Welcome to the inaugural Bend Magazine Readers’ choice Awards. In the fall, our readers weighed in on the best in dining, drinks, entertainment and more in Central Oregon. And the winners are…

If participation is any measure of your interest, it was off the charts. In total almost 25,000 votes were cast across all categories. The process took several months for us to complete, beginning with a round of preliminary nominations back in October. Those initial votes determined our finalists, though we kept all categories open for write-in nominations. A final round of voting was held in November. Despite the volume of participation, some of the votes were achingly close—a testament to the wealth of great options available around the region when it comes to entertainment. Thanks to all of you who participated in the balloting. We had a great time watching the results pour in. We know you’ll recognize many of these names, but hopefully you’ll find a few new ideas as well. Congratulations to all our winners, you are the toast of the town. Might we suggest you raise a glass of champagne to the good work you do and to our readers who recognized the effort.

Best Happy Hour

Pine Tavern

The Pine Tavern isn’t so much a restaurant as an institution in Bend. Complete with signature ponderosa pines that jut through the center of the dining room, the Pine Tavern has been part of the fabric of Bend’s dining and downtown for nearly a century. It has welcomed loggers, mill owners, debutants and dignitaries. It also happens to be a great watering hole. The restaurant’s cozy lounge offers, a welcoming spot to belly up the oak bar. It’s the reason that Bend Magazine readers selected Pine Tavern as their top happy hour spot in Central Oregon—well that and the incredible value on food and drinks. Small bites and shareable snacks start at $4.25 and go up to $5.95. There are also specials on well drinks and drafts, including the popular Pine Tavern Sangria. Happy hours are weekdays 3 to 6 p.m., opening to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Best Pizza

Pizza Mondo

When it comes to Readers’ Choice Awards and pizza, it seems there is only one choice, Pizza Mondo. The downtown Bend pizza nook has become a veritable institution by serving up amazingly consistent and creative pies, delivered in a hip atmosphere that bustles with urban energy. It’s been this way since founders John Picarazzi and Steve Koch opened Pizza Mondo in 1996. Other pizza joints have come and mostly gone, but Mondo remains an essential part of Bend’s dining scene—no matter how you slice it.

Best Coffee

Backporch Coffee Roasters

Dave Beach is quick to acknowledge the number of choices that consumers in Central Oregon, and particularly Bend, have when it comes to choosing a cup of coffee. It’s the reason why as the owner of Backporch Coffee Roasters, Beach has put so much thought into what goes into your cup. From the biology of the coffee plants, to the soil where it is grown, to the farmers and laborers in El Salvador and Columbia who pick and process the raw coffee beans, Beach leaves little to chance. But at the end of the day, Beach says the key ingredient that has allowed Backporch to flourish (the company now as four locations and 26 employees) isn’t a proprietary bean or roasting technique, it’s relationships. “It can’t just be product, because there are a lot of good cups of coffee out there. It’s about relationships that are made over the counter,” said Beach.

Best Sushi

5 Fusion & Sushi Bar

Over the last decade, 5 Fusion & Sushi Bar has provided a menu of consistent delights, but chef Joe Kim, a James Beard nominated chef, said variety and experimentation are key to 5 Fusion’s success. Kim prepares ten to twelve specials a day to keep things fresh. It’s not all about the food, however. He credits meticulous service at the front of house for 5 Fusion’s popularity, something that has lasted in the ten years of 5 Fusion.

Best Spa

Anjou Spa

About a year ago, Anjou Spa reopened in a new location on Bend’s west side after a fire destroyed its previous building downtown. The move turned into a rejuvenation of sorts for the spa, said owner Jenna Walden. They focused more on the local customers, promoting a generous spa membership for regulars. They also adjust the spa menu with feedback from customers and employees as well as seasonally to be up to date on the needs to the community. “We try to be inclusive and make it comfortable for both women and men; that was translated in our interior design choices and our men’s spa menu,” said Walden. “We really want to make ‘spa’ more approachable for men so they are addressing relaxation, skincare and other options and incorporating it into their lives.”

Best Staycation

Brasada Ranch

Tucked into the southern facing hip of Powell Butte, Brasada Ranch escapes the gaze of many locals. But if you haven’t been there, you don’t know what you’re missing. The resort has become the premiere destination for Northwest families looking for something different than Disneyland, while becoming a staycation staple for locals in the know. In addition to a spa, world class golf and dining, the resort offers equine activities at its on-property stable and perhaps the best pool in all of Oregon, complete with lazy river and waterslide—and that’s just the beginning. Hot tubs, steam rooms, sauna, workout facilities, on site concierge and mini-taxis have VIP written all over them. Add in a world class sunset that arrives like clockwork over the distant desert peaks and you can see why readers were quick to name Brasada their top staycation spot in Central Oregon.

Best Yoga Studio

Yoga Lab

“When people walk through the doors of Yoga Lab, they feel like they’ve traveled somewhere different—to a place that makes you feel like you really are in a sanctuary,” said Rebecca Bell, one of the owners of The Yoga Lab in Bend. That feeling is just one of the ways that The Yoga Lab is set apart from other studios in Bend. Founded by Bell, Aleta Adams and Ulla Lundgren, The Yoga Lab offers more than two dozen yoga classes a week in a variety of styles. “Because we’re a non-dogmatic school, we can offer classes the community to meet people where they’re at,” said Bell. That community focus, along with teachers who have been leading classes for years, has kept yogis coming back to their mats at The Yoga Lab time and time again.

Best Bike Shop

Hutch’s Bicycles

Hutch’s Bicycles was founded in Eugene in the 1920s, and expanded in Bend in 1981 with Eugene transplant and longtime Hutch’s employee Jim Lewis at the helm. The rest, as they say, is history. Said Hutch’s Petie Thom of the store’s enduring popularity, “We are cyclists first and we know how happy riding a bike can make someone. We want to help share that passion with our customers.” Hutch’s offers bicycle sales, rentals, service and car rack systems from three Central Oregon locations—two in Bend and one in Redmond.

Best Art Gallery

Red Chair Gallery

Located in the historic O’Kane building in downtown Bend, Red Chair Gallery features a large variety of art and contemporary craft from local artists. Potters, painters, glass artists, fiber artists and more are represented. “Nine years ago, a number of local artists and artisans were in need of a place to be together,” said Managing Partner Rita Neely Dunlavy. “We are a gallery for everyone, owned and operated by Central Oregon artists. We’re dedicated to keeping up the good work.”

Best Tour Company

Wanderlust Tours

Since its founding in 1993, Wanderlust has been on the forefront of local ecotourism. The company pioneered canoe paddle tours on the Cascade Lakes in summer and moonlight snowshoe tours in winter using a model that emphasizes sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. It’s an approach that is less about conquering the outdoors and more about harmonizing with it. “We try to be as sustainable as possible. It’s a huge part of what we do on our tours—how we plan them out, where we send people and what we discuss when we’re there,” said Brooke Perkins, marketing manager. “Rather than just having fun and playing in the snow—and we do have a lot of fun— that education aspect is a really important part of what we do.”

Best Burger

Dandy’s Drive-In

The best burger in Central Oregon is a hotly contested debate. Everyone has an opinion about where to find the best one. But there’s something about Dandy’s that keeps it on the top of most people’s lists. It could be that Dandy’s doesn’t mess with the classic drive-in burger recipe, just cooks it to no-frills perfection. It could also be the nostalgia-inducing service, with employees who bring you your burger on roller skates. Whatever it is, Dandy’s took the top prize for our inaugural awards.

Best Tacos

El Sancho

El Sancho’s beginnings were as one of Bend’s first food trucks, but their brick-and-mortar location off of 3rd Street has only served to make them more popular. The restaurant’s menu of Mexican street food (think all kinds of tacos), tasty fresh margaritas and cervezas leave guests coming back for more. The big patio, colorful space and the shop’s commitment to affordability and sustainability don’t hurt either. “We try to have as much fun working at El Sancho as customers do eating and drinking at El Sancho,” said owner Jon Barvels. “It’s just one big party, we’re just the ones making sure it all come together.”

Best Breakfast

McKay Cottage

There’s little doubt that Bend pioneers Clyde and Olive McKay would approve of the delicious breakfasts and lunches served today in the 1916-era Craftsman bungalow that was their home. For years, McKay Cottage has been pleasing lovers of fresh-made comfort food, while winning best breakfast contests in the process. Owner Pam Morgan, who has been in the restaurant business for thirty years, said, “When I opened McKay almost thirteen years ago I had no idea we would be so successful.” She credits her serving and kitchen staff for their welcoming nature and talent. “We create new and interesting comfort food to keep our menu exciting and I love being a part of this creative process. And, we were lucky enough to locate McKay in such a great rustic 100-year-old Craftsman full of such character. It really is a part of Bend’s history.”

Best Local Brewery

Crux Fermentation Project

When Crux Fermentation Project opened its converted garage doors 2012, it immediately became a hit in Bend’s booming craft brewery scene. Known for its trendsetting experimental and one-off brews, Crux draws a steady mix of visitors and locals to its somewhat difficult to reach location between the Box Factory area and the Bend Parkway. A recent expansion will add more room to the indoor/outdoor seating, leaving more room for the ever-expanding crowds that are drawn to the brewery’s atmosphere and large grassy area where families can hang on a sunny afternoon.

Best Food Cart

Brown Owl

Of the Brown Owl, one could write an ode to its fried chicken sandwich, a novel dedicated to the pigs in a blanket, wax poetic about the breakfast burrito and build-your-own bloody mary bar. The food cart set up its permanent home in the Box Factory but still cooks its delicious meals from the truck. Drinks are inside and the assortment of regional beers are great pairs to the diverse menu. It’s a popular place for bites and drinks any day of the week.

Best Bakery

The Sparrow Bakery

Just saying the words “ocean roll” will elicit drooling in locals. The staple pasty of The Sparrow Bakery may be its most popular treat, but the bakery is also known for its quality bread and creative breakfast options. The two locations in Bend mean that you won’t have to wait too long in line to treat yourself to the bakery. Beyond the baked good, the bakery is also a trailblazer in treating their employees well and providing a great working atmosphere.

Best Wine List & Best Restaurant

Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails

Voted Best Wine List and Best Restaurant in Bend, Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails took the top prize for two categories in our Readers’ Choice Awards, which puts it in the company of just a handful of other businesses in town. Perhaps it’s the unique menu (at least by Bend’s standards) of Northwest cuisine meets Southern and Creole fare. The regional wine list and knowledgeable staff adds a level of sophistication that’s hard to find elsewhere in Central Oregon. And the atmosphere draws crowds each night in search of a great date spot, place to bring visitors and family.

Best Bloody Mary

Victorian Cafe

Drive past Victorian Cafe on any weekend morning (or weekday morning, for that matter) and there will surely be a line out of people outside the door awaiting their turn for a coveted seat at the Victorian Cafe. The brunch restaurant is well known for its colossal bloody Mary, which won our Readers’ Choice award for the best bloody mary in town, as well as its plates of eggs Benedict cooked to perfection. And in the competitive breakfast cocktail scene in Central Oregon, coming out on top is quite the accomplishment.

Best Jewelry Store

Silverado Jewelry Gallery

Of all the jewelry stores in Central Oregon, Silverado Jewelry Gallery came out on top. The store on the corner of downtown has options for every style and budget. It’s easy to spot the style on locals and visitors around town.

Best Women’s Clothing

Vanilla Urban Threads

One more than one occasion, usually a local festival, I’ve spotted a woman who stands out from the crowd in the perfect outfit. When I ask where she found it, the answer is consistently Vanilla Urban Threads. Located in the Old Mill District, the locally owned clothing store is the place to find trendy and quality men’s and women’s clothes in Bend. In a variety of prices and styles, Vanilla has a selection that speaks perfectly to Bend’s casual chic ethos.

Best Outdoor Gear Shop

REI

There was a time when locals bristled at the notion of a national outdoor retailer setting up shop in the heart of Bend. Sticker campaigns were launched. In the ensuing years, it’s become clear that there is enough room for REI and everyone else in this outdoor loving town. The employee-owned company remains a beacon of corporate responsibility and social leader with campaigns like #optoutside. With two floors of outdoor clothing, gear and accessories, ensconced in the historic, brick power house building, the store is browsing paradise for outdoors lovers of all stripes.

Best Trivia

Silver Moon’s Trivia on the Moon

It seems as if it’s almost hard to find bar or pub that doesn’t offer some sort of live trivia night. Silver Moon distinguishes itself by being on of the few that writes its own questions, allowing an injection of local color and knowledge into the proceedings. Wash it all down with one of Silver Moon’s award winning beers in the Greenwood Avenue pub and rest assured that you’re living like a local.

Best Ladies’ Night & Best Late Night

The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin

The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin, opened in 2014, feels unlike any other bar in town. Dark wood accents, plus the unique array of refurbished decor, creates a mid-century-meet-cabin vibe that is a great place to drink for any occasion. The one-of-a-kind cocktails and the small plates menu provide drinks and bites that you can’t find anywhere else in town. It’s a formula that owners Doug and Phoebe Pedersen has stuck to since they opened, and has been successful. On any weekend night, you’ll find Dogwood packed with people. “We’re really appreciative that Bend loves us as much as we love Bend,” said Doug Pedersen.

Best Date Night

Ariana Restaurant

Ariana Restaurant opened more than a decade ago, and husband-wife team chefs Ariana and Andres Fernandez continue to delight its loyal following. The fine dining restaurant won the peoples’ choice for best date night in Bend. The intimate setting inside in a cozy westside craftsman on Bend’s west side provides a romantic setting for two. And don’t skip on the desserts.

Best Live Music Venue

Les Schwab Amphitheater

Summer officially kicks off in town with the first outdoor concert at Les Schwab Amphitheater, so it’s no surprise that the outdoor concert venue was chosen as the top live music venue. Bringing in national touring acts as well as featuring local up-and-coming performers, the amphitheater draws thousands of locals and visitors alike to performances from big name artists throughout the season. Concert goers are treated to views of the Deschutes River as well as clear starry skies, making it a sought-after destination that added to Central Oregon’s booming growth.

Best Hiking Trail

Deschutes River Trail

The Deschutes River Trail epitomizes what Bendites love about their town: the river, hiking trails (that also allow dogs) and friendly faces all in one place. When tasked with naming the best hike in Central Oregon, there were a lot of great options to choose from. But what took the cake was probably the obvious choice in the end. In town, accessible and open to bikers, runners and walkers and the perfect location to soak your feet in the river or kick back on a patio at the Old Mill, the Deschutes River Trail really is the hiking trail that has it all.

Best Public Play Course

Widgi Creek Golf Club

For more than twenty years Widgi Creek Golf Club, or simply Widgi, has served as Bend’s de facto municipal golf course—a go to track for locals and visitors alike. Visionary owner Barry Helm was among the first of Central Oregon golf course owners to actively cultivate local play with deep discounts on “twilight” rounds and locals’ discount passes. Central Oregon locals have rewarded Helm and course managers with a loyal following that speaks not just to the discounts, but also Widgi’s stellar customer service and tireless focus on a great golf experience for all.

Best Swimming Spot

Elk Lake

Central Oregon is not quite the land of 10,000 lakes, but locals and visitors do have their fair share of alpine lakes to choose from when it comes to cooling off on a hot day in the summer. Of all the options, Elk Lake was chosen as our readers’ choice for the best lake for swimming. It’s a half-hour drive from Bend and easily accessible, with beach access to spread out with your family and hang out by the lake all day.

Best Place for a Workout

Juniper Swim and Fitness Center

The Juniper Swim & Fitness Center is operated by Bend Park & Recreations District with a variety of fitness and aquatic exercise and play opportunities. It boasts hundreds of classes each week, three pools, yoga, exercise, and cycling studios, hot tub sauna and steam room. With everything it has to offer year-round, including the open-air pool, the center was undoubtedly chosen for the best place to workout in Bend.

Best Salon

Lemon Drop

When it comes to hair, the results were abundantly clear—Lemon Drop Salon was the choice for Best Salon in Bend. Focusing on just cut, color and extensions, the salon has honed its skills and techniques that allows Bendites to trust it with their tresses.

Best Indoor Entertainment

Tower Theatre

When the Tower Theatre reopened in 2004 after an extensive renovation, it created a headquarters for Bend’s thriving cultural scene and brightened downtown Bend’s main street with its marquee. Almost every night of the week you’ll find a concert, play, talk or event taking place, and it’s the hub of activity for conferences throughout the year. Bringing in national touring acts as well as showcasing local arts, the Tower Theatre is without a doubt the best place for indoor entertainment year-round.

Best Place to Hang Out With Friends

Floating the River

No surprises here. When the community was tasked with nominating and voting for the best place to hang out with friends, Bendites chose being outside. Specifically, floating the river. On a summer day, the Deschutes River is packed with people on rafts, floaties, paddleboards and kayaks who are taking advantage of the water to cool down and relax with friends.

The Office Group is a nonprofit in Bend that counsels at-risk students and prepares them for life after high school and college.

Three years ago, Dustin Follett was a 17-year-old junior and two-sport athlete at Summit High School—everything was seemingly going according to plan. There was just one problem: there was no plan. Follet, like many of his peers, hadn’t thought beyond his high school years. None of his family had graduated college, so the path forward was particularly unclear.

It was right around the time that Follett discovered The Office Group, an off-campus counseling service aimed at helping students facing social, economic and other obstacles navigate the transition between high school and adult life by ensuring they graduate high school and are prepared for the next phase, whatever that might be.

Fast forward three years and Follett is a computer science major at Eastern Oregon University and excited about what the future holds for him. He says before The Office Group, he never thought college was an option for him.

“I can honestly say, with 100 percent certainty, I wouldn’t be here without The Office Group’s help,” explained Follett over the phone, as he finished his classes for the day. “They helped me prep for the SAT exams—my family could never have afforded a private SAT prep course—and they coached me with my college application essays. Also, they drove me to visit different college campuses, even one out of state.”

Success stories like this are not uncommon for the four-year-old counseling nonprofit that locals Brad and Melissa Kent started with Summit head football coach Corben Hyatt and his wife Kristal.

Brad and Melissa approached the Hyatts about helping them start The Office Group in March of 2014, and by July of that year, they had recruited ten students. Since then The Office Group has grown every year. To manage numbers, they now require prospective students to receive a nomination from a teacher, counselor or coach before they can apply. Currently, thirty students from five different local high schools in Central Oregon are represented at The Office Group.

Hyatt says working at The Office Group was a natural fit, since as a coach he had to make sure his football players were academically eligible to play. Even now, it’s Hyatt who holds The Office Group students accountable. He makes sure they’re going to classes, and he checks in with them about their exams and grades.

Follett also credits Hyatt and the Kents for finding extra college funds to help pay his tuition at EOU, and it was The Office Group that helped his family wade through the myriad of complex federal tuition aid requirements.

Both the Hyatts and the Kents say the Office Group couldn’t do it without their faithful cadre of forty volunteers, who help with everything from homework to college and career counseling. So far, sixty-nine students have gone through The Office Group program and they’re represented at thirteen different colleges and universities on the West Coast, with one earning admission into the Air Force Academy and two others who opted to enlist in the Marines and Navy.

“What we’re trying to do is level the playing field and give them the resources, so they can be successful. That may be college, it may be the trades or military. We want them to have options and put them on a successful path post-high school,” Hyatt said.

Eberhard’s Dairy in Redmond is run by four generations of the family.

It was the late 1940s when a twentysomething immigrant who spoke no English got off the train in Redmond to find a job. He’d seen the Swift & Company cream buying station from the train and knew how to make butter, so he thought he’d try his luck.

By 1951, that Swiss immigrant, John Eberhard, had bought the company, which purchased cream from local dairy farmers and sold it to the community. By 1964, Nelda and John Eberhard’s three sons, John, Bob and Richard Eberhard, were running the company, Eberhard’s Dairy Products, expanding it to produce milk, chocolate milk, whipping cream, cottage cheese, ice cream and more. Jack and Richard had retired by 2005, and Bob Eberhard carried on nearly until he died at age 82, in 2017.

Today, the founder’s grandson, Mark Eberhard, 55, is at the helm as company president. In many ways, he’s been training for the job nearly all his life. Starting at age 10, he and his five brothers and sisters were involved in the business. They started out bagging ice.

“When I was 14, my grandfather taught me how to make butter,” he said. “That was his passion and got him where he was, and today we do it the same way—with a different churn, but with the same style.”

Every summer they’d be at the Redmond dairy, helping. “At Redmond High School, I played sports, basketball, but I still worked, it was just ingrained in you—that’s what you do.” He values the life lessons and business sense he learned from his grandfather and father (both John or “Jack”) and “how to hold people accountable and hold yourself accountable.”

Twelve years ago, Mark Eberhard became general manager and his Uncle Bob mentored him in sales, helping him develop relationships with customers. When the economic crisis of 2008 hit though, he looked for partners in other markets and began creating ice cream for Seattle-based Haggen foods.

Through the generations, three core family-business values endure. No matter who has been at the helm, the Eberhard’s brand is associated with supporting local businesses whenever possible, treating their fifty-seven employees well, and donating to local nonprofits, from schools and veterans’ services to musical events, Eberhard said. A fourth generation is involved, too. His daughters, Emily Holston, 26, runs Eberhard’s quality control department and Maddie Kirby, 27, runs the company’s social media from the East Coast.

Dan Simoneau, a former Olympian and local Nordic coach, is on the mend from heart surgery and back on the snow in Central Oregon.

Dan Simoneau has spent most of his life with two skis attached to his feet. Whether he was slicing snow in the granite hills of New England or competing on the cross-country skiing world stage in the Swiss Alps, his resumé tells the story of a life dedicated skiing.

Simoneau, who serves as the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF) Nordic ski director, underwent triple-bypass heart surgery in September. For a man whose life was predicated on fitness, it was a shock. After cycling around Crater Lake in September 2018 with his MBSEF team roller-skiing in tow, something didn’t quite feel right.

“I’d stand up, take a deep breath, and my wife would be worried,” said Simoneau. “I just felt like crap, and we discovered I had a significantly high calcium score that was building up plaque in my arteries.”

He was soon diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes. Upon the diagnosis, it was discovered that he possessed a genetic heart condition. Within days he was in the operating room undergoing surgery. Now on the mend, Simoneau is looking forward with the same determination that led him to three Traffic jam in the highlands of Peru Olympic games in 1980s.

A native of Livermore Falls, Maine, Simoneau first visited Oregon in the 1970s to train for the cross-country World Championships. He fell in love with the ease of access and alpine glaciers and enrolled at the University of Oregon. His skiing career led him to compete in multiple world championships and represent the United States in three separate Olympics in 1980, 1984 and 1988. Although, he didn’t technically compete in the 1980 games, arriving at Lake Placid as an alternate, he was on-hand for one of the biggest upsets in sports history when the United States hockey team beat the Soviet Union in the game that came to be known as the “Miracle On Ice.”

After developing muscle compartment syndrome in his legs and requiring surgery, he retired from professional racing following the ’88 Olympic games in Calgary. He moved on from the competitive side of the sport and began a career on the business side, joining the team at Fischer Sports and relocating to Massachusetts. But the mountains called him back to his adopted home, and Simoneau returned to Central Oregon in 2003 where he began coaching with MBSEF while exercising a little of his own competitive juices by claiming three Pole Pedal Paddle individual titles.

He became the MBSEF Nordic program director in 2008. For the last decade he has watched his athletes grow from beginners into collegiate, national and international competitors. Fast forward to 2018 and Simoneau can lay claim to numerous athletes that have received college scholarships. This year fourteen MBSEF skiers are heading to the prestigious U.S. Nationals, a proving ground for future Olympians.

“When you [see] someone succeed because of hard work, perseverance, and because they showed up, it’s really, really cool,” said Simoneau.

Thanks to a full recovery from triple-bypass heart surgery, Simoneau is back doing what he loves—skiing in his free time and coaching and mentoring in the rest of it. He might be hoping for the next winter Olympics miracle, maybe one with a storyline that leads back to his adopted hometown. But at this point it’s about more than gold or silver. It’s about helping young men and women achieve their dreams, whatever they might be, he said.

“I’ve gotten more aspirational with what I see us doing,” said Simoneau. “There’s a sign on my door that says, ‘We are the sum of the decisions we make.’ It’s things like that help me remember that it’s not just about skiing. It’s about what you teach beyond skiing.”

Aerial yoga can decrease risk factors for heart disease, improve your flexibility and is just plain fun.

I’d wager that your New Year’s resolution has to do with health, something like running three miles every day, cutting out gluten or drinking less beer. That’s pretty standard, but a growing population of Central Oregonians will be starting their new year by turning the traditional workout on its head, or at least its horizontal axis with “aerial” yoga, a mashup between traditional floor-based yoga and silk aerials.

While aerial yoga has been trending in the health and fitness world for a few years, the benefits aren’t a passing fad. A 2016 study from the American Council on Exercise found that “a single session of aerial yoga offered participants many of the benefits associated with low- to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise like brisk walking or leisurely cycling” and “[a]fter the six week program, participants displayed measurable reductions in some common risk factors for cardiovascular heart disease.”

The term aerial might conjure visions of Olympic snowboarders or Chinese acrobats, the reality is that you don’t need to have Olympic strength or circus coordination to assimilate. Even me, a goes-on-walks and sometimes-makes-it-to-yoga person, could handle aerial yoga. (My one pro-tip would be to not eat dinner beforehand.) The silk hammock, an admittedly intimidating piece of workout equipment, can withstand up to 3,000 pounds. Yogis can sit, stand, twirl and hang in and on the fabric without fear of falling, but it’s a mental battle as much as it is physical.

Timea Eckerdt is a certified yoga instructor with Tula Movement Arts, a yoga and massage studio in NorthWest Crossing that opened in 2017. An instructor since 2013, Eckerdt tried aerial yoga and “instantly fell in love with the silks,” she said. “It felt really supportive.”

Aerial yoga is an extension of Vinyasa and Hatha yoga, where the silks add leverage to stretch muscles and then support inversions. Eckerdt said that it can be a much more accessible form of yoga. “With the silks, anyone can go upside down,” said Ekerdt. “There’s a woman who’s in her seventies, and she finds it more supportive, easier and accessible.”

The postures, aided by the silks, can increase strength and flexibility and are a good reset after a day at the office. “It’s a great counterbalance of our daily lives and all the things we do that mess up our bodies, like sitting all day,” said Eckerdt.

Take a road trip to the Oregon Coast this winter and bring along this perfect itinerary for the gastronomically inclined.

Winter in Central Oregon is gorgeous, but sometimes the ocean calls you away from the mountains for a weekend getaway. Four hours west and you’re in the land of sand, sea and salty air. At the beach, the flavors of the ocean, forest and farm come together under the skilled hands of local chefs to create delicious foods and crafted beverages. At the beach, don’t practice restraint. Taste everything. Here’s our suggested coastal foodie tour weekend itinerary.

Begin with a Friday night pint of pale ale at Astoria’s Buoy Beer Company, housed in a 100-year-old warehouse on piers overlooking the Columbia River. Dinner is at the Astoria Coffeehouse and Bistro, where the halibut tacos are fresh and the ambiance vintage Americana. Grab an ice cream cone for dessert at Frite and Scoop, to the sounds of the sea lions barking on the waterfront.

Saturday brunch is in Manzanita at Yolk, where you might linger over eggs benedict or fresh tuna salad long enough to make it to happy hour, offered with class at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar down the street. Craft cocktails and a menu of more than 200 brown liquors are offered in this locals’-favorite gathering place with a fire pit out front.

Grab some chowder for the road at Buttercup Ice Creams and Chowders in Nehalem, where freshly made seafood soups range from Thai to Indian to good old-fashioned clam chowder. Your dinner destination is Local Ocean Seafood on Newport’s bayfront. Grab a crab po’ boy sandwich with crunchy French fries and a Willamette Valley pinot gris, or perhaps the supremely fresh grilled albacore tuna kabobs are more your style.

Grab Sunday breakfast at the Drift Inn, on the highway in Yachats. Live music and divine seafood dishes light up this place at night, but breakfast brings crepes, eggs benedict, or clam and eggs to your plate. Blown glass light fixtures and umbrellas (open and hung from the ceiling) mark the Drift Inn, which has a long and salty history as a dive bar that you can read about on the back of the menu.

Sunday lunch is in downtown Coos Bay at Shark Bites, which features locally sourced seafood including Coos Bay oysters and Dungeness crab cakes, surrounded by traditional coastal décor of driftwood and surfboards on the wall.

Your gastronomical tour concludes in Port Orford with dinner at the renowned Redfish restaurant, perched on a cliff with a panoramic view of the beach. The black cod primavera comes with local vegetables. The sun setting over the ocean is 100 percent local, too, and just as satisfying as the amazing meals you’ve enjoyed all weekend.

Make Union Creek Resort your basecamp for cross-country skiing at Crater Lake this winter.

A lush, wintry landscape surrounds you. Douglas fir, spruce and cedar hang overhead in a sheltering canopy over Highway 62, west of Crater Lake, on one of the prettiest scenic drives in the state of Oregon. Blink and you’ll miss Union Creek Resort, but those in the know never miss a chance to take a break here, at least for a slice of Beckie’s famous pie. This winter, make a longer stop by booking a rustic cabin and making a weekend of it.

Union Creek Resort was built in the 1920s, and the cozy getaway retains a sense of going back in time. The collection of cabins sheltered in the forest near the narrow channel of the upper Rogue River are a peaceful retreat. Beckie’s serves homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner in a log cabin that’s listed on the National Historic Register—and don’t forget about that pie, which comes in a dozen flavors.

Even better, from Union Creek Resort you’ll find easy access to some of Oregon’s most epic—and outrageously scenic cross-country skiing. It’s only twenty-four miles to the rim of Crater Lake via the south entrance, which is the only route kept clear of snow for vehicles in the wintertime. Reach the rim and put on your skis. Glide the trail a short ways or a long ways, depending on your stamina and how many times you stop to gape at that incredible bowl of blue water contrasted by white snow. Return to the resort for hot chocolate and some time in front of the fire. Perfection achieved.

This winter, Elk Lake Resort is offering a moonlit cross-country skiing trip into the resort, capped with a four-course dinner and a sno-cat ride back to your car.

Even in Central Oregon, snow play isn’t for everyone. Some folks prefer to be indoors when winter settles into the region. Others just need an extra incentive to get outside and enjoy the season. If you’re seeking a thrill, Elk Lake Resort might just be the impetus for a moonlight adventure capped by a four-course dinner at the resort’s cozy lakeside lodge. This year, the resort rolls out a new winter program that combines a full moon ski into Elk Lake with a chef-prepared prix fixe menu, capped by a snowcat return ride under the same silvery moonlight.

Park your car at Dutchman Flat, from which the party departs at 6 p.m. for the two-hour ski into the resort. Dress in layers; it’s easy to work up a sweat on an extended cross-country excursion, particularly if you’re a novice. Pack a headlamp, though you may not need it given the natural illumination of the full moon reflecting on a blanket of snow. Follow Cascade Lakes Highway (closed to all vehicle traffic in winter months) on a fresh layer of groomed corduroy past Todd Lake around the backside of Sparks Lake and into Elk Lake Resort, a four-season basecamp that in winter serves as an outpost for snowmobilers, backcountry skiers and solitude seekers.

Dust off your jackets and park your skis outside the door in a nod to the snow-loving Scandinavian settlers who first came to Central Oregon to work the forest and sawmills. Don’t linger long, for a warm drink, or maybe just a stiff one, awaits inside the historic lodge that bustles with activity in the summer but transforms into an Old World dining hall in the winter months, complete with communal cheer and the camaraderie forged by the shared experience. For the full moon events, the dinner includes appetizers, main course and a dessert. When you’ve eaten and drank your fill, load yourself and your gear into the waiting snowcat and rumble back to Dutchmen to complete the journey.

The resort has scheduled dinners through the 2019 winter season to coincide with full moons, including January 20  and March 20.  (No dinner is scheduled for February due to President’s Day Weekend holiday. )Reservations required. 

Cross-country or Nordic skiing is a popular sport in Central Oregon. But not every trail or sno-park allows dogs. If you’re looking for a new trail to try this winter with your furry friend, here are some great options.

Nordic skiing has a long history in Central Oregon, with the first ski club formed in the early 20th century. There are miles of cross-country trails to explore across the region, but not all of them allow dogs. Since this is Central Oregon, and dogs are even allowed at some breweries, here are some options for where to take your dog cross-country skiing with you. Keep in mind that the Forest Service asks that dogs stay within voice control at all times and that they be leashed when in the sno-park.

Kapka Sno-Park

Near Sunriver off Forest Service Road 45, Kapka Sno-Park is one of the few places where dogs are allowed on the ungroomed cross-country skiing trails. The low-elevation sno-park has limited views, but its also one of the least-trafficked sno-parks in the region, so you and your pooch will have plenty of room to explore. Dogs are allowed at the park, along with snowshoers and snowmobilers, so keep an eye out and share the trails.

Wanoga Sno-Park

One of the first parks off Cascade Lakes Highway in Bend, Wanoga Sno-Park is also one of the most popular. There are designated trails for snowshoeing, Nordic skiing and snowmobiling, and the park is also busy with families who take advantage of the legendary sledding hill. A two-mile cross-country skiing trail, maintained by DogPac, allows dogs and is a popular winter Nordic skiing destination for those that don’t want to leave the dogs behind.

Edison Butte Sno-Park

Edison Butte Sno-Park, also off Cascade Lakes Highway, is open to skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers. There are miles of trails to explore from here, and most will lead to one of two warming huts in the park. Dogs are allowed on the looped network of trails that can keep skiers and dogs busy for hours. Edison Butte is farther up the highway than other popular parks, and you’ll probably be sharing the trails with other skiers and their dogs as well.

Head north for a day of outdoor exploration that includes a dramatic waterfall, rockhounding and a well-earned happy hour in Madras.

Plunge Into White River Falls

Tell friends in Bend that you spent the day exploring the greater Tygh Valley area and you’re likely to get a blank stare in return. That’s understandable, given that this sparsely populated section of the Columbia plateau northeast of Maupin doesn’t get a lot of visitors. But it’s worth more than a passing glance with its rolling wheat fields, historic homesteads and almost ghost towns. The biggest attraction is the sprawling White River State Park that is wedged into a narrow valley between Mount Hood to the west and the Deschutes River to the east. The heart of the park is a dramatic plunge falls that cascades 100-plus feet over a basalt shelf into a roiling pool below. The park also includes a historic powerhouse, a remnant from an earlier era when the river was harnessed to provide electricity to farms and towns around the valley. The hydroelectric project was idled in the early 1960s when the Dalles Dam was completed on the Columbia River, delivering power to the valley and well beyond.

Dig a Thunderegg

Central Oregon’s volcanic origins left us snow-capped mountains and refrigerator-cool desert grottos. If you want your own piece of Central Oregon’s geology, then head to Richardson’s Rock Ranch outside of Madras. Here, rockhounds are invited to work one of the region’s largest and most productive thunderegg beds. These orange-sized rocks are split open to reveal a marble-like interior of polished quartz and silica in brilliant colors and elaborate patterns. Richardson’s provides digging materials and basic instructions for a DIY dig, or just peruse the ample selection in their onsite store (while dodging the roaming peacocks outside) and grab one for the road.

Kick back in Margaritaville

After you’ve checked waterfalls and rock mining off your to-do list, reward yourself with a stop a Rio Distinctive Cuisine in Madras. If you’re on a tight schedule, grab a cold cerveza and order the table-made guacamole before you head home. Better yet, linger a bit. Order a Casa Del Rio Margarita and a plate of the puerco emmolado, slow roasted pork shoulder served with mango mole sauce.

Drive south from Bend and hang a left at La Pine. This is the Oregon Outback. Rugged, remote and nary another soul in sight.

Homesteading History

Stretch your legs in history at the Fort Rock Homestead Museum. A handful of late-1800s era buildings are filled with historic items to discover. Take a few minutes to learn about the history of the homesteaders who tried to make a home in this rugged country.

Race Against the Snow

Hager Mountain is about an hour from the museum. While the trail is heavily trafficked in spring and summer for peak wildflower season, by late fall the hike has mostly cleared out. There are a few routes to get to the top, depending on how far you want to hike. A four-mile trek to the summit begins at the trailhead on East Bay Road. Follow the trail through a Ponderosa forest until you reach the top. A rustic fire lookout awaits at the summit, and can be rented out from November through March each year. (Getting a reservation is difficult due to its popularity.)

Oregon’s Outback Steak (and Chicken) House

Hopefully the eight-mile trek has worked up an appetite in you. A half-hour drive back to Silver Lake is all that sits between you and one of the best meals you can dream of. Cowboy Dinner Tree is a destination in itself. The reservation-only restaurant provides a generous meal—think a whole chicken to a plate and steaks bigger than your head—all without using electricity. It’s a family-friendly dining experience, where you’ll leave on a first name basis with the owners and chefs.

The Single Speed World Championship, a mountain biking race that doesn’t take itself too seriously, recently took over the town, with raucous and rowdy results.

I looked up from the bottom of “Hospital Hill” after navigating my borrowed 1999 singlespeed GT mountain bike down a treacherous section of questionable trail. Covered head to toe in dust, I peered through the sealed, dark lenses of mountaineering goggles looking like I’m straight out of a scene from Burning Man. I gazed up at what may as well be a ski slope without the snow. After ingesting a shot of rye whiskey from an “aid” station at the top, racers either glide their bikes, walk or stumble their way down this sheer mountain face of infinite dirt. But the “Rasta Rocket” (Adam Prosise) came ripping down upon his bike, leaving the rest of us in a cloud of volcanic dust.

After surviving the weekend upon the saddles of two-wheel singlespeed cycling machines hurling through raucous pub crawls, historic parties and a forty-mile bike race, the dust clouds have finally cleared, and the 2018 Single Speed World Championship (SSWC) has come to a close. For five days in October, Bend saw approximately 700 riders from across the globe partake in the twenty-third annual event of cycling shenanigans.

The event was originally coined in 1995 as “The Wasted Hairy Insanely Retro League of Enlightened Degenerates” and took place in Big Bear Lake, California. It began more as a counter culture movement than a serious world championship race. Today, the race is a mix of both. In Bend, the festival offered plenty of beer drinking and wild parties in addition to the hard racing. I knew I had to sign up.

Designation for each year’s hosting site is decided by some form of beer drinking or outrageous challenge held during the previous year’s race. In Rotorua, New Zealand, the location of the 2017 SSWC, a Bend coalition of cycling aficionados won the honors of bringing the event to Central Oregon for the very first time. Local cycling legends like Carl Decker (’08 SSCW Champion) and Adam Craig (’09 SSCW Champion) helped lead the charge, designing the forty-mile course. Crow’s Feet Commons owner David Markis designated the coffee and bike shop downtown as the official SSWC headquarters.

“It was really neat to see how all of this was unfolding,” Decker said. “You kind of just count on the kindness of others and for them to come through, and the community really just did a great job.”

Riders from as far as Japan, Scotland, and Australia were entertained by daily group rides through Bend’s epic scenery and trails. On Thursday night, riders rode their bikes from brewery-to-brewery and ended at Volcanic Theatre Pub in what was dubbed “Carl’s Crawl.” Friday night, an official welcoming party at Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe had countries like Slovenia and Canada vying for next year’s hosting location, battling through beer-drinking challenges and “nautical” endeavors.

Saturday, I joined 700 other singlespeed diehards at the starting line of the forty-mile race. From pros and legends to unicyclists and tandem racers, all the racers were dressed in costumes laden over cycling jerseys, spandex shorts and sometimes hardly anything at all. Each and every one of us was ready for the time of our lives while wearing tutus, onesies and superhero capes. Clearly, Halloween had come to Bend early this year.

With forty miles and 4,000 feet of climbing ahead of us on top of our singlespeed steeds, riders ascended in pursuit of the worldwide coveted “trophy tattoo” adorned by every winner of the event for the past twenty-three years. As we hammered along, dehydrated riders pulled into aid stations that resembled outdoor living rooms, accompanied with hookah bars, margaritas, bacon and water. I watched elite riders complete a keg stand or chug a beer before getting back on their bikes and the trail.

Grins painted with dirt and sweat spread across riders faces as they rolled into the finish line and were welcomed in by high fives and weary hugs. Defending Marathon National Champion and Red Bull athlete Payson McElveen won tattoo honors in the men’s category. Course designer Carl Decker finished in a close second place. Pro rider Rachel Lloyd took home the lifelong prize in the women’s category.

When it was all said and done, the party gathered at Crow’s Feet Common for the official award ceremony. The “branding” of the winners took center stage and live music filled the air as everyone simply celebrated finishing the race in one piece.

Almost twenty-five years later, there is no doubt that the event continues to inspire both mockeries and legends. Plan on it all happening again next year halfway across the world in Slovenia, the official hosting location for 2019. Bring your wits, your good vibes and your singlespeed.

Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center leaves you alone in the woods—in a good way.

There’s getting out of town, and then there’s really getting out of town. Breitenbush Hot Springs, east of Detroit, Oregon, is maybe one of the last places in the state (or anywhere?) where you can sleep in the woods with little danger of being interrupted by the irritants of civilization, technology or even your own vices.

At Breitenbush, not only is there no cell service or wifi, but you will be asked to consume an organic vegetarian diet (provided for you) accompanied by no alcohol, no tobacco and no caffeine. Meditation, yoga, ecstatic dancing, silence—these are all encouraged, as is clothing-optional soaking in one of seven outdoor hot spring-fed pools. When you don’t even need clothes, that’s about as purist as it gets.

Breitenbush has existed as a gathering place since Native Americans inhabited the area. In the 1920s, a Portlander who invented the first ice cream cone machine turned his profits into a resort on the banks of the Breitenbush River. In the 1970s, hippie culture came along and Breitenbush embraced it, as it still does today. If you want to know what Oregon was like four decades ago, it lives on in these sprightly woods. Think bell bottoms, unkempt hair and an exceptional amount of hugging.

The setting has been the stand-out feature over time. The historic lodge, meeting structures, cabins and tent-sites of Breitenbush are surrounded by a lush and magical forest cut through by the glistening Breitenbush River. Salmon swim in the river, deer wander through, eagles fly overhead.

Trails take you deeper into the woods, where even the modest crowds of a busy Breitenbush summer day fall away. Here, a mile or so up the trail, belly full of organic vegetables and marionberry lemonade, hold still and take in the silence, the scent of the woods, the thermal energy teeming beneath your feet. For a moment, these are all that matter; this is all there is. You can’t help but feel present and grateful, in that woods alone, which leads you to suspect that maybe the Breitenbush purists are on to something after all.

As summer slips away into fall, there is a brief window of time where you can witness beautiful fall colors in Central Oregon throughout the region. Here’s your guide to not missing out.

Fall has arrived. That means it is time to dig out the scarves, find our fleece-lined jackets and footwear, don our thickly-knitted wool caps, and set aside the weekly stipend to curb our cravings and sustain our thirst for pumpkin-spiced lattes, ales and various deserts. But let us not forget; this season, which many of us look forward to, is also a time of change for the flora of Central Oregon. That’s right, it is time to watch trees.

Before we paint you a clear road map of where to go to see some of the best fall sights in Central Oregon, let’s dig into the science behind it all.

So why do leaves change color and fall?

Common deliberation may tell you that high winds and cold temperatures are the culprits behind autumn leaves falling, and honestly, you wouldn’t be completely wrong to say so. At first glance, this widely shared piece of wisdom seems simply plausible as a mechanism of force. As it turns out, weather doesn’t quite provide the catalyst for falling leaves, as much as it is the trees making a choice of efficiency; choosing to make a simple budget cut.

During the early weeks of fall, many trees and other plants are faced with a choice. The problem at hand is a weighing of costs and benefits of the leaves. As less and less sunlight is available, and the temperatures continue to drop, the tree must decide whether or not the leaves are worth keeping. Leaves provide much needed photosynthesis for trees. They absorb the rays of the sun, and turn it into usable energy. As the leaves slow their levels of photosynthesis, the green chlorophyll is broken down, leaving behind the varied coloration of leaves we seen this time of year.

As the leaves become less and less efficient to the tree, where the cost of energy output for keeping the leaves from freezing outweighs the benefit of energy from photosynthesis, the tree chooses to simply eject the leaves from its system. If you want to sound smart at your next gathering, you can explain this process to your friends as family as “abscission.” During abscission, the tree experiences a lack of chlorophyll, and then releases chemical hormones that signal the cutting of the leaves. It’s a tree making a decision to “trim the fat.” (Similar to me telling myself that the dozen or so of pumpkin ales I want to have this week might not be exactly financially sound, and maybe I should stick with the far more cost-efficient water.)

That’s all well and good, but let’s get to the important stuff—where do we go to get that perfect fall photo?

For our many East Coast transplants here in Central Oregon, the term “leafing” in the fall is well known. For those of our residents who hail from the southern reaches of the West Coast, the term may be completely unknown. It’s simply a term given to activity of seeking out fall colors in changing leaves. But for all of who now call Central Oregon home, regardless of our origins, finding a bit of fall color in the trees and shrubs around us may present a particular challenge. After all, we are in the high desert, where comparatively few deciduous, color-changing plants are found native to our region.

Of course, you can’t go the season without making at least one annual visit to Drake Park, where oak trees stand in plenty, releasing their pre-winter wares. For the true feeling of fall in Bend, this park is a must-see. I, for one will, be taking my children, a rake, our dog, and an iPhone for our yearly photo session of live-action shots in the romping of piles upon piles of beautifully arrayed fallen leaves. But what if you are feeling a little more adventurous?

Fear not, my fellow leafers. You need not travel far to find fall colors in the wilds of Central Oregon. Simply drive west. A few dozen miles will do. Head over on Highway 20, not far from Sisters. There, on the cusp of where the east side of the Cascades meets the west, you will find a sight unknown to even to most well-rehearsed East Coast leafers, here the colors of autumn can be found hiding in the most unlikely of places. Groves of quaking aspen can be found woven between the color-challenged ponderosas pines. Peer even farther into the unique, as low-lying Vine Maple and Douglas Maples are sprinkled throughout jet-black obsidian flows and other rocky croppings, creating sights visible for a only matter of weeks before snow comes and blankets all that surrounds.

If you can, schedule yourself a flight over the Central Oregon Cascades during the transformative weeks of October. There you will see how truly unique our fall is. Yes, it is shorter than most of us prefer. If you have lived here long enough, it almost feels as if you are tossed directly from the heat of summer into the bone chilling cold of winter, and autumn only makes a short cameo along the way. But perhaps that is what makes the high desert fall so special. The season may not last a matter of months like it does in many other regions in the United States, but its seemingly fleeting arrival, to me anyway, makes it more worthwhile. So catch it while you can.

Erika Nuetzel is a naturalist guide for Wanderlust Tours in Bend. Here’s how she spends her days at work.

Erika Nuetzel gets paid to be outside. She’s lived in Bend for the last year and a half and works as a naturalist guide for Wanderlust Tours. “Somehow I’ve convinced my boss to pay me to do the things I’d like to be doing in my own time,” said Nuetzel. Here’s how she spends a normal working day in Bend.

6:00 a.m.: I wake up, and take my dog, Zephyr, for a walk. After heating up some veggie hash for breakfast, I consider my options for a morning activity. Bend has so many amazing things to do, it’s always easy to squeeze something in before work!

Noon: After spending the morning running Big Eddy laps, hiking, or climbing out at Smith Rock, I head into work around noon to prep for my upcoming afternoon and night trips. As naturalist guides, our schedules vary from day to day. My afternoon at work could involve some hiking around Newberry National Volcanic Monument, or spelunking through an 80,000 year old lava tube cave. Today, I’ll be running an afternoon kayak trip and a moonlight canoe tour. Now that I know my schedule, I load up the van and the kayak trailer with the gear I need, and head over to pick the guests up at the Wanderlust Tours office.

1:30 p.m. I meet my group of ten adventurous guests and we embark on the journey to Paulina Lake. A forty-minute drive through the Deschutes National Forest provides the perfect opportunity to discuss the natural and cultural history of this part of the world. We pass through the second-growth Ponderosa pine forest in the high desert and climb higher into the old-growth subalpine ecosystem, all the while talking about the 100-plus species of animals, plants, and trees that live here, and how people have moved throughout the land over the last 15,000 years.

2:20 p.m. Once we arrive to the boat ramp, we set up the kayaks and paddles before launching off. Afternoons at Paulina are the best time for kayak trips. We cross the lake to take a dip into the hot springs that line the north shore, then we jump in the clear waters of the lake. After our swim, we pause a while on a beach overlooking the Big Obsidian Flow and Paulina Peak. From this vantage point, you can really tell we’re kayaking in a collapsed volcanic caldera! Osprey fly high overhead and take turns plunging into the lake as they dive for an afternoon snack in front of our boats.

5:30 p.m. The afternoon passes much too quickly. Before long the tour is over and we’re heading back to the Wanderlust Tours office. After parting ways with my afternoon guests, it’s time for me to go to the Wanderlust Tours warehouse to get ready for the night trip. Since the gloomy smoke from far-off wildfires has finally cleared, I’ve decided I’ll take my group up Cascade Lakes Highway to Hosmer Lake to paddle beneath the stars. I prepare the canoes for the night trip at our shop by loading them onto the trailer, and loading the van with life jackets and headlamps.

7:45 p.m. We arrive at the boat ramp as the sun sets behind us, illuminating South Sister, Broken Top and Mount Bachelor with the glorious alpenglow of the late summer evenings. Once I’ve explained the mechanics of canoeing to the guests, we set off on the lake. We’re just about the only boats on the water. At this time of day, most people have gone home, and the nocturnal animals come out in their place. A bald eagle is perched on the third story of a subalpine fir, so we pause our paddling to observe him. Soon enough he makes a move, diving into the lake to pluck an Atlantic salmon out for dinner. We leave him to enjoy his bounty in peace and continue paddling as the sky darkens.

9:00 p.m. Bats and nighthawks swirl around our boats as we continue down the main channel towards the north end of the lake. We pass a beaver swimming stealthily across the lake towards her lodge in the tule reeds. As the sky darkens, Venus, Jupiter and Mars appear on the horizon, and the Summer Triangle is the first asterism to emerge. Pretty soon, the entire night sky is speckled with stars that make up various constellations, satellites flying in outer space, and the Milky Way shines brightly through the Summer Triangle.

9:45 p.m. At this point, we group all the canoes together, and I pass out delicious Sparrow Bakery desserts and homemade hot cocoa to all guests, and a Deschutes Brewery beer to those over 21. I share the Greek myths behind the constellations above us as guests enjoy their goodies, and we discuss nighttime ecology of the area. Again, nature provides an incredible backdrop to these stories and although I wish we could sit among the stars for hours, we eventually make it back to Bend.

11:00 p.m. I say farewell to my guests and drive the Wanderlust Tours van back to the warehouse. While enjoying my shift beer, I listen to music and clean out the van and canoes. Then, I head home to play with Zephy, eat some food, and pass out… ready to do it all again tomorrow!

Revitalize your soul in these mineral-rich pools. With the weather cooling off but winter sports not yet in full swing, there is no better way to embrace the changing of the seasons than soaking in hot springs. Opt to hike to rock-lined pools along rivers and lakes or spoil yourself with resort-style bathhouses that are scattered through Oregon. Treat your sore muscles and revitalize your soul in these mineral-rich pools all within a day-trip from Bend.

Paulina Hot Springs

Located off a spur on the Paulina Lake Loop Trail, the springs are primitive at best. If the lake shore waters are high, the pools may be washed out. However, when the waters are just right, hot springs may be dug out of coarse beach sand and reinforced with found wood and stones. Because these pools are not commercial, visitors often bring a shovel, such as a collapsible avalanche shovel, to re-dig one of the several pools. Although the pools might be crude, the view is magnificent. Paulina Peak towers at nearly 8,000 feet tall. Its center crater is infilled with Paulina Lake’s waters that sweep across the horizon line and counterpoint sunsets that light up the sky like pink cotton candy. 

For lodging, or to rent a canoe for paddling across the lake to the edge of the hot springs, stop in at Paulina Lodge. Open in the high season, May through September, the lodge offers everything from stays in its cabins and intimate A-frames to lunch and dinner dining. Look forward to sampling the chef’s famous prime rib, homemade cobblers and handcrafted cocktails. Reservations are required. See paulinalakelodge.com.

Newberry National Volcanic Monument, operated by Deschutes National Forest, gained its monument status in 1990 as a result of the area’s outstanding volcanic features. Obsidian flows, alpine lakes, fissures, cavernous lava tubes, a lava cast forest, and a massive caldera (or collapsed volcano) are all natural wonders to experience en route to Paulina Lake Hot Springs.

Driving time from Bend: 1 hour
Open: May to September

East Lake

If you think Paulina Lake’s hot springs are primitive, you have not seen the springs at East Lake, Paulina’s neighbor in the Newberry Crater. These springs are great for those tired of the Paulina Lake crowds. There are trade-offs—unlike those at Paulina, these springs smell heavily of sulfur and can reach temperatures up to 120 degrees. They can be accessed by a short quarter-mile trail from the hot springs boat ramp, walking until reaching bubbling water. On a typical snow year, these springs usually are submerged in the lake until late July, so are best-visited in the late summer or fall.

Driving time from Bend: 1 hour
Open: May to September, but best starting in late summer when water level is low

Bigelow/Deer Creek

The quiet neighbor of Belknap Hot Springs, Deer Creek, also known as Bigelow Hot Springs, is one small pool tucked on the banks of the McKenzie River in the Willamette National Forest. This peaceful pool is sectioned off from the river by rocks, with hot spring water flowing from the pool’s bottom. Its close proximity to the river cools it off too much in the winter, but makes it the perfect soaking temperature in the summer and fall. It can only handle a few guests at a time, so consider going on a weekday or prepare for a possible wait. Even with its close proximity to the highway, clothing is optional in typical Oregon hot springs fashion.

Driving time from Bend: 1 hour 20 minutes
Parking and fees: Free to soak, Turn onto Deer Creek Road, cross a bridge over the McKenzie River to park
Open: Year-round, but can be too cold in winter months

Crystal Crane

Hidden in a high-desert oasis twenty-five miles east of Burns lies this magical hot springs resort. A longtime hub for dirty travelers, Crystal Crane hot springs consists of a 101-degree mineral hot springs pond and several private soaking tubs, rentable by the hour. Plan a visit on a clear night and stargaze while you soak. With its close proximity to Steens Mountain, the Ochocos and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, pitch a tent nearby or choose one of the resort’s unique overnight options, including a teepee with a private hot tub.

Driving time from Bend: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Open: Year-round, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Summer Lake

Southeast of Bend in the Oregon Outback amidst a vast high desert landscape awaits this 145-acre hot spring resort, Summer Lake. On your drive out, watch for birds of prey, antelope, deer and other wildlife. Stop at quirky and charming homegrown Oregon outposts to re-supply beverages, firewood and gasoline. If you have time, take a small detour to Fort Rock to see the remnants of a tuff ring, a volcano that erupted under a shallow sea. Fort Rock is also home to an ancient reed sandal mass storage cache, which has helped anthropologists pinpoint a date indicating the earliest known people in the region. On the outskirts of the municipality, look for a smattering of walk-through historic ghost town buildings.

When you arrive at Summer Lake, enjoy the four developed outdoor hot pools with 360-degree views of the desert, forest, sky and mountain peaks, as well as the largest pool, located inside a bathhouse. These springs have been flowing for thousands of years, traveling to the surface through a natural fault to almost a mile underground, and were unknown until hundreds of feet of lake water receded. Established in 1988, the resort features a bathhouse and outdoor hot springs-fed rock pools, all between 106 and 118 degrees. Either travel down for the day or choose from a variety of accommodations, ranging with low-price tent campsites to geothermally-heated cabins or guesthouses. Summer Lake is also known for hosting pop-up music festivals and retreats of all kinds. 

To find RV or van-specific parking, hookups and amenities, Ana Reservoir Park and Lonepine RV Park are choice picks. After a detoxifying dip in the hot springs for registered guests of the lodge, travel 20 minutes north to the town of Summer Lake and visit The Flyway at The Lodge at Summer Lake for casual American food. See summerlakehotsprings.com.

Driving time from Bend: 2 hours
Open: Year-round, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for day use, open 24 hours for overnight guests

McCredie Hot Springs

McCredie Hot Springs, once a historic resort, consists of several undeveloped pools on either side of Salt Creek off of Highway 58 near Oakridge. These springs are great for large and small groups alike, with the largest “party” pool being 30 feet wide and the smallest being only a yard in diameter. The large pool is a short walk from the main parking area between milepost 45 and 46 on Highway 58. If looking to reach the smaller, more secluded pools and avoid crossing the two-foot-deep creek, turn down Shady Gap Road, turn right at both splits and park at the first wide spot. From here, a mile-long hike through ferns, moss and wildflowers leads down to the pools. Since these pools are relatively isolated, prepare to be in the midst of naked hippies or become one yourself.

Driving time from Bend: 1 hour 30 minutes
Distance: If accessing the main pool, just a short walk down to the river from the main parking area. If visiting southside pools, prepare to hike a 0.9 mile out and back trail down to the springs.
Parking and fees: Free to soak, park between milepost 45 and 46 on Highway 58 next to McCredie Station Road near Blue Pool Campground for main pool. For southside pools, turn down Shady Gap Road, turn right at both splits and park at the first wide spot.
Open: Year-round

Bagby Hot Springs

Bagby Hot Springs is nestled deep within the Mount Hood National Forest on the Collawash River. An easy 1.7-mile hike through lush forest leads to the bathhouse, consisting of cedar wood tubs in both private and community settings. The spring water is 138 degrees Fahrenheit but can be cooled off with water from the river below. Unlike most Oregon hot springs, nudity is not allowed (but that has never stopped Oregonians before). Because of its close proximity to both Portland and Salem, these hot springs are highly frequented and often mistreated, so make sure to pack out your litter and be respectful of your surroundings.

Driving time from Bend: 3 hours
Distance: 3.4 miles roundtrip from Bagby Trailhead
Open: Year-round, but road not maintained in winter months

Read more about Hot Spring in our area here.

Bend’s Alice Drobna has rewritten the ultra-endurance record book—and she’s not done yet.

Alice Drobna, an understated 43-year-old graphic designer for Hydro Flask, is arguably the nation’s toughest long-distance mountain biker. She is certainly the most dedicated. After completing five 100-mile mountain bike races in 2013, she still wanted more. As in, more miles, more solitude and more challenge. Drobna is the first—and still only—woman to complete the trifecta of ultra-endurance mountain biking, known as the Triple Crown Challenge of bikepacking. She’s also the only mountain biker, man or woman, to do so on a singlespeed.

To claim this rare distinction, riders must finish all three of the sport’s classic dirt events, the Arizona Trail, Tour Divide and Colorado Trail, in the same season. This is a Herculean challenge in terms of total time in the saddle as well as the short recovery time between races.

The 750-mile Arizona Trail takes place in April; the Tour Divide, which spans 2,745 miles from Alberta to New Mexico, begins in June. Approximately three weeks after finishing the Tour Divide, would-be Challenge finishers must complete an arduous 500-mile journey gaining 70,000 feet through the Rockies from Durango to Denver.

Drobna’s record-setting time set in 2015 still stands at thirty-six days, six hours and fifty-six minutes, in which she rode 4,080 miles and logged 380,000 feet of climbing. (That’s about 10,500 feet of elevation gain per day, or riding from Bend to Mount Bachelor three-and-a-half times). She joined nine men on the list of cyclists who have accomplished this brutal feat.

Born in what was then Czechoslovakia, Drobna came to the United States in the early 1990s to attend college. She stayed, gained citizenship and bounced around the country before landing in Park City, Utah. There she met Ross Windsor, her longtime boyfriend (and three-time U.S. trials bike champion) who in 2008 introduced her to mountain biking on a single-geared bike.

“Riding singlespeed just made perfect sense to me,” she said. “It was quiet and light, and I got strong really quick.”

Her mountain bike racing career began with cross-country and then marathon distances, and she won a national title in 2011. She followed that up by completing five 100-mile mountain bike races in 2013. Still, Drobna wanted a steeper challenge.

“I found that I felt more at peace going slower and farther,” she reflected. “What I really like is being all by myself. For some reason, I was still searching for something longer. That’s when I started researching the Tour Divide. I thought, ‘If I can ride 100 miles, why not try to ride 100 miles every day?’”

Competitive bikepackers race alone and unsupported. They carry a GPS device to navigate the route, and to keep all competitors honest, along with their own food, water, tools and gear for camping. It’s this self-reliance and solitude that attracts Drobna to these extreme events. That, and the simplicity of it.

“You can go days without seeing any people,” she explained. “It’s like you almost live a different life. You leave everything you do at home behind—responsibilities, relationships, work. It’s just you and the trail and the bike. You’re in the moment all the time.”

In bikepacking events, Drobna’s custom-built titanium singlespeed—carrying food, water and gear—weighs in at forty pounds. She typically pedals sixteen to seventeen hours each day, including a few hours in the dark. Depending on the trail, she might cover 170 miles during that time. If the route is particularly steep or technical, or requires more hiking, she might log only eighty—all the while burning 10,000 to 12,000 calories.

Since her record-setting season in 2015, Drobna continues to enter long-distance bikepacking events but with less frequency. Despite vowing not to, she’s been back to the Arizona Trail twice, with the aim of besting her 2015 record time. This past April, she won the female division again, but failed to beat her record-setting time.

Of all the racing she’s done, Drobna describes the Arizona Trail ride, which stretches from the Arizona-Mexico border to the Utah state line, as the “most brutal.” Part of the difficulty is the twenty-four-mile portage across the Grand Canyon, which requires riders to disassemble their bike, affix it to a pack, and trek down and then back up the canyon wall.

That, and the weather. “There’s no shade, and there’s constant sun beating down on you,” she recounted of the 2018 race. “I was having a hard time staying hydrated. I was drinking seven liters a day [more than three-and-a-half gallons], and it wasn’t enough. When I climbed out of the heat into Flagstaff, the coldest night was fifteen degrees with fifty mile per hour winds. I was worried about being hypothermic. It was incredibly brutal conditions, from one extreme to the next.”

Despite this, Drobna now holds the two fastest finish times among women.

“One of the things that draws me to [ultra-endurance cycling] is it’s never the same,” she explained. “One time I ran into three bears in two days, I almost hit a moose during a night ride, almost kicked a rattlesnake with my pedal. You just never know what’s going to happen, and that’s exciting to me.”

For the remainder of this year, Drobna is taking a break from racing, but hasn’t written off resuming her ultra-endurance career. “It’s crazy hard,” she said, which seems like a gross understatement. And then added: “But you can’t get mad when you’re out there, because you’re in the most beautiful place.”

Find a dog-friendly respite at Barking Mad Farm in Enterprise.

Chief Joseph, Sacajawea, Matterhorn, Glacier, Eagle Cap, Twin, Sawtooth, Ruby, East Hurricane. Each snowcapped peak unfurls a glimpse into the natural history of the Wallowas and a unique vantage on the verdant patchwork of farmland 5,000 feet below. Up at summit elevation, where the air is thinner than the loose shards of granite underfoot, a person gains a little perspective. Down among the cow-dotted fields, just outside of Enterprise in the Wallowa Valley, it’s just as easy to lose yourself in the oversized scenery. The towering Wallowa Mountains to the west are an ever-present alpine marvel visible even at night when they cut a jagged line across the star mottled sky.

Cattle dog Roo lounges on the covered porch at Barking Mad Farm, cocking his ears to the crackle of the campfire, the hoot of an owl and the rhythmic churn of sprinkler lines soaking nearby fields. Luckily, you don’t have to be a cattle rancher, or a cattle dog, to bask in the majesty of northeast Oregon. This porch is open to all of Barking Mad Farm’s guests, who are invited to grab a seat on the porch swing and soak in the solitude.

Country Charm

When guests awake in the morning, the natural world beckons through the window. From the Seven Devils Suite, early risers can watch the eponymous Idaho mountain range glow a fiery orange on the eastern horizon. The 600-square-foot suite maximizes natural light from its perch on the upper level of a building adjacent the property’s classic white and robin’s egg blue farmhouse.

Next door, in the renovated early-1900s abode, the luxury Treetops Suite spans the entire second floor. Emily Klavins owns the bed and breakfast with her husband, Rob, but the pair originally came to the farm as guests. They recommend the Treetops Suite for romantic getaways.

If the mountain air is crisp, light a fire in Treetops’ brick fireplace.Downstairs, the more straightforward Buffalo Suite has an extra bed and views of the neighboring field populated with American bison. This suite is also closest to the sizzle of frying bacon in the morning.

To Market, To Market

The Klavins have been procuring a whole pig for meat each year since they bought the farm from the former owners in 2013, when Rob was able to relocate to Enterprise while keeping his job with the conservation group Oregon Wild. This year, the novice farmers purchased two sows and a hog and brought three litters of kunekune heritage piglets into the world.

“They are little ambassadors,” said Emily. “So socialized—running up to guests to present their bellies for rubs.”

The investment is the latest step in the couple’s plan to be sustainable stewards of Barking Mad Farm’s forty-two acres, an ethic rooted in how they met teaching outdoor school. Currently, much of the acreage is leased to a third party, but the Klavins are hoping to ramp up their use of land year-by-year, demonstrating rural life to guests.

Something To Bark About

On the morning of our interview, Emily had taken some forty-odd hens to a local natural processor to be butchered and was delivering the meat to neighbors. During the warmer months, trips into town revolve around the farmers’ market and farm stand, respectively. The rest of the shopping list items are crossed off at Ruby Peak Naturals and the organic section at the grocery store.

“We value the actual experience people can have with food before it becomes little packages in your fridge,” said Emily.

Emily cooks guests a scratch-made breakfast each morning. Seasonal fruits inspire dishes such as raspberry crepes with crème fraiche, huckleberry drizzle and toasted almonds. Her homemade granola is always fresh, and she need only step out to the henhouse to gather eggs for the Barking Mad Benedict.

Venturing Out

When Roo wants to take a break from all the pigs and free-range chickens running about, he retreats to a two-acre fenced field. There in the “dog park” he’ll gladly show off his stomping grounds to guest dogs. Dogs (and cats) are welcome at Barking Mad Farm if they are friendly and respectful of other people and animals.

Off the farm, a favorite nearby activity for pups and people alike is the hike to Slick Rock from Hurricane Creek Trailhead, where gurgling snowmelt cascades down one pool after another, creating a natural slip-n-slide (6.5 miles, out and back). Joseph and Wallowa Lake beyond offer arts, culture and recreation in spades.

Back in Enterprise, Sinclair Coffee Co. is a great spot for a lunch burrito and a caffeinated pick-me-up. Another tasty daytime option is Sugar Time Bakery, which has stellar sweets and paninis. Grab a midday or evening meal and a pint at Terminal Gravity Brewing.

Shop for skin products at Wild Carrot Herbals, then head to The Bookloft. Hours will pass by as you peruse local art in the bookstore’s Skylight Gallery, chat with locals at creaky wooden tables and pick up reading fodder to take back to Barking Mad Farm’s Adirondack lawnchairs. There in the sunken seats, alternating page turns with glances at the mountains, you will likely stay planted for the remainder of your trip

Hikes to hit when the crowds and temperature are in decline.

As hiking season gives way into ski season, the window of reduced trail traffic, mosquitos, and sun rays allows an opportunity to hit any hikes you might’ve missed this summer or find a new favorite without the crowds. With winter trail closures or snowpack shutting off access to many hikes in the area, here are some hikes to hit before hibernation.

Green Lakes

One of the area’s most popular trails closes with the Cascade Lakes Highway in mid-November this year. The trail follows Fall Creek up into the scenic Green Lakes Basin at the foot of both South Sister and Broken Top. Unfortunately for summer hikers, the proximity to the creek and heavily-wooded trail means prime mosquito territory. In fall, this issue is much less prevalent and views of shiny obsidian in the Newberry Lava Flow, the various waterfalls on Fall Creek and the alpine lakes come unimpeded by the thriving mosquito population. Plus, most of the tourists have left, and if you time it right—early in the morning or on a weekday—you could have the trail to yourself.

Distance: 9 miles out and back
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Green Lakes Trailhead $5 for a day pass or NW Forest Pass required
Open: Through mid-November

Broken Top Crater

Another hike dependent on the Cascade Lakes Highway, Broken Top presents a more challenging approach than Green Lakes, but rewards hikers with a panoramic view of the Cascades. If your vehicle isn’t up for the five-mile trek on a rugged dirt road, you can opt for the longer hike from the Todd Lake Trailhead. Those with off road capability can expedite their summit by taking the unmaintained Road 370 from the Todd Lake parking area and turning left on Road 380 cued by a “Broken Top Trailhead” sign. The trip to Broken Top Saddle from the trailhead is about 2.7 miles of relatively steep climbing on bedrock with sparse tree cover, but picturesque No Name Lake and views of the Cascades from the saddle are well worth the sore quads.

Distance: 5.4 miles
Difficulty: Difficult
Parking: Todd Lake Trailhead or Broken Top Trailhead, $5 for a day pass or NW forest pass required
Open: Through mid-November

Lookout Mountain

For those looking to branch out from the Cascades, Lookout Mountain, the highest peak in the Ochocos, offers a great introduction to the area. The ascent begins at Independent Mine Trailhead and winds through young ponderosa pine forest and various alpine meadows populated with wildflowers like desert parsley, mountain bluebells and paintbrush. Upon reaching the summit, a sprawling plateau created by lava flow, the climb becomes more gradual and the landscape begins to open up. Fork left at the first junction (about 1.3 miles in) then continue straight at the second junction for approximately one hundred yards on an unmarked trail to access the peak’s best viewpoint. This sheer overlook has a wealth of sights in all directions highlighted by the westward view of the Cascades including Mount Jefferson, Mount Adams and Mount Hood.

Distance: 3.4 miles out and back
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Free at Independent Mine Trailhead
Open: Through early fall

Black Canyon Trail

One of the most trafficked trails in the Ochocos, Black Canyon may disappoint those looking for sweeping views, but wildflower enthusiasts will find an extensive selection. The array includes heart-leaf arnica, mountain lady slippers, mule’s ears and lupine strewn throughout the meadows and plateaus. Those looking for a more adventurous hike can explore the nearly-abandoned Coffee Pot Trail that runs into and out of the Black Creek Canyon.

Distance: 7.1 miles out and back or 8.9 with Coffee Pot Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Free at Boeing Field Trailhead
Open: May-November

Steins Pillar

This trail brings hikers to the most recognized landmark in the Ochocos, the 350 feet tall Anthracite pillar named after Enoch Steen, a civil war hero and Western explorer. The trail runs alongside large boulders and significant patches of balsamroot and indian paintbrush. Glimpses of the Three Sisters come and go along the route, but the real prize is the view of the pillar itself juxtaposed with the green carpet of the Ochoco hillsides.

Distance: 4 miles out and back
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Free at Steins Pillar Trailhead
Open: April-November