edges of the bowl, showcasing contrasts of both color and texture. The broth was a sweet, sour and spicy medley, taken to another level with bites of fatty and savory ground pork with light, crunchy bean sprouts and cilantro. With the addition of a halved hard boiled egg and an entire fried wonton placed on top, this entree was well worth the price tag of $18.

Speaking of price, a night at Sen doesn’t have to break the bank. Guests have a full bar available and cocktails cost around $15 a drink, but there is always the option to opt for a Thai light beer, which only ran us $4 a bottle.

While Sen has upscale and fine dining qualities, the atmosphere of the restaurant strays closer to the establishments back in Thailand that inspire the menu, the Thai noodle shop. The Sen website says that these shops are “busy, bustling and vibrant institutions,” and in the best way possible, that is what dining at Sen feels like. Friends and family are talking and laughing, the employees are in good spirits and the entire building just feels full of life. Nothing felt stiff and everyone felt comfortable, so much so that the bartender was cracking some jokes with our table.

Sen Thai Hot Pot in Bend Oregon — From left to right: Tyler and Rosie Westlund,
Ampawan and Paul Itti, Bua Karoon and family.

Getting to this friendly, delicious place did not come without challenges. The owners spent about two years trying to open; about a year and a half was spent on construction, which took considerably longer to complete due to health and safety restrictions related to the pandemic. “Our forte is in the restaurant side of things, and we had to learn a lot about construction while the process was taking place. It was little things like picking door handles, hardware accents and lights that we’ve never done before,” Westlund said. “It was definitely a learning process.”

Sen walks the line between casual and fine dining; it is simultaneously where I’d take out-of-town friends to showcase Bend’s nicer side, and where I’d want to meet up with locals for consistently good food and cheap beer.

Sen Thai Hot Pot and Noodle House | 65 NW Newport Avenue, Suite 100, Bend | senhotpot.com

Bend nonprofit Younity fights bullying with nonviolence training

In 2004, Arlene Gibson was working as a corporate lawyer and caretaking for her aging mother. Right before her mother passed away, she told Gibson to switch directions in her life and change career paths to something more involved with helping others. This set Gibson on a path that would eventually cross with that of Carol Oxenrider, who, after her husband died, yearned to spend her life helping others. Together, Oxenrider and Gibson founded Younity in Bend in 2006.

Younity is a local nonprofit that advocates for bullying and suicide prevention through educational services and programs for both kids and adults. The organization has reached nearly 10,000 kids in Central Oregon, helping them deal with issues such as bullying through an approach that is based around love and healthy communication. “We don’t fight, and we always preach nonviolence,” Gibson said. “That being said, we do teach kids how to deal with bullying on both sides of the issue.”

Co-founder of Younity Arlene Gibson — Co-Founder
Arlene Gibson
“There’s a quote hanging on my office wall from Gandhi that reads, ‘we must be the change we wish to see in the world.’ That perfectly explains why Younity is important to me.”

Younity teaches that bullying and other types of aggression come from some sort of pain or trauma from inside the bully. With this mentality, the organization has led seminars and assemblies in local schools where students who are bullied learn techniques to deal with the situation, while kids who bully are helped to understand why they bully, and what healthier ways there are to express emotions. “I’ve seen kids who you would never think would be friends, kids who have been bullying one another, stand up and apologize to those who they hurt,” Oxenrider said.

Through their programs, Younity teaches skills that kids will find valuable as they grow and mature, such as emotional maturity, healthy ways of dealing with trauma and conflict resolution. Take Younity’s Inspiration Day, for example. This program is set in school and is tailored for students, parents and all staff. Through assemblies, individually tailored classroom lessons and small group workshops, Younity provides people with the confidence and the know-how to recognize bullying, stand up to it and communicate about it in healthy ways. Aside from bullying, Younity also offers programs to support mental health in students and raise awareness for depression and suicide.

Co-founder of Younity Carol Oxenrider — Co-Founder
Carol Oxenrider
“Younity’s own motto, ‘together we are stronger,’ encapsulates exactly why I believe Younity is important.”

Younity is able to do so because of the generous work of more than 2,000 volunteers and a dedicated board of directors; so dedicated to helping children that Younity is one of the only local nonprofits with no salaried employees, meaning that all money raised goes towards programs that help kids and families.

A board member who would prefer to keep her last name anonymous said she was excited to learn about a Central Oregon organization advocating for bullying prevention. “Bullying is an important issue in this day and age, especially with it becoming more pervasive thanks to social media,” Claire said.

On the future of Younity, the board is optimistic. Claire said, “I believe Younity will evolve with the changing needs of young people. We are always looking for more members to join this wonderful organization to help us further advance the impact Younity has on our community.”

Contact
To volunteer, donate or get involved with Younity in any capacity, reach out here:
younityus.org | (541) 382-1093

Fall Hikes in the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest

Know the climate

A key mishap that Detweiler sees in Central Oregon gardening comes from lack of experience with the region’s climate. People moving in from regions with different climates often find that Central Oregon growing conditions are far different from what they are used to.

Many gardeners know to prune, or trim off certain parts of their plant, when the weather warms up, in order to maintain their plant’s health and air circulation, while also removing dead branches and leaves. But knowing when to do this can be tricky in Central Oregon. “A big thing is that people want to prune too early. We see that people who come from places like the Willamette Valley and California will trim their plants too early in the season, around January and February, because they are not used to Central Oregon’s climate,” Detweiler said. She recommends Central Oregon gardeners wait until March and April before trimming plants back, to avoid killing the plant or stopping its growth by exposing it to the cold.

Central Oregon’s somewhat unique weather patterns—with warm, sunny days and brisk nights—can take some getting used to for gardeners coming from both warmer and cooler climates. Because of the cool nights earlier in the growing season, the time it takes for a plant in Central Oregon to reach full maturity is longer when compared to other regions. “Gardens in Central Oregon don’t grow at night because of the temperatures. If you buy a bag of tomato seeds that claim to reach full maturity in eight weeks, they would likely take closer to ten weeks here. I tell everyone to add at least two weeks to your estimate of when the plant will reach maturity,” Detweiler said, adding that plants in the region can sometimes grow at around 70 percent their normal rate.

Understand the soil

Aside from the climate, the soil in Central Oregon can also cause some new gardeners to scratch their heads in frustration. “Central Oregon soil is neutral to basic, on the PH scale,” Detweiler said. “Some popular plants people want to grow, like blueberries, rhododendrons and more, all require more acidic soil.”

Making the soil in your garden more acidic might sound like an easy fix, but Detweiler warns against some of the more popular methods of acidifying your garden—like sprinkling coffee grounds or pine needles. Detweiler says that both of these methods are myths that don’t really do much. Sure, coffee grounds are acidic, but the amount you can dump in your garden won’t change the PH value of the soil by any discernible value; same goes for pine needles. There are real ways to acidify your garden’s soil, but these are all very expensive and complicated methods, and are not recommended for most home gardeners.

Instead, it’s better to choose plants appropriate for Central Oregon’s existing soil, or the soils and mulches you can add to a gardening bed, rather than trying to change the PH of what’s there.

Choose plants carefully

At the end of it all, gardening success truly lies in choosing the right plants. Having an understanding of each plant’s weather and climate, watering, soil and sunshine requirements will save any gardener trouble down the road.

Gardens in Central Oregon require plants that are cold-hardy enough to make it through our long and cold winters, while also being adaptable enough to make it through the summer heat. Otherwise, gardeners need additional equipment like a frost blanket to keep their more sensitive plants from dying in the cold.

Detweiler also recommends researching your chosen plant yield, and to try not to waste water on plants that will eventually be thrown away because they grew too much produce.

With a good grasp on the garden’s yield, the Central Oregon climate and the patience to do things a bit slower, any gardener can be successful in Central Oregon.

Building Flavorful Salads with Central Oregon Ingredients

Salad truly is one of the most versatile dishes out there. With so many different ways to build a salad and so many flavors to pick from, getting started can sometimes be a daunting task. This simple guide will help you build your next favorite salad, and make sure that bland, boring salads are a thing of the past.

Add Veggies and Greens Galore

Try to match your raw greenery to your flavor profile. More delicate flavors go well with tender, leafy greens like butter lettuce and spinach, while more bitter greens like arugula pair well with dressings with stronger flavor profiles.

Once the raw greens are chosen, select an array of colorful in-season vegetables to add. Visit a local farmers market or join a CSA—community shared agriculture—program for a convenient way to have locally grown veggies available throughout the summer season. Slicing up fresh veggies raw is an easy salad addition, or try roasting or pickling to experiment with different tastes and textures. Don’t forget herbs—small additions like chopped cilantro, basil and mint can boost the flavor of a salad.

Pick the Proteins

Protein rounds out a salad’s nutritional value and keeps us feeling full longer, with options ranging from lean and tasty meats to nuts, eggs and other protein-rich toppings.

For animal-based protein, chicken, both breaded and fried or grilled, is a popular choice. Other options such as hard boiled eggs, salmon or steak can provide valuable protein, with many lean options. Outside of animal-based protein, there are even more possibilities. High-protein cheeses include parmesan and pecorino, while seeds and nuts, including hemp seeds or walnuts, also offer protein and healthy fats.

Many plant-based protein sources provide a good crunch to give the salad texture, especially when roasted. Roasting sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds offers a protein-rich topping with an added crunch. Try experimenting with chickpeas, a protein-packed bean enjoyed raw or roasted, or quinoa, which is typically cooked like rice, but can also be roasted for a crunchy topping.

Dress it Up

Dressings typically come in two varieties: thick and creamy dairy-based dressings such as ranch and blue cheese, and lighter vinaigrettes. Both styles come in countless varieties, but even then, it’s tough to beat homemade.

A simple vinaigrette can be made with just fat and acid—traditionally, olive oil and vinegar. The fun part about homemade vinaigrette is how the flavor possibilities are endless. For example, using lime juice as the acid and adding in freshly chopped cilantro into a basic vinaigrette will create a light cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

Homemade Vinaigrette

Start the base with ½ cup of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of vinegar (add more for a tangier taste). Add a tablespoon each of Dijon mustard for flavor and maple syrup or honey for sweetness. Add two cloves of minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Shake it up! A tightly sealed mason jar is a great place for stirring and storing leftover dressing.

Find it Fresh – Fresh ingredients in Central Oregon

To find fresh ingredients in and around Bend, start with farmers markets, or locally sourced grocery stores like Locavore, an indoor farmers market open year-round on NE Third Street. The Bend Farmers Market runs from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays in Brooks Alley downtown through mid-October, while the NorthWest Crossing Farmers Market is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from early June through September. Most Central Oregon cities, including Sisters, Madras, Redmond and Prineville, also offer a weekly farmers market.

Origami-Infused Jewelry and Art by LeeMo Designs in Bend

A commissioned custom wall art piece crafted from the covers of the Harry Potter book series

Leela Morimoto was born in Honolulu, Hawai’i, but spent much of her childhood living in Japan. “My parents separated before I was 5, so I spent my childhood traveling between Osaka, Japan and Kamuela, Hawai’i, on the Big Island. Until third grade, I would spend six months in each place going to school, but when it became difficult academically, I opted to go to school in the States and then spent summers and holidays in Japan from then on,” Morimoto said.

Traveling between the two countries, Morimoto was steeped in Japanese culture. To keep her occupied as a young child, adults pushed her towards learning origami. “I’ve been folding origami since I was 3 years old. I was given packs of paper to occupy myself while the adults adulted, and what was a hobby eventually turned into much more,” Morimoto said.

She launched LeeMo Designs in 2008. Morimoto was attending the University of Oregon pursuing a degree in product design, interior architecture and Japanese at the time, and launched her design company during her summer break. However, it would take some time before the modern LeeMo Designs was realized.

“When I really started trying to turn some of my creations into profit would be 2012, when I worked on my photography and blogging skills to spread the word about my origami jewelry,” Morimoto said. “In 2013 I moved to Bend. In 2016 I left my full time job as a manager at Tate and Tate Catering to work part time so that I could pursue more creative hobbies, and about six months after launching my organizational product line, I was able to leave that part time job and commit to art full time.”

Now, LeeMo Designs is locally famous for producing jewelry, art and household products, made from modular origami designs. Morimoto recalls becoming obsessed with modular origami—where two or more sheets of paper are combined into a larger creation—when she was just 11 years old, cataloging hundreds of modular creations and keeping track of what she could create with different kinds and sizes of paper.

The origami jewelry creations produced by LeeMo Designs, like her tiny paper crane earrings, are one of a kind, literally. Each piece of origami is hand folded by Morimoto herself, who uses high quality origami paper, imported from Japan.

I’ve been folding origami since I was 3 years old. I was given packs of paper to occupy myself while the adults adulted, and what was a hobby eventually turned into much more.

It is this attention to detail and the uniqueness of the product itself that have made LeeMo Designs stand out in a saturated jewelry market. In an industry where heavy metals and precious stones reign supreme, LeeMo Designs offers colorful, lightweight and unique jewelry and accessory options that truly can’t be found anywhere else.

Beyond jewelry, Morimoto creates household products that follow the same philosophy as her origami; beauty and usefulness. “My focus has always been things that function and look aesthetically pleasing, so my line of organizational home products made so much sense,” Morimoto said.

These home products are created with a laser cutter, one of Morimoto’s more recent mediums. Of the products, many are organizational
tools—chore magnets, plant markers, laundry signs and more—that adhere to Morimoto’s standards of aesthetics and functionality.

See more at leemodesigns.com.

The Rise and Fall of the Bend Water Pageant

In 1932, a group of business owners were sitting around a table in a local coffee shop in Bend. Their community, like all others in the nation at the time, was struggling to survive in the Great Depression. Led by the owner of Bend’s Capitol Theatre, Byron “Dutch” Stover, the group was looking for new ways to get people to visit town. Bend remained a popular tourist destination, but the economic collapse of the nation meant that the town needed more help than ever.

Stover was regularly coming up with ideas surrounding performing arts and was a big early supporter of local pageants. He settled on the idea of a water carnival, originally proposed in order to incorporate the nearby Mirror Pond into the town’s Fourth of July festivities. This water carnival would be similar to a regular parade of floats, except it would take place on the Deschutes River. It would also crown a pageant queen every year, who was usually a local teen.

On July 4, 1933, the first Bend Water Pageant took place. Weeks before the event, the town was hard at work getting ready. The float near the modern day and aptly named Pageant Park was not a task to prepare for overnight. The first year, the pageant creators envisioned a rainbow of water that the floats could pass under when they came through Mirror Pond. This proved to be too complicated, so pageant officials opted to create a huge wooden arch every year after the first pageant that floats could pass under, fit with colorful lights to resemble a rainbow.

In 1934, the arch was one of the tallest structures in Bend. The fact that this relatively big construction project was devoted to a completely temporary structure speaks to how significant the Bend Water Pageant was to the town.

“I don’t think anybody had really caught on to this big vision that he [Stover] had for the water pageant,” said Kelly Cannon-Miller, executive director of the Deschutes Historical Society in a short film about the Bend Water Pageant called Let There Be Light.

The pageant became an opportunity for the Bend community to forget their woes. For one night, while the entire nation celebrated freedom and independence, people in Bend could stop by Mirror Pond and relax as they watched the colorful floats of swans and fairy tale figures pass under the arch; each color twinkling across the dark water to create a spectacle of light that dazzled locals and tourists alike.

"Maid of Athens," Bend Water Pageant, 1937 — “Maid of Athens,” Bend Water Pageant, 1937

“One of the things I love the most about this story is that for all those years, it was a chance for people to just be creative and build these beautiful things together. At a certain level, it was a giant group art project. Everyone brought their skills to bring this project to fruition,” Cannon-Miller said.

The pageant saw its peak popularity in the 1940s, when thousands of people would flock to town to see it. By the 1950s, the event had gotten almost out of hand. “Due to how many people were showing up, it would sometimes take six weeks to get Drake Park clean again,” Cannon-Miller said. By the early 1960s, the pageant had grown to such a size that it took a team of 200 volunteers two entire months of work, just to be ready in time for the Fourth of July. “The clean up combined with the massive effort it took to create the pageant created its decline,” Cannon-Miller said.

Real swans at the Bend Water Pageant, 1954 — The real swans of Drake Park gather at the riverbank to comtemplate their supersized, and temporary, Water Pageant swan friends, 1954.

America had changed, and Bend with it. The strife from the Great Depression had passed and a generation had come and gone. The pageant, like many old traditions and institutions in the 1960s, was viewed as outdated and ultimately unnecessary.

In 1965, when the last float had left Mirror Pond, the final pageant came to an end. The history of the pageant is preserved around town in parks and archives, where visitors can learn about a nearly forgotten history and celebrate the legacy left behind; one of collaboration, creativity and community.

Oregon Tai Chi is Bend’s Traditional Chinese Martial Arts School

Oregon Tai Chi Wushu students with Master Chen practicing Yang Style Tai Chi in the mountains near Sparks Lake. | Photo courtesy of Tim Cash, Far From Earth Films

Oregon Tai Chi was founded by husband and wife duo Karin and JianFeng Chen nearly nine years ago in November of 2012. The studio sits in an unassuming building in Bend tucked next to a gas station and a used car lot—not a place many people might expect to find a traditional Chinese martial arts studio, especially one led by a master with nearly forty years of experience.

JianFeng, or Master Chen, as his students refer to him, has been practicing tai chi since he was just 3 years old. “I remember waking up early with my dad and walking down to the river to practice different forms,” Master Chen said. Originally from Zhangzhou, China, Master Chen was 8 years old when he was recruited to live in the sports facility of the Zhangzhou Youth Athlete School and train in tai chi. “He was selected out of 300 plus students to move away from his parents to live and train in the sports facility that housed not only tai chi and wushu, but weight lifting, swimming, gymnastics and more,” Karin said.

At 8, he was training to represent his hometown, Zhangzhou, in tournaments. When he was just 11, he was training to represent the entire Fujian province in China in national tai chi competitions. This martial arts background would eventually land him a role in a few Chinese movies and television shows. “My experience in these films showed me that I was constantly drawn to teaching and sharing Chinese martial arts,” Master Chen said.

JianFeng Chen practicing Tai Chi Fan at Painted Hills, Oregon | Photo Tim Cash, Far From Earth Films

Master Chen moved to the United States from China in 2009. One of his old teachers was teaching tai chi in Portland and invited him to become an instructor at his studio. He met his wife, Karin, in Portland. After that, it wasn’t long before they took a trip down to Central Oregon and fell in love with the area. About ten years ago, the couple found the current space that holds Oregon Tai Chi, and they’ve been part of the community ever since.

Through tai chi, we can teach kids about non-instant gratification. Tai chi is not something that can be done in a rush, and it takes time to see the labors of your hard work.

At the studio, Master Chen teaches all levels and forms of tai chi, from the commonly thought of slow and focused movements that we imagine seniors doing in a park, to the fast-paced, competitive form of wushu. Master Chen, who teaches all ages, believes that there are benefits to having children train in slower forms of tai chi.

“Through tai chi, we can teach kids about non-instant gratification. Tai chi is not something that can be done in a rush, and it takes time to see the labors of your hard work. A lot of things in kids’ lives now are so instant, and it can help to train in something that slows you down and calms you, like tai chi,” Master Chen said.

Elizabeth Collings and her husband Gerry Thomas are both retired dentists from Portland who have been practicing tai chi for about twenty years. They have been practicing with Master Chen at Oregon Tai Chi for seven years now, since they moved to Bend to retire.

Master Chen and a group of students performing at the Asian and Pacific Islander Festival at COCC in 2018. | photo Yuvia Storm

“Master Chen’s studio is a welcoming and fun place to learn tai chi. He has a great sense of humor and uses gentle, enthusiastic and masterful ways of guiding students at all levels. The classes allow a sense of community, and engender support and respect for fellow classmates. Through the classes, we have made life-long friends both young and old,” said Collings. “Tai chi has helped Gerry rehabilitate following knee surgery and allows me to manage a neurological movement disorder, especially with the use of intentional movement inherent in all tai chi forms. We always leave class with an uplifting feeling of accomplishment.”

Tim Cash, a Bend filmmaker with seventeen years of experience, has created several short films on Master Chen and Oregon Tai Chi. “My motivation for making the films was really to pay
homage to Master Chen and his lineage of teachers, and to share the philosophy behind this 1000-year-old art form,” Cash said.

While his friendly, lighthearted teaching style might stand in contrast to the teachers of his youth in China, Master Chen sees his teaching style as something that is adaptable to the different perspectives of his students. “As he would say, it’s all about balance, ebb and flow, and yin and yang,” Cash said. Master Chen can be soft when he needs to, and rigid when it’s necessary. It all depends on the perspective of the student.

Master Chen practicing Tai Chi — photo Tim Cash, Far From Earth Films

The idea of perspective is an important one to Master Chen. When you walk into his studio, you will find a clock on the wall. Upon further inspection, that clock actually turns backwards. When viewed through one of the studio’s large mirrors, it flips again. Master Chen uses this as an example of perspective. He believes that it is important to consider what other people have experienced and how that is affecting their words and actions, much like it is important to understand your own experiences and how they are affecting your point of view.

Graciously, Master Chen extends this attitude to some of the racist incidents he has experienced in the past. Despite a few negative experiences in Bend, he still holds fast to the belief that people are born good, and it is ignorance that drives hate. As a bridge between cultures, he sees himself as someone who can help fight ignorance, and help us all become a closer community.

Tai chi can be seen in the community during flashy wushu performances, peaceful classes in the park and combat-sport competitions. Annually, Oregon Tai Chi can be seen during the Asian New Year. What was originally a fundraising event for a nonprofit organization in China has turned into a fundraising event for the Bend High life skills program. You can check out the event online at asiannewyearbend.com.

The short films made by Tim Cash can be viewed on Master Chen’s Youtube channel, “JianFeng Chen.” You can also view Cash’s feature length work on Amazon Prime.

Meet Lew Hollander, World Champion Endurance Athlete and Physicist Thriving at 93

Photo Kevin Kubota

Editors Note: This article was originally published in May, 2021

Lew Hollander is a ninety-year-old retired U.S. Navy physicist and world champion endurance athlete who knows a thing or two about aging. Turtle Rock Ranch, Hollander’s home in Terrebonne, Oregon, is truly a sight to behold. The seventy-six-acre plot of land Hollander affectionately calls his “playground” has pristine views of the Cascade Range, private river access, a trail network and a perfect view of the nearby Smith Rock State Park. Hollander purchased his ranch in 1981 and has been living there full time for ten years. Before that, he called Santa Cruz, California his home, and he chose to live in Central Oregon because of the equally idyllic sunny weather.

Advice on Athleticism and Aging

Hollander is passionate about the topics of athleticism and aging. “You are designed to die at thirty-five or forty. Your pituitary slows down hormone production, you stop repairing, you stop replicating cells, you get old, and you die. Okay? That’s the plan…and we don’t like that plan,” said Hollander, who moves better than most people thirty years younger than himself.

“So you want to know how I get around?” he asked with a chuckle, as if he’s been asked the question many times before. The incredibly accomplished Ironman triathlete, marathon runner and a hall of fame-inducted endurance equestrian rider has held multiple Guinness world records for being the oldest and/or fastest person to complete these races, of which he claims to have completed “thousands.” His life as an endurance athlete is so prolific that he has been nicknamed “The Ironman’s Ironman.”

“Look at me,” Hollander said as he twirled his arms around his body and fully above his head, “No pain. Every morning I jump out of bed with no joint pain, none. You know why? I run up this hill every day with this beautiful lady,” Hollander said, as he pointed along the steep ridgeline that bordered his property with one arm, and put the other around his wife, Karen.

Lew Hollander and his wife Karen, at the Pole Pedal Paddle competition in Bend in 2019 — Hollander and his wife, Karen, at the Pole Pedal Paddle competition in Bend in 2019

“It’s that moment when I can’t breathe that I say ‘I have to make it to that next tree,’ then when I do, I’m really dead! But I keep pushing. That’s the secret everyone asks about.” Hollander’s secret philosophy for staying fit in old age is a simple one; if you are not exercising until you are out of breath, you might as well not exercise. “If you can still hold a conversation during a workout, something is wrong,” Hollander said.

Lew Hollander at the 2020 PDX Virtual Triathalon — The 2020 PDX Virtual Triathlon, which Lew completed completely on his Terrebonne property, June 2020

How it All Began

Hollander first got into ultra running back in 1976 when a friend and fellow competitor did something that Hollander thought was impossible during an endurance equestrian race. “I thought no one could run 100 miles in one day. No one. Sure enough, I complete the race on horseback, and I see him run all 100 miles right alongside his horse,” said Hollander. “Right there, it was like a dream was born.”

He says he’s nearly lost count of how many titles, ribbons and trophies he’s won. An entire wall of his home is covered in awards, of which he claimed were “just a tiny fraction” of his total collection.

It is rare to find a man as accomplished in one field as Hollander is in two. He is also a retired physicist who worked for the U.S Navy and Lockheed Martin. “I was three or four when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I knew then I wanted to be in the sciences,” Hollander said.

Hollander had a chemistry set in his room growing up, and even remembers getting a cough and realizing later that it had been caused by storing chemicals—considered toxic by modern standards—in his room. His early interest in chemistry was brought on by an innate curiosity of reactions; specifically, explosions. His first homemade compound? Gunpowder.

Lew Hollander and his Pole Pedal Paddle team members — Pole Pedal Paddle team, 2019

Lew was eventually able to create an explosive compound that detonated on impact, and he was selling it to other kids at school. “I was about nine or ten,” said Hollander. “We were playing football one day and I had my explosives in a jar. I told the other guys to watch out for it, because it might explode. Some kid said ‘you can’t make explosives’ and it was this kid I didn’t like, so I said back ‘you light it, then.’”

Lew Hollander and Royal Highness Sheikh Nasser of Bahrain — Lew Hollander at the Half-Ironman race in Bahrain

Nobody was seriously injured, but some kids—Hollander, included—walked away with a few scars from that day. “We had different rules back then,” he added.

Hollander would eventually switch interests and obtain his Master’s degree in physics at the age of twenty. Although he wouldn’t be making any more bombs, he would go on to study the effects of the hydrogen bomb after live testing with the U.S Navy. Hollander has accomplished more in his life than most people dream of. Still, he has an incredibly optimistic attitude about what he can accomplish in the future. “I’m very excited. I genuinely believe that my best years are yet to come.”

You can read more about Lew Hollander’s life in a book by Dana Burnett called Use It Or Lose It (Pathways To Healthy Living), The Incredible, True Adventures of Lew Hollander, a Senior International Triathlete.

Lew Hollander has racked up an impressive list of achievements, including:

• Thirty Pole Pedal Paddle completions

• Tied for the oldest person to complete the Championship Ride

• Completed the Hawaii Ironman dozens of times and holds the record for the fastest person above age 70

• Personally invited by Bahraini Prince Sheik Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa to compete in the Bahrain and Dubai half Ironmans

• Thousands more medals, certificates, ribbons and records

As Trash Piles Up and Trails Wear Down, Here’s How We Can All Help Keep Bend Green

photo nate wyeth, bendoregonstock.com

It’s no secret that the pandemic changed life drastically for everyone. People, of course, have been dramatically impacted, but one ripple effect of the past year is a toll on local wildlife and the public lands they need to thrive and survive. Once people could go places, they chose the outdoors, where social distancing was easier. U.S. Forest Service Public Affairs Officer Kassidy Kern said the pandemic has brought “absolutely unprecedented numbers” of visitors to public lands in Central Oregon, and with them, unfortunately, a host of problems.

“We are currently cleaning up a lot of garbage from people, repairing trails and roads that have deep ruts or trail braiding, as well as assessing soil compaction and the degradation of wildlife habitat from off-roading and parking outside of designated areas,” Kern said.

Bend residents have reported increased amounts of litter in public areas and the roads that lead to them, like China Hat and the Cascade Lakes Highway. Even snow areas such as Wanoga Sno-Park and Mt. Bachelor have had issues with litter.

The tourism pros at Travel Oregon had already noticed an uptick in impacts to our wild lands prior the pandemic. They launched the “Take Care Out There” campaign in 2019, aiming to educate Oregonians and tourists alike in how to properly enjoy and maintain Oregon’s natural beauty. Now more than ever, everyone who enjoys visiting the outdoors needs to take measures to protect it. “We support and encourage people to make these memories with friends and family, but also remind visitors that recreating comes with a responsibility to take care of these special places,” Kern said.

Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you explore this summer, to keep our public lands healthy and accessible for generations to come.

Prepare

Do some research on current guidelines and local regulations and try to plan a trip that avoids busy crowds. Have a backup plan in case a destination is closed or at capacity and try to limit groups to ten people. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and pack essentials. Don’t forget to bring some cash for the occasional parking fee at state parks and check road conditions before heading out.

Care

When everyone is mindful of their surroundings, it makes exploring public lands and state parks all the more enjoyable. Avoid crowds and don’t linger in parking lots or points of interest for too long. Know your limits and don’t do anything that puts you or others in danger. Follow posted signs, stay on the trails and be sure to wear face coverings when crossing paths with other visitors. Pack out everything that was packed in, including trash such as disposable face coverings and drink containers. When nature calls for both people and pets, be respectful and have a plan to leave no trace.

Connect

Take some time to learn about the diverse landscapes of Central Oregon and the communities that call them home. Wherever you go, be sure to share a smile and some kind words with the people you encounter on the trail and in town. During COVID-19, be patient and understanding with others as recent events have impacted many people’s well-being.

Lastly, always remember to show your appreciation. Say “thank you” to those you meet along the way. Try to eat, drink, shop and stay locally to ensure that the communities near Central Oregon’s public lands thrive into the future.

Q&A: The Family and Story Behind Bend’s Colima Market

The Colima Market, located on Northeast Greenwood Avenue, is a traditional Mexican market run by the Chavez family that provides authentic Mexican and Central American goods to Bend. Many goods come directly from Mexico, and the Colima Market is one of the only places in Central Oregon where you can find them. The market includes a bakery where pan dulce (sweet Mexican bread) and hand-made tortillas are made fresh daily, along with a meat and dairy section that includes chorizo, queso fresco and other Mexican ingredients; the very same ingredients that are used in the owner’s brother’s food truck, El Taquero, among at other restaurants in Bend. The Colima Market was originally owned by a family from Colima, Mexico. They retired about eight years ago and sold the market to their friends, the Chávez family, who are originally from Guerrero, Mexico. The daughter in the Chávez family, Yamely Chávez Kennedy, is the current owner and manager of the Colima Market and oversees day to day operations.

How did your family go from living in Guerrero, Mexico to owning a small business in Bend, Oregon?

Poverty was the main reason my dad decided to come to America twenty-four years ago. My father had a very sad and difficult childhood where he suffered from homelessness and near-starvation. He came to America to provide for his children a better, safer future than what he had. We lived in California for eight years and then moved to Oregon after we came up to visit the state and immediately fell in love with it. My parents worked very hard and eventually got the opportunity to buy a small Mexican store in Madras, Oregon and that’s how we started. Then, the opportunity came up to expand into Bend when our friends put the Colima Market up for sale. We have owned and operated the market in the eight years since then.

How has your business been received by the community, and have there been any challenges along the way?

In general, we receive more positive feedback than negative. We are so grateful and fortunate to be a part of a community that, for the most part, supports our culture. Coming from Mexico to California to Oregon was definitely hard to adjust to at first; we were missing our culture and traditions. This is why we focus on bringing more of that into our stores so we can bring a part of Mexico to our customers and the entire community.

What plans do you have for the Colima Market in the future?

We’re concerned about competition from bigger stores, but we hope to still be in business ten years from now! We hope our customers keep supporting us even if big corporations come in. We are working very hard as a family to keep expanding and remodeling our little store, to add more departments and more authentic Mexican goods. We plan on expanding the bakery, meats and dairy section to provide a higher quantity of quality goods to our customers. We are dreaming big! We hope to one day become as big as Safeway or Fred Meyer, but Mexican style.

Visit their website here!

Es Toda la Familia

El Mercado Colima trae una porción de México al centro de Oregón

Entrevista por Noah Nelson

El Mercado Colima, ubicado en Northeast Greenwood Avenue, es un mercado tradicional mexicano dirigido por la familia Chávez que ofrece auténticos productos mexicanos y centroamericanos a Bend. Muchos productos provienen directamente de México, y el Mercado Colima es uno de los únicos lugares en el centro de Oregón donde puede encontrarlos. El mercado incluye una panadería donde el pan dulce y las tortillas hechas a mano se preparan diariamente, junto con una sección de carnes y lácteos que incluye chorizo, queso fresco y otros ingredientes mexicanos; los mismos ingredientes que se utilizan en el camión de comida del hermano del dueño, El Taquero, entre otros restaurantes en Bend. El Mercado Colima fue originalmente propiedad de una familia de Colima, México. Se retiraron hace unos ochos años y vendieron el mercado a sus amigos, la familia Chávez, quienes son originalmente de Guerrero, México. La hija de la familia Chávez, Yamely Chávez Kennedy, es la dueña y administradora del Mercado Colima y supervisa las operaciones del día a día.

¿Como logro venir de Guerrero, México a ser dueña de una pequeña empresa en Bend, Oregón?

La pobreza fue la razón principal por la que mi padre decidió venir a Estados Unidos hace veinticuatro años. Mi padre tuvo una infancia muy triste y difícil en la que sufrió de falta de vivienda y hambre. Vino a Estados Unidos para darles a sus hijos un futuro mejor y mas seguro que el que el tuvo. Vivimos en California durante ocho años y luego nos mudamos a Oregón después de que vinimos a visitar el estado e inmediatamente nos enamoramos de el. Mis padres trabajaron muy duro y finalmente tuvieron la oportunidad de comprar una pequeña tienda mexicana en Madras, Oregón y así fue como comenzamos. Luego, surgió la oportunidad de expandirse a Bend cuando nuestros amigos pusieron de venta el Mercado Colima. Hemos sido dueños del mercado y lo hemos operado en los ocho años transcurridos desde entonces.

¿Como ha sido recibida su empresa por la comunidad y ha habido desafíos en el camino?

En general, recibimos mas comentarios positivos que negativos. Estamos muy agradecidos y afortunados de ser parte de una comunidad que, en su mayor parte, apoya nuestra cultura. Definitivamente fue difícil adaptarse al principio de venir de México a California a Oregón; extrañábamos nuestra cultura y tradiciones. Es por eso que nos enfocamos en traer mas de eso a nuestras tiendas para poder ofrecer una parte de México a nuestros clientes y a toda la comunidad.

¿Que planes tiene para el Mercado Colima en el futuro?

Nos preocupa la competencia de las tiendas mas grandes, ¡pero esperamos seguir en el negocio dentro de diez años! Esperamos que nuestros clientes sigan apoyándonos incluso si entran grandes corporaciones. Estamos trabajando muy duro como familia para seguir expandiendo y remodelando nuestra pequeña tienda, para agregar mas departamentos y mas productos mexicanos auténticos. Planeamos expandir la sección de panadería, carnes y lácteos para brindar una mayor cantidad de productos de calidad a nuestros clientes. ¡Estamos soñando en grande! Esperamos algún día llegar a ser tan grandes como Safeway o Fred Meyer, pero al estilo mexicano.

Between Prineville and Nashville, Olivia Harms Pursues Her Country Music Career

The first line in Prineville-based country musician Olivia Harms’ song “Canby” encapsulates not only her country roots and her hometown pride, but her paramount objective in any of her music; to write about lived experiences, and to form connections with her listeners. “I should not write things that are not authentic to me, because you can’t relate to music that isn’t authentic. My first rule of songwriting is to always have the experience to back up the story,” Harms said.

And back it up, she does. Harms grew up as a member of the FFA on her family’s century farm in Canby that was homesteaded in 1872; a farm that is only thirteen years younger than the state of Oregon. She participated in 4-H and grew up to be more comfortable wearing Carhartt than Prada.

Harms believes that real country music comes from a real country lifestyle; growing up on her family farm in Canby taught her a strong work ethic and a deep sense of pride in her roots. These are the traits that the songwriter always brings to her creative process. “I figured if I was gonna be a country music artist, one day I’d need a song about my hometown so folks would know where I came from,” Harms said.

Harms began a career in music in high school, playing locally in and around Canby. While obtaining her undergraduate degree at Oregon State University, she played around twenty shows a year. After graduation, Harms moved to Prineville. “I had always loved central Oregon, and since there are many live music venues in the area I decided to make the move in 2017,” she said. “With Prineville being the cowboy capital of Oregon and a little less expensive, I thought it was the perfect fit.”

Soon after, she decided to go full-time with her music career, acting as her own booking agent, publicist and manager. “I contacted every venue I could around the area and throughout the Northwest, slowly creating tours and adding dates to my calendar. The first year and a half was definitely a learning curve, but I started seeing the progress by 2018. In 2019, I played over 130 dates and substantially grew my social media following.”

During this time, Harms was commuting back and forth to Nashville to record her singles, meet successful recording artists and co-write songs with them.

“Canby” was Harms’ first song to gain some traction and propel her career. After that came a song called “Gypsy” that spoke about life on the road and drifting from one town to another; Harms spends half her year in Oregon cowboy capital Prineville, living the life she sings about, and the other half in Nashville, recording her music.

“I had folks coming up to me after shows who would just gush about how they relate to my songs. Even if they hadn’t been to the towns I had been to, they related to the lifestyle I was singing about,” Harms said.

Out of all the country music heroes that Harms can talk about, her biggest inspiration is her mom and local country music legend, Joni Harms. Joni has released eleven studio albums and even had a chart-topping track back in ‘89 called “I Need a Wife.”

“My mom has always been my biggest fan. Although she mostly lets me fly solo now, she was instrumental in teaching me everything I know about country music,” Harms said. “I feel like it’s always been in my blood.”

Harms has a new studio album coming out May 21 that aims to showcase her diverse songwriting skills while utilizing an old Western sound. “I want to bring back real country,” Harms said. The album’s first few singles, “Gypsy,” “Road of Lies,” “Kiddie Pool” and “Hey There, Cowboy” have all been released.

Harms originally planned on recording her new album back in March of 2020, but the world had other plans. Eventually, Harms decided to record her album in Nashville, pandemic or not. “I always figured you can either focus on the bad in a bad situation, or choose to see the good. The world needed music and I wasn’t going to put my dreams on hold, so I went to Nashville, followed every legal precaution and got the record made,” Harms said.

In true country music fashion, Harms believes in persevering through hardships to achieve her goals, “You can’t always control what life throws at you, but you can always choose how to react.”

Listen to Olivia Harms and her new album on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music.

A Houseplant How-To for Helping Greenery Thrive in Central Oregon Homes

Houseplants can add an incredible splash of life to any room they inhabit, but keeping them happy can sometimes be tricky. Read on for tips on picking the perfect plant and keeping it alive and thriving.

Style and variety

One of the first things to consider when choosing a new plant is selecting a style of greenery that complements the space it will be kept. This means different people are going to be happier with different styles of plant, whether it’s a lush, leafy green or a dry desert variety.

Tropical plants often come with some of the biggest green leaves around, and can turn a room into your own lush getaway. Tropical plants vary in size, with some larger varieties able to grow up to 30 feet under the right conditions, and some requiring large amounts of water and humidity. Other, smaller varieties can liven up a bookshelf, table or plant stand without significant maintenance. Many of the common houseplants you see are tropical, including spider plants and peace lilies.

Desert plants include much more than just a basic cacti, with many more vibrant, green options to choose from. Although some desert plants can grow to monumental heights in the wild, most houseplant variants will be relatively small. Some are simple and green, while others can produce beautiful flowers in different seasons. They will typically not be as large and lush as their tropical counterparts. These plants can create a mini oasis anywhere they go, as long as they get plenty of sun and not too much water.

Within these categories, there are many different types to choose from, including succulents, air plants, flowering plants, trailing vine-types and more.

Choosing wisely

After evaluating the types of houseplants available, it’s time to determine which to bring home. This comes down to evaluating the space where the plant will be kept.

Someone with a large, warm space with tons of direct light and a lot of time to dedicate to maintenance might choose the monstera, a beautiful and tall, broad-leafed plant that has become so popular that its unique leaf shape is often featured in artwork. Have a little less space and sunlight? Consider the areca palm instead—these popular indoor palms thrive in bright, indirect sunlight. Or for something more low maintenance, opt for the calathea, a variety of plant that thrives on indirect light and limited water. All three plants can give a room a lush feel, it just comes down to what that room is able to support.

Water and Light Care

Different plants need different amounts of direct sunlight to survive. This divides most houseplants into three categories: full sun, semi-shade and shade. Full sun plants can withstand many hours of direct sunlight, while semi-shade and shade plants need some direct sunlight and no direct sunlight, respectively. Most plants will have a symbol on their tag when buying that describes their sunlight needs.

In general, plants need water when the soil is dry. Dry soil will appear at different rates with tropical and desert plants of varying sizes, so it’s a good idea to check a plant’s soil twice a day for the first week or so. After that, adjust the watering schedule based on how quickly the soil dries. As for the amount of water, start in proportion to the plant. For instance, a three-inch tall cactus sitting on a desk might get a few tablespoons of water every week, while a two-foot tall tropical plant in the corner of the room might get about half a liter of water a week, sometimes more.

Monstera, Dracaena, Snake Plant, Cactus, Fiddle Leaf Fig

In the days and weeks after bringing a plant home, be sure to check for signs of too much or too little water. Too little water will cause wilting and dead leaves, but too much water can be a little more tricky, as different plants have different tells. For example, some broad leaf plants will form brown, dry tips on their leaves when they are overwatered.

With a little practice and careful attention to the needs of each plant, from watering and sunlight to placement inside a room, houseplants of any style can grow to thrive inside a home or office.

Click here for help decorating with your houseplants.

Think Wild Animal Rescue in Bend rehabilitates wildlife in need

photo courtesy Think Wild Central Oregon

As cities in Oregon continue to develop and expand, the likelihood of animals getting caught in the middle between city and country increases. Human activity increases the rates of injured and orphaned animals and contributes to local species becoming endangered and even extinct. Think Wild was founded as an effort to both save these vulnerable species and educate people about how they can help.

Think Wild is a wildlife hospital and conservation center based in Bend. In its first year, the organization responded to more than 100 calls to take in, rehabilitate and release injured Central Oregon animals. While Think Wild’s goal is to accept any animal in need, operations last year were limited by incomplete construction that made housing large animals impossible.

All operations are overseen by Think Wild’s Executive Director Sally Compton and Director of Wildlife Rehab Pauline Baker, who have both been with the organization since it began in spring of 2020. Together, this dynamic duo works around the clock to make sure that every facet of Think Wild is running smoothly, and with an organization like this, that means that the duo has to take on new and unique challenges all the time.

The story is the same for the organization’s volunteers. Debra Merskin, a professor of media studies at the University of Oregon, said volunteering always keeps her on her feet. “Some days you’re pouring concrete to help finish a new enclosure, and other days you’re bottle-feeding baby squirrels.”

Merskin got involved partly because her research in media studies pertains to how certain animal species are portrayed in popular media, and how these portrayals affect animal rights. She has always been passionate about volunteering her time to help animals, and finds that Think Wild gives volunteers a chance to experience something very impactful. Merskin recalls one such moment when she was bottle-feeding baby squirrels. This task had to be done in a way so that the baby squirrel did not grow any attachment to the person holding the bottle.

“As much as you might want to form a bond with the animals, you cannot forget that the goal is to eventually release them back into the wild. As much as you want to hold that cute baby squirrel and feed them every day, you know that would actually hurt their chances of survival,” Merskin said.

Merskin realized that the best thing that can happen to any animal that gets rehabilitated is to never interact with a human again. She compared animal rehabilitation to parenthood, in that they share the goal of preparing something or someone to become successfully independent.

This responsibility is carried by Compton and Baker as they forge Think Wild into the future. Each is optimistic about what can be achieved this new year. Think Wild will be completing construction on a much larger space that can accommodate different kinds of animals, like birds of prey. They plan to expand educational programs to help prevent the need for animal rehab, and add many new internship positions.

If you find an injured animal, call Think Wild’s animal help hotline at 541-241-8680.

To volunteer, please visit the “Get Involved” tab at thinkwildco.org.

Finding Riverbed Treasures with Loot the Deschutes

When the Bend Whitewater Park opened in 2015, avid surfers descended on the place, including husband and wife Kea and Miranda Eubank, and their friend Lled Smith, who they met on the banks of the Deschutes during the wave park’s early days. But the trio soon discovered two key issues with the new park; it was often too crowded for them to enjoy, and people were leaving behind a lot of their belongings at the bottom of the river.

“You would get to the park and find it too crowded to use, but think to yourself ‘I still want to get in the water,’” Miranda Eubank said. Already wet-suited up, the crew sometimes went diving as an alternative to surfing in those early days, a choice that eventually led to the creation of Loot the Deschutes, an informal organization dedicated to diving the Deschutes River and reconnecting people with lost items.

According to Miranda Eubank, Smith was one of the first people to ever dive the new section. “You could walk across the walkway, look down and see things shining down there,” Smith said, “I would come up with handfuls of sunglasses.”

The Loot the Deschutes team finds all sorts of things in the river, from license plates to lighters to insulin pumps

As their diving jaunts became more purposeful, whether what the trio found was trash or valuable, they picked it up and stored it in an innertube they pulled along behind them. All of their diving is done without any breathing equipment. So far, they have pulled up nearly 5,000 pounds of trash.

But their finds are definitely not all trash. On one of his dives, Smith recovered a 96-carat diamond ring, glittering at the bottom of the river, and made a Craigslist post to see if the rightful owner would contact him. Six months later, a woman in Texas contacted Smith and told him the story of how she lost it.

“It turns out that the ring was gifted to the woman on her 30th wedding anniversary from her late husband,” Smith said. “She even remembered the moment that a rope caught her finger and just slipped the ring right off.”

Smith shipped the ring back to Texas to be reunited with its owner. After this successful return, Smith created an Instagram page to post pictures of lost items, and Loot the Deschutes was officially born. Since then, the trio have been diving the Deschutes, pulling up anything they can find, and posting on their page to help connect lost items with their owners.

Kea and Miranda Eubank and Lled Smith near the outlet of the Bend Whitewater Park, in a rare moment of rest between dives into the Deschutes

Outside of returning valuables to river goers, the trio also discovered the historical value to their newfound hobby. The Deschutes is the lifeline of Bend, and played a key role in the foundation of the town. Through all of our history, the Deschutes has slowly collected an archival collection that could rival a museum, guarded in its murky depths.

Among keys and rings sit relics that remind us of bygone eras: early 20th century longshoreman hooks used at the lumber mill, WWI dog tags (eventually returned to the soldier’s granddaughter), century-old revolvers, and vials of Wild West era medicine fit for a snake oil salesman. All historical recoveries have been kept in a growing collection. Through these relics, we glimpse the lives of people who came before us: the lumber mill worker whose labor helped found the town, the travelling salesman whose life is a reminder of the freedom and lawlessness brought on by the Old West, and the soldier who sacrificed his youth to fight violent nationalism.

With a sudden responsibility to both return lost items and document the past, the trio now find themselves looking to the future. For now, they just want to go with the flow. The plan for Loot the Deschutes is to keep reconnecting people with their lost items, recovering history and having fun.

For any divers looking to loot their own treasure in this river, the trio at Loot the Deschutes has some advice: be careful. Smith was electrocuted when he nearly grabbed an exposed wire underwater, while the Eubanks have had their own close calls. “We see a lot of young people follow in our steps, and we want them to have fun, but the last thing we want is someone to get hurt because they wanted to be like us,” Kea Eubank said.

If you do go diving and find an item that you would like to return to its rightful owner, contact Loot the Deschutes via their Instagram page @lootthedeschutes.