DrinkTanks meets a growing demand for craft beer containers.
DrinkTanks team in their Bend workshop. Photo by Alex Jordan
DrinkTanks, founded in Bend in 2013, strives to meet a growing demand for premium craft beer containers. Two years of research and development had gone into the company’s growler that doubles as a personal keg, designed to preserve the freshness, temperature, carbonation and overall quality of your favorite premium craft beer. The company, which has thirty employees, imports stainless steel, vacuum-insulated bodies for the growlers and personal kegs, which are powder coated, laser-engraved and assembled by hand, one at time, in Bend.
Nicholas Hill worked on starting the company with his father, Tim Hill, a retired professor at Central Oregon Community College, who died in 2011. Drinktanks have two distinguishing characteristics: a truly leak-proof lid and the ability to hold sixty pounds of pressure to preserve carbonation. The keg cap accessory kit allows drinkers to also dispense from the growler while preserving carbonation up to a week.
A 2013 Kickstarter campaign for DrinkTanks raised about $240,000 from nearly 2,000 backers. Two years later, a second campaign for the Kegulator Cap and The Juggernaut, a 128-ounce growler, raised more than $300,000 from more than 2,000 backers.
In June 2016, DrinkTanks moved from Bend’s west side to triple its footprint at a 17,250-square-foot facility off Empire Road in Bend.
The company has recently been moving into the coffee-drinking arena, too, launching a line of vacuum insulated cups earlier this year. The line won the Best New Product award at Coffee Fest, a large specialty coffee trade show in Nashville.
“A few hundred breweries across the country are selling our products, as well as several dozen large retailers including REI and backcountry.com,” said marketing director Jackson Esselman.
Sales are growing, and being in Bend has played into the company’s success, he said. “Bend is a hub of craft breweries and one of the most sought-after outdoor towns in the country, so being based here gives us instant credibility. It’s what started our company and fuels us, so rather than outsourcing labor and production, maybe it’s not the most profitable, but it’s true to our roots.”
Tribe Pilot is an app that will make planning multiday outdoor adventures easier.
Tribe Pilot founder Matt Smith
Last summer, after a five-year bender in startup land, Bend’s Matt Smith took some time to regroup and play. The biggest adventure of the summer was a mountain biking trip into the backcountry of British Columbia with a group of friends. In planning it over months, the friends sent hundreds of emails—maps, gear lists, pack lists, mountain bike reviews—amid tons of useless banter. Locating the map? That was a twenty-minute affair.
By the end of the trip, photos were spread across four platforms and the email string had 250 messages. It was on that trip, cranking up and down the mountains of B.C., that Smith found his next adventure: finding a way to solve that problem of decentralization, one likely shared by many lovers of the outdoors.
Smith’s app acts as a trip dashboard, compiling critical trip details in one location for easy access to trip dates, locations, pack lists and assignments.
Tribe Pilot is largely a virtual company, relying on outside contractors for much of the work. It has been self-funded so far, and at the Outfound startup festival in Hood River in June, it won the popular vote in the concept-stage startup competition. (The prize was essentially bragging rights.)
The app was in beta during the summer, and the official launch is set for September 15. Smith said he has some great launch partners that will give them a rapid growth curve out of the gate.
“Several million users would be spectacular, at some point, but currently we are focusing on making our first 1,000 extremely happy,” he said. “If we can do that, then a million users are around the corner. If you pinned me down and tickled my feet, I would have to tell you that by the end of 2018 we are targeting 100,000 users who are constantly planning adventures and inviting their friends.”
His strategy is to collect user feedback metrics to rapidly iterate the product next year. By year three, they are looking to have a loyal user base that considers Tribe Pilot an integral part of all of their outdoor adventures that uses it as their tribe’s indispensable platform.
LeadMethod is a software startup based in Bend that closes the gap between leads and sales.
LeadMethod founder Justin Johnson
For businesses grappling with the steps between leads and sales, a Bend startup has the solution. LeadMethod’s eponymous software platform helps this along, generating feedback about lead status, expected close dates, pipeline projections and other data that can increase sales, especially for companies that sell through distributors and independent representatives. Founded by Justin Johnson in 2014, the company is poised for growth.
“The market continues to tell us that we are a great product-market fit and there is a big opportunity for us,” said Johnson, a veteran software product manager.
In the last two years, the startup doubled its revenue and number of staff. The team of ten is seeking to hire more sales, development and client services staff. In the last year, the company has been investing in its technology to better integrate it with other software products, something that large customers require.
The next six to twelve months are key to growth. The company has the technology, talent and a strong customer base, so taking it to the next level likely requires fundraising, a larger office space in Bend, and a second office in Portland.
“The good news is we have fantastic current investors and many other investors that want to be a part of the new raise,” said Johnson.
He has the background for the endeavor, too. For fifteen years prior to LeadMethod, he was in a software product management position, with experience in startups and large companies.
“Dozens of times I have identified good market opportunities and built software products to fit,” he said. “I applied the same best practice to understand our target market, test the market with the idea, then finally build the market to sell. It worked. It worked through lots of interviews, research, and looking at what other companies have tried and failed or succeeded with in this market.”
LeadMethod’s silver bullet is that it addresses a specific customer need, a software problem that no one else has solved, said Johnson.
“In the first two years we solved the problem, and now it is time to apply the same model at a much larger scale. There are more than 30,000 companies in the U.S. that should be using our software, and five times that globally.”
Another distinguishing factor is that while many people have good ideas, not all have the ability to execute them.
“Our team at LeadMethod are masters of execution, and that is the reason for our success,” said Johnson, who, while crediting his team, also possesses the confidence that startup leaders need.
“We’re in a very good position … this will be one of Oregon’s next great companies.”
Cairn will deliver the best new outdoor products to your door once a month so that you can always be ready for your next adventure.
Cairn is a monthly subscription box service of products aimed at inspiring and equipping people for outdoor adventure and discovery. As such, it offers consumers an introduction to brands and their products, and brands gain exposure and data from the market.
Last year, the Bend-based company raised $2 million in funding to expand its offerings, team and community. Since then, it has brought on an outdoor-products veteran to guide its curated selections of gear, and digital specialists to analyze how best to attract and serve customers online. The company now has a team of seventeen and has shipped more than 1.5 million products in its four-year history.
Jared Peterson and Rob Little; Photo by Talia Galvin
Rob Little and Jared Peterson co-founded the company, having met while pursuing MBAs at the Wharton Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania. They discovered they shared a passion for the outdoors as well as startups. Peterson’s background was in operations and tech. He was a part of the team that launched the Apple watch, while Little, an aerospace engineer, worked on deep-space vehicles and stealth fighter jets.
They said they like how flexible and nimble a startup can be, with the ability to be able to react and engage the brand without having to sit back to gain approvals from higher-ups. For example, Cairn, which began as a monthly subscription service ($29.95 per month), introduced Obsidian, a premium outdoor subscription box, in December 2015. Obsidian is a quarterly subscription box service priced at $199 per quarter (including domestic shipping), filled with gear valued at more than $300, and including anything from packs and cooking supplies to outdoor electronics.
“The decision to launch was quick,” said Peterson. “It was clear it was in the market’s interest, with the brands of the core product at a higher price point than the monthly service. It took a few months to execute it.”
Little offered the following advice to anyone aspiring to startup-dom or struggling with it: “Surround yourself with incredible people who motivate and inspire you to help your business, from your partner or co-founder to investors and advisors. It’s not something you do alone.”
When it comes to bikepacking gear, less is more. But that doesn’t mean bikepackers don’t go all in on their equipment. To the contrary, traveling light often means putting more thought into your gear. The bulk of your gear should be essential, multipurpose and preferably both. We asked the experts at Mountain Supply to give us a short list of must-have gear for any weekend warrior looking to get the most out of a multiday backcountry tour.
Small, lightweight water filter that can fit in your stash pocket. Use it to drink right out of the source or fill up other reserves. With a quick, one-hand pump and easy to clean parts, this will keep you going and on track.
A dry sleeping bag is a warm sleeping bag, period. This compression dry sack makes sure of that with its durable fabric, roll-top closure and ability to purge air to compress your sleeping bag to the smallest size possible.
Have some spare room in the pannier or pack? This two-pound cot keeps you warm, off the ground and provides a luxury sleeping experience whenever you have just a few spare minutes for setup.
A little rain and a little wind won’t phase this hoody. Lightweight, versatile and extremely breathable, you’ll find yourself reaching for this piece for almost any condition at any time of the year.
Satisfy a sweet tooth and get a much needed energy boost. Real ingredients, healthy fat content and a little creativity highlight these little amazing creations that come in small, two-ounce pouches.
Ultralight, roomy option for one person on the move at only two pounds. When crawling into camp, a quick setup gets you into a great three-season shelter for anything mother nature throws at you.
Blue Mountain Ranch cattle in Paulina, Oregon. Photo by Joshua Langlais
Born in the Forest
Most of a cow’s energy requirements are in the third trimester of pregnancy and during lactation. Blue Mountain calves later than many traditional ranches, with mothers giving birth from May 1 until the end of June, so the ranchers are moving the cattle up to BLM and forest lands as calving begins.
There in the high meadows, grasses with high-energy proteins flourish naturally by late spring so Blue Mountain doesn’t have to feed hay during calving. This is more economical for the ranch and provides the cattle with the best high-energy nutrients at the most important time of the year.
Summer on Public Lands
Blue Mountain’s permit allows them to graze cattle on forest land through the end of September before the cattle are driven back down to Blue Mountain’s private range grounds for the remainder of the year.
Cattle in the grass finishing program spend sixty to ninety days on the lush irrigated meadows of the ranch to give them the best natural finish and flavor for customers.
Every Last Bite
“The cattle are not real high energy in the fall,” said Teskey. “It’s more of a maintaining time.” Calves are weened. The cattle are made to graze certain parts of the property’s range country, “strip grazing” all the available grasses from one area before being allowed to move on to another plot.
Newer and older grasses are drier by fall but “it’s still quality forage that we didn’t cut and bale. We boost with minerals and salt to supplement the grass.”
Why strip graze? “We want to keep as much nutrients on our ground as possible. Using cattle instead of equipment to harvest grass allows for a natural nutrient cycling through grazing, hoof impact and natural fertilizing.” said Teskey.
“Also, when the cattle eat everything, not just the young tender grasses it helps regenerate native species which flourish the next spring—as long as water is in sufficient supply.”
The Coldest Season
Cattle eat native grass and alfalfa that was grown primarily on the ranch and baled in the summer.
Extend the outdoor living season with a fire feature that is built in to your landscape or patio.
Photo by Ross Chandler/Chandler Photography
It’s 3 a.m. on a chilly winter night and neither husband nor wife can sleep. They bundle up, pour a cognac and head for the fire pit. About thirty minutes later, they both feel the dreamy pull of sleep, the magic of a warm fire beneath an orchestra of stars.
This impromptu pajama party is one of countless ways Central Oregonians are drawn to the flame made easy by a match or an on-off switch. The homeowners said they didn’t know when they built the home that they’d use the fire pit all the time, even in the dead of night. The fire pit, which sits apart from the house on the forest’s edge, complements a nightly light show, a parade of wildlife and a view of Broken Top.
The gas-fueled fire feature is cupped inside a rocky outcropping, with four weather-resistant chairs arrayed around it. The homeowners say their friends always want to be in front of the fire.
Jeannie Legum, interior designer and owner of Legum Design in Bend, said that more and more homeowners are seeing fire features as less of a novelty and more of a necessity for entertaining and just relaxing at home.
When designing a fire feature, she considers the size of a client’s home and strives to complement its style. She’ll ask whether they want it for entertaining large parties or gathering in small intimate groups. Do they want the fire in the middle of an existing outdoor living space or is there a better place, away from it all?
As temperatures drop in fall and winter months, Legum says people can add overhead heaters, outdoor drapes to close off a space and weather-proof fabrics for furniture. Contrary to popular belief, creating an outdoor gathering space can be done on a budget. Legum works with homeowners whose properties range from $300,000 to multi-million dollars. “If it’s important to the homeowner, there’s a fire pit for any style or size of home and budget,” she said.
With a showroom full of fire pits and fire tables, Mara McCloskey-Becker of Fireside in Bend proves the point. Wood-burning, portable fire pits start at $199; high-end gas-fueled models can cost thousands.
She cautions that wood-burning models must be placed far from flammables and advises the use of spark-arresting screens. Smoke can be an issue to neighbors, and buyers should know whether their neighborhood allows outdoor wood-burning fire pits. While there is nothing like the crack of a wood fire on a chilly night, the campfire smell lingers in clothing long after the last log is extinguished. Plus, in wildfire-prone Central Oregon, natural gas and propane models are far more popular.
Trending now are gas or propane fire tables with a ledge for setting out snacks and cocktails, and glass guards are used to prevent overheating of people and food. If a gas line isn’t available, the fire feature can run on a propane tank hidden within the device. For more versatility, some manufacturers sell covers to convert a fire table into a coffee table—just the kind of double duty that Central Oregonians love.
McCloskey-Becker said styles range from sleek, minimalist rectangular and powder-coated models to faux wood and natural stone versions for a traditional or Northwest look. Flames are adjustable—just a few inches for ambiance or higher for warmth, and those who like the look of wood can buy a fire pit with a log set.
Bryan and Angie Azur have three fire pits in their Westside Bend home. One is an ultra-contemporary “fire and ice” feature that starts on the inside of the home and continues through the wall to a flat-roof covered patio. The other is a round, concrete fire pit, also under the covered patio, with furniture arranged around it in an L-shape where the family cozies up to watch the sunset, “until the first stars come. Then it’s time for the two boys to go to bed and for us to hang out,” said Bryan.
Designed by Eric Meglasson of Pique Architecture, the home has tall glass sliding doors that create a seamless space between inside and out, making it easy for as many as 100 guests to mill about, even in the winter when the hosts can fire up all three features. “We’re very social,” Bryan said with a laugh. When they’re not hosting a crowd, the fire pit “serves as our family’s TV. Last night we watched shooting stars, and occasionally, we see a breeding pair of great horned owls fly by.”
After more than a decade glazing tile, it’s still a mystery to Bend tile artisan Justyn Livingston. But to her, that’s part of the art.
Justyn Livingston lays out tile in her Bend studio.
There’s an aspect of unpredictability to glazing tile. Variations in the clay can reveal a gradient of colors that come out differently each time they’re fired. After more than a decade glazing tile, it’s still a mystery to Bend tile artisan Justyn Livingston. But to her, that’s part of the art. Predictability doesn’t really suit Livingston, anyway. Her career has taken her from international fashion houses in San Francisco to rural villages in Romania and, eventually, Central Oregon.
Bendites and visitors may recognize her work from the soaking pools at McMenamins Old St. Francis School, where she designed the tiles in the style of a Budapest bathhouse. Her craft, under the name Metolius Ridge Tile, is featured in commercial properties and private homes.
Justyn Livingston hand glazes tile in her Bend studio.
“My intention for this is to choose something [my clients] are going to love for a lifetime,” she said. “While I pay attention to trends and fashion and stuff in a way, I hope that this comes off as really classic.”
In the case of McMenamins’ Bend soaking pool, Livingston said the highest compliment she received about the project is that it feels old; she aims for her tile work to be long lasting and sustainable.
The irony is that Livingston was previously a textile designer for the international fashion brand Esprit, where trends and fast fashion were the modus operandi. She landed at Esprit in San Francisco in the early 1980s, after leaving home at 16 and then living in Paris for a year teaching ice skating at 19 and making her way back to the Bay Area in her twenties.
Livingston eventually became the head of the textile design department at Esprit, where she designed textiles for all the company’s products, including men’s and women’s clothes and bedding. A combination of burnout, freelance opportunities and lower living costs brought her to Camp Sherman in the 1990s. She was able to freelance for Esprit and Pottery Barn and made ends meet by working at the Kokanee Café.
Then, Livingston was recruited to work as a design consultant for Aid to Artisans. Her first job with them was in Tonga, working with basket weavers. The work took her around the world throughout the decade. She worked in Mexico, Romania, Guatemala and Chile to help indigenous artisans continue their traditional craft in a way that was sustainable and profitable in the modern economy.
Back in Central Oregon, she started working with clay and tile and collaborated with Susanne Redfield of Kibak Tile in Sisters. The collaboration was the jumping off point for Livingston to pursue her own business, Metolius Ridge Tile. In 2004, she landed the McMenamins gig that has served as a springboard.
From her studio in Bend, she cuts the tile, hand glazes each piece and fires them in her kiln. She uses only red quarry tile because “it enlivens glazes like no other color,” she said. “Because of the minerals in the quarry, it has this sort of chemistry, this alchemy, with the glazes, which is mostly fabulous, sometimes unpredictable.”
The unpredictability is a key element in her work that makes it stand out in a sea of assembly-line products. She aims to create an overall product where each tile pattern looks the same, but not manufactured.
“One of the biggest challenges is creating consistent inconsistency,” she said. “That’s part of the beauty, right?”
A Bend couple personalizes a semi-custom design to make their house a bright and modern home in the Tartan Druim neighborhood in Tetherow. (Photo by Eilish and Eric Canady inside the kitchen of their Tetherow Home.)
It’s a sad truth that the home we want to love is just not always worthy of our affection. Such was the case for Eilish and Eric Canady who had lived in their NorthWest Crossing home for ten years. Purchased before their second daughter was born, the house’s 1,700 square feet had become progressively too snug for the family. While looking for the best fit for their family, they found the Tartan Druim neighborhood in Tetherow.
Tartan Druim is made of semi-custom homes, all built by the same developer, Bend-based Arrowood, and designed by architect John Muir. “We streamline the process for the homeowners,” explained Femke van Velzen of Arrowood. “We have a team already in place that relieves a lot of the stress of building a custom home. It gives you a place to start.” Muir developed twelve plans with optional casitas. Homeowners’ can modify the plans to suit their specific needs, tastes and building site. Arrowood also provides help with interior design.
“With this development,” said architect Muir, “Arrowood is exploring more contemporary architecture rather than just offering the more traditional rustic design seen in Bend. Tetherow wants to stress individuality, and every home will be a little bit different.” Beyond Tetherow’s architectural requirements, Muir strongly feels that “people deserve to have what they want.”
Located between the Scottish links-style golf course and a canyon, the gated community affords unobstructed views of the greens and the Cascades. Tartan Druim perks include a common area with a clubhouse, landscaping and snow removal. There are also social and golf club memberships at the David McLay Kidd designed Tetherow, a Golf Digest Top 100 golf course. Other draws include the proximity to downtown Bend, schools, and Century Drive, the gateway to the Cascade Lakes and Mt. Bachelor.
The Canadys were shown a number of home plans that had already been approved for construction by Tetherow, but then saw a 3,500-plus square-foot, one-story, three-bedroom spec design that had not yet been given the go-ahead. Working with van Velzen and Muir, they were able to get the plan approved and make their wished-for modifications. The most visually significant alteration was changing the roofline from a traditional pitched roof to one with shed and flat planes.
Other changes requested by the Canadys included adding a casita and, due to their building site, changing the garage entry from the side to the front of the home. The couple also opted for wood-burning fireplaces, rather than gas. With that switch, they changed the fireplace walls to an exposed wood-form with poured concrete. Visible from both the interior and exterior, the concrete walls provide textural detail and nudge the home closer to the contemporary yet timeless styling the Canadys wanted to achieve.
Making it their own both in design and purpose, the original study will be used as an additional bedroom, and a wooden floor will go down in the garage to provide a practice space for their elder daughter’s Irish dancing troupe.
Besides these small modifications, Eilish Canady said the inside was perfect the way it was designed.
“I really like the indoor/outdoor feeling of the house. I love how the kitchen and living room form one big room, and that the living room wall is a LaCantina [folding] door that opens to the outside. The master is also at the back and has the same views as the living room,” she explained. “We tried to keep all the colors in light, neutral tones so the design and our choices would last a long time.”
“I know the house really well. I visited every day during construction,” said Canady. “Seeing the whole process and knowing the siding guy and the guy who builds the cabinets makes you know your house in a more intimate way.”
“It’s all been pretty easy,” she said of the decision to build their home, “and I’m really excited about us living there.”
EMW Fusion is a seasonal food cart in Bend that serves inventive pandos with locally sourced ingredients.
East Meets West food truck in Bend. Photo by Joshua Langlais
It started with a wedding invitation and turned into EMW Fusion. Sun Valley native Brandon Walsh was marrying Seoul native Yoonmee Chang (now Chang Walsh). Both designers, they wanted a creative theme for their wedding and East Meets West seemed appropriate. The pair of creatives took that theme with them into their married life, hosting big fusion-style barbecues (that got bigger each time) and creating mashup designs.
“Mashup is compelling, it’s fun, nothing too serious,” said Walsh, describing their designs of cowboy shirts with Hawaiian fabric contrast and prints of Japanese anime superimposed over Western scenes. “Our philosophy: Never be too serious.”
Brandon Walsh and Yoonmee Chang in front of their food truck East Meets West. Photo by Joshua Langlais
The couple also rewrote traditional Korean street food recipes with American twists and experimented. A lot. They planned to retire early from their corporate product and graphic design jobs in Portland, turning their passion for cooking into an exit strategy. A food truck in Bend fit the bill.
“Yoonmee grows a huge garden and we’ve made farmers’ market shopping our habit for years,” said Walsh. “We like to know where our food comes from. Especially with protein-based products, the animal must have been raised humanely, not just sustainably and organically. We knew if we got into any food business, that was the plan.”
Still, it took almost a year after they moved to Bend in 2015 to get the food truck ready and transition their foodie lifestyle into a business. They had to figure out how robust a menu their mobile space could handle and find producers in their newly adopted town who could supply EMW Fusion’s needs.
Brandon Walsh serves a pando at the East Meets West food truck. Photo by Joshua Langlais.
The winning combination? A pando, the organic love child of a Korean wheat-based pancake and a sando (Japanese for sandwich), sold from their truck for $3-4 a pop. Talk about a low barrier to entry for locally sourced food.
“We want to source all our protein and vegetables from Central Oregon and we’re about eighty percent of the way there,” said Walsh.
Even with all their planning, the young business learned one lesson the hard way: winter and EMW don’t mesh. Business was “slowwwww” and it was tough to maintain their commitment to local ingredients.
Before the truck closes for the season at the end of October, catch EMW slinging pandos at one of many locations around Bend (check emwfusion.com for the most up-to-date info). One of their stops is the up-and-coming 9th Street Village. “As makers and east side Bend residents, we are excited to see a cool, non-chain maker destination on the east side,” said Walsh.
To really get to the source, make a trip to the EMW’s beef and pork supplier, DD Ranch in Terrebonne, where the truck will be posted up during weekends in October to feed hungry pumpkin patch pickers.
For some Central Oregonians, the competition for housing and living wage jobs is more than an inconvenience, it’s an obstacle that can trap them in a cycle of poverty and homelessness.
Executive director Gwenn Wysling with Walter Eggleston, a resident checking out of Bethlehem Inn. Photo by Alex Jordan
Executive director Gwenn Wysling cites that struggle as one of the key factors in people needing Bethlehem Inn, a nonprofit emergency shelter in Bend. “It is just one bad break, sometimes one bad break after another,” she said.
Each year, Bethlehem Inn helps more than one thousand people who are experiencing situational, or temporary, homelessness. The nonprofit opened its doors in 1999 and has occupied its current space, a renovated motel on old Highway 97 in Bend, since 2007.
Bethlehem Inn can currently feed and house about ninety people a night, including up to five families. It also is the only shelter of its kind in Central Oregon, which has seen an increase in homelessness—up thirty-one percent in two years—according to the most recent Point-in-Time homeless count conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This past summer, the organization broke ground on the first phase of expanding their facility, which will increase the number of beds, be more accessible for an aging homeless population and add a commercial kitchen where volunteers can prepare meals onsite. With modern upgrades such as solar panels, it will help the organization operate at a lower cost per resident.
Soon, Bethlehem Inn will begin a second campaign to raise the rest of the funds to finish the expansion, which will double the amount of families they can support.
Above all, Wysling highlights the empathy and support that is found in the community at Bethlehem Inn. “We’re that place that can really offer that respite and that place of hope and renewal,” she said.
The potato has a long history in Central Oregon, and some local festivals such as the Deschutes County Fair trace their roots to the humble spud.
Redmond Potato Show on Deschutes Avenue, circa 1965. Photo courtesy of Deschutes County Historical Society
The humble Russet, the Yukon gold, the fingerling, the baby red and—had history been a little kinder—the Deschutes Netted Gem. Once the major export crop of Central Oregon, the Netted Gem occupies a special place in local lore, if not on dinner plates. Think of it as the Oldsmobile of spuds—a brand that once led an industry, but fizzled in a changing economy heavy on mass production, subsidies and cheap imports.
Yes, before Central Oregon emerged as a hub for craft beer production and an outdoor recreation destination, it was known as the potato capital of the West. At the peak of production in the 1950s, Central Oregon had an estimated 5,000 acres, or roughly seven square miles, dedicated to its internationally award-winning variety, the Deschutes Netted Gem.
The Central Oregon potato crop gained fame in 1906 when the first Redmond Potato Show was held. Fred Stanley, a leader in the Central Oregon Irrigation Company, founded the show to promote the varieties of potatoes grown in the region. People traveled on horse and buggy for the event, which showcased twenty-six varieties of potatoes its first year. The show continued annually each fall, and Bend and Redmond grew to be friendly rivals in the potato industry.
For the better part of a century, the show was a highlight of community and civic life, the culmination of a year’s worth of toil in the fields and a celebration of the region’s bounty. Held each fall, the Potato Show helped spur the creation of the Deschutes County Fair in the early 20th century and was incorporated into the larger celebration.
In the late 1950s the festival became a standalone event again in downtown Redmond with an attendant celebration that included firefighters engaging in a downtown water fight, a community barbecue and revelry. The dollop of sour cream on top of the celebration was the coronation of an annual Potato King and Queen that reads like a who’s who of Redmond civic figures.
But success didn’t come easy to Redmond’s pioneering tuber farmers. In 1912, the potato crop began to spiral into “chaos,” according to a 1922 issue of the nationally distributed Potato Magazine. The problem was too much diversity in crops and a lack of consistent supply.
Just two years later, the market rebounded with the introduction of the Deschutes Netted Gem, which “produced an excellent quality of potato under the peculiar climatic conditions of Central Oregon.” Potato Magazine wrote that by 1922, the crop was in an “enviable position” due to the “value of standardization, advertising, and organization when applied to an industry carried on by progressive farmers.” The potatoes grew in popularity and won awards at international potato shows.
Over time, the region became the small fry in Oregon’s potato crop, with production peeling off to the east where processing plants in nearby Eastern Oregon, cheap land and ample water took Oregon’s production to a new scale. With the decline of the potato crop, there was little left to celebrate in Redmond but the memory of a once thriving economy. By 1970 the Potato Show was no more. The festival was revived briefly in 2006 in honor of Redmond’s Centennial celebration.
Today, the legacy of the Netted Gem and Potato Show live on in the Deschutes County Fair, celebrated each August in Redmond with plenty of pageantry—even if the former star of the show, the Netted Gem, hasn’t attended for some time.
Second annual Remond Potato Show in 1912. Photo courtesy of the Deschutes County Historical Society.
1920s truck loaded with potato bags. Photo courtesy of Deschutes County Historical Society
New building at 6th and Deschutes Avenue in Redmond, circa 1918. Photo courtesy of the Deschutes County Historical Society.
Float for Potato Show parade, circa 1914. Photo courtesy of the Deschutes County Historical Society.
Two men on a tractor digging potatoes in Central Oregon. Photo courtesy of the Deschutes County Historical Society.
Large crowd near display of potatoes at the Redmond Potato Show. Photo courtesy of Deschutes County Historical Society
Man with a dog digging in a potato field. Photo courtesy of Deschutes County Historical Society
Shevlin Commons homeowners design a modern kitchen that takes advantage of the Cascade mountain views.
Photo by Ross Chandler
On Bend’s western edge, large windows, dramatic angles and open floor plans are featured in homes that showcase views and Central Oregon’s outdoor culture.
Such is the case with Bill and Cheryl Davidson’s new Shevlin Commons custom-built home. Priorities for the new kitchen included function and overall fit. It had to work with the overall floor plan and take advantage of the site’s stunning Cascade views.
“Glenn Dietrich [of Sun Forest Construction] really captured what was in our imagination,” said Cheryl Davidson.
Dietrich chose materials that complemented the house’s contemporary design and the couple’s mid-century modern furniture.
Photo by Ross Chandler
The kitchen’s integration starts at the top, where clear hemlock paneling in the coffered ceiling echoes the use of the same material in the adjoining living room. The use of wood continues in the clear vertical-grained fir cabinetry that, at one end, backs up to the dining room to allow shared serving space.
Cabinets and drawers open and close with rectangular, stainless steel bar pulls; the stainless is repeated in appliances and in the backsplash behind the cooktop.
Lower cabinetry around the room’s perimeter has counters and a backsplash of large-format porcelain tile accented with diagonally set stainless steel tiles. As a material contrast, the couple chose a cement and recycled glass composite to top the vertical-grained island.
Abundant storage is provided in the many cabinets and drawers and underneath the island. Cookbooks and foodstuffs are kept in the pantry, while wines are housed in the designated wine room.
“When we were newly married,” said Bill Davidson, “my uncle, who did a lot of entertaining, told us everyone gravitated to the kitchen, and he was absolutely right.”
A new generation of Ultimate players is moving the sport slowly into the mainstream.
Name the fastest-growing sport in the world. Since you’ve already cheated and looked at this article’s photo, the answer is Ultimate. As in Frisbee or disc. (True players say, simply, “Ultimate.”) Just don’t dare confuse this sport with disc golf.
Oregon has been a hotbed of this nascent sport since its bootstrap beginnings. The University of Oregon has qualified for five of the past six NCAA Ultimate Final Fours prior to the team being suspended in 2016. (More on that later.)
In the last few years, though, the sport has migrated from college dorms to high school hallways as a new generation adopts the sport and blazes a competitive trail in the process.
Nowhere is the sport’s emergence and fast track to sanctioned legitimacy more apparent than in Central Oregon, where the Bend Senior High School team makes its official debut this fall, joining Summit and Mountain View in the formal high school ranks with High Desert bragging rights on the line.
“Sideline drill, gentlemen!” shouted Bend High School Coach Joel Pitney. “Jog, don’t walk!”
Played in at least forty-two countries and in the running to be an Olympic sport as soon as 2024, Ultimate typifies why youth football and baseball are losing talent and interest so rapidly. Just show up; sneakers and an interest are the sole requirements. You’re soon on the ground floor of an exploding sport that blends true teamwork with finesse, quickly (and literally) grasped skills, self-policing for fouls and one helluva workout.
Only thirty minutes into practice and already winded, Bend High players are sweaty yet eager to learn and perfect each defense and hurl. Ultimate’s playing field size is eighty percent of soccer’s pitch. Kiwanis Park in southeast Bend is merely adequate for practice. BNSF trains rumble by loudly, black tankers in tow, but the players don’t notice—their focus is on this rather addictive sport.
“Nice work, gentlemen! Grab a drink of water!” declared the coach, clapping his hands in encouragement. “A quick drink! Jog, don’t walk!”
Pitney has played Ultimate for twenty years on all levels, having learned in college and coached professional teams. He frames Ultimate’s present position in the pantheon of competition in terms of other sports. “Ultimate is like baseball in the 1890s, or football during the 1980s, when the USFL was competing with the NFL,” said Pitney. “We are still figuring things out, school leagues versus clubs, coed teams, but the interest just keeps growing.”
According to USA Ultimate, the sport’s official sanctioning body in the United States, membership numbers at the adult level have been growing at almost nine percent annually over the past six years. Youth participation has grown slightly faster than that with an estimated 14,500 members in 2016. That’s likely just a fraction of the sport’s actual participation numbers, thanks to the DIY and ad-hoc nature of Ultimate, where teams tend to eschew things such as leagues, uniforms and, sometimes, clothing. (The University of Oregon team was suspended for playing in a scrimmage with no shorts—or underwear—during an, ahem, exhibition in Corvallis last year. The bawdy shirts and skins game was witnessed by a female university official at OSU who filed a complaint with campus officials there.)
Incidents like this have added to Ultimate’s lore, but have also prevented it from gaining the mainstream acceptance of many other sports. Its popularity is an enigma; players both bemoan the sport’s relegation and relish its outsider image.
In Oregon, Ultimate’s relevance depends on the region. The state has ten total teams, yet Portland has only one; meanwhile, Bend now has three. Summit has had a team for nearly ten years, Mountain View a few, and Bend High’s entry, which begins play this fall formally, features a motley crew of freshmen through seniors, emerging stars that their coach continually refers to as “Gentlemen.”
“I have to leave at four,” informed a rather new recruit.
“Okay,” acknowledged Coach Joel, scanning the field and his fourteen total players, knowing they wouldn’t have enough for a true seven-on-seven scrimmage after this young gentleman left. “Just practice your throws.”
“I will.”
“I practice my throws in my mind!” laughed another “gentleman” player. Bear in mind that these are teens. However new to the sport and gentlemanly, they must be kept busy—attention spans fleeting, energy incalculable.
Smiling, Coach Pitney shouted, “Okay gentlemen, line up for end-zone drills! Don’t walk—jog!”
And they did, sprinting into position. Veterans, after only a handful of practices, guiding the rookies. They showed the newest recruits how to force a backhand hurl, counting, “1-2-3-4-5…” because, once you catch the disc and set your pivot foot, you must pass it within ten seconds or it’s a turnover; the same with a dropped disc.
Push an opponent or slap his or her hand during a throw and it’s a foul. Infractions in Ultimate are called by the players, giving the game a self-directed feeling that is almost democratic, but hardly casual. It’s rather beautiful, too.
Ultimate is mashup of soccer, football and Frisbee that friends casually invented in 1968 and has now become a fully sanctioned sport. It was on the short list for inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo games and nixed only at the final hour this past summer by Olympic officials. Born on a New Jersey college campus, Ultimate has grown at the collegiate level rapidly, particularly in the 2000s when Ultimate registrations more than doubled. That participation has expanded to youth and adult leagues nationwide, as former college players foment interest in recreational leagues.
Coach Pitney has been part of Ultimate’s growth, and his Bend High team’s progress has been impressive. “Our first scrimmage with Summit, we got annihilated. Then, the next scrimmage, we won nine to eight.”
Natural talents are emerging, and their coach wasn’t exaggerating when he pointed out that a few of his players may be national, even Olympic, superstars in only a few years. These gentlemen are learning fast, and a newcomer who kept dropping the disc just made an impressive diving catch in the end zone—“SCORE!”
Sam Powell with one of his bikepacking frame packs. Photo by Alex Jordan
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. That’s certainly the case with Sam Powell, who started sewing frame packs and bikepack accessories a few years ago because he needed them for his own commutes. The creations soon turned into a small side business for Powell, who runs the sewing shop at Bend’s Gear Fix. He sews the hanging bike bags in his home studio and markets them under the name Three Sisters Threadworks. We talked to Powell, 34, about his side business and the allure of bikepacking.
You have a small business sewing/making frame bags and accessories. How did you get started?
I started just making bags for myself and my bike. I would then make new ones and sell the old ones at the Gear Fix, where I run the sewing shop, and then at some point I started making them directly for other people. Since then I’ve put together a little production shop in my garage so I can work when my son is napping and at other odd hours.
Have you seen much growth in demand for your products?
It seems like there is quite a bit of growth in interest, but I’ve only been doing this a couple of years so I don’t have a real long-term perspective on it. There definitely is interest though. We’ve done a couple of intro to bikepacking clinics at the Gear Fix and they were well attended.
Is it like Hairclub for Men, are you the owner and a customer, too? How often do you get out and use your creations?
I am my first customer, for sure, and, yes, both in the sense that I enjoy making the bags and also enjoy using them. I use the bags I make for daily commuting and I typically get out for four or five bike overnight trips each year.
How long have you been involved in the sport and what is the primary appeal for you?
I’ve been riding bicycles and camping for my entire life but only put them together a couple of years ago when I started making the bags. I started making the bags primarily because it looked interesting and then started camping with my bike after that. Making bags is a side business, so I try to only take on projects that are both interesting to me and for people who really appreciate it. I’ve really enjoyed having a consistent creative outlet beyond my day-to-day of repairing gear that other people have designed and built.
How do we reduce the average distance a piece of produce travels from farm to consumer in the United States from 1,500 miles to a country mile? High Desert Food and Farm Alliance may have the answer.
Photo by Joshua Langlais
“Produce starts to lose nutrients as soon as it’s harvested,” said Food & Farm Director Jess Weiland of High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA). The seven-year-old, Bend-based organization focuses on programs—from consumer education to marketing for farmers—that facilitate community access to fresh food that is grown sustainably within the local food system. “We want to make nutrition as easy as possible,” said Weiland. “We want to meet people where they are and be responsive to the community.”
Get a Taste
Taste Local Thursdays highlight a restaurant’s relationship with local farmers and ranchers, shining a spotlight on local ingredients. “Over and over we hear that people care about local food,” said Weiland. “It’s availability in Central Oregon is a thing of pride here.”
Food and Farm Directory
It’s free and it will whet your taste buds. The High Desert Food and Farm Directory, available in print and online, has sprouted from a trifold into a deeply rooted, 147-business strong resource for where to buy food grown locally.
Sixty-two producers and eighty other food-related businesses filled last year’s guide and Weiland said more are signing up. Farmers and businesses can enroll annually for a nominal fee to become an HDFFA partner. For partners who do online sales, the web directory links consumers directly to that producer’s e-commerce.
“So many—I would say around half—of local farmers also have other jobs. They are so busy,” said Weiland regarding the value of the directory as a centralized marketing tool for producers.
“Farmers are really producing a lot but they may not have time to market it and develop distribution avenues. Providing more consumer access points is key.”
Cheap + Healthy = Possible
Preparing meals from scratch can be both healthful and economical with the right set of skills and some fresh ingredients.
Part of a national curriculum implemented through state funding and carried out regionally by HDFFA using chef and nutritionist volunteers, Cooking Matters classes are available to food insecure families across Central Oregon this fall in six-week sessions.
“Cooking with families naturally lends itself to a conversation about nutrition and food budgeting,” said Weiland. “There is an important link between food and health. This is preventative care.”
Food For All
The local food bank is fresher thanks to HDFFA’s Grow and Give program, an initiative benefitting NeighborImpact. At farmers’ markets in Bend patrons can donate to the program in $5 increments and be entered to win a prize at the end of market season. The Madras, Redmond and Sisters markets also take donations. HDFFA then buys the equivalent amount of food from farmers at the end of the market, curating purchases based on food bank needs.
“Food insecurity is a prevalent issue but it can be a bit ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” said Weiland, noting that farmers’ markets play a vital role in our community and provide a good space to facilitate discussion of the issue.
Statistically, one in five people in Central Oregon is food insecure—meaning they might not know where their next meal is coming from. The program represents a new frontier of food recovery (a term meaning food waste mitigation).
“Farmers see it as a value add,” said Weiland. “They harvest more than they may need to be sure they fill demand at farmers’ markets throughout the region. The funds help to support the farmers’ bottom lines, aid in food recovery and shore up the region’s food bank supply.”
An anticipated 15,000 pounds of food recovery will go to NeighborImpact this year.
Going through the Bend Venture Conference with two different startups, Ryan Andrews was intimately familiar with the state’s largest angel conference. Becoming the manager of the BVC’s first social impact fund, which debuted last year, offered Andrews another way to get involved with the conference—and exercise his investment expertise. Andrews wears many hats, but most of them involve finance. In addition to managing the newest BVC fund, which requires him to both solicit investors and evaluate investable startups, he’s also a partner in Trueline Capital, a Bend-based real estate fund. We recently caught up with Andrews to learn more about the BVC’s social impact, the interest in socially responsible investing and his new side project, a series of letters written to thoughtful investors.
First, how do you describe the Bend Venture Conference’s Social Impact Fund?
The fund invests in for-profit, early-stage companies that have a social or environmental impact as a core part of their business model. We purposely made the definition broad; we wanted to open the floodgates and then be able to decide who had a stronger or weaker social impact proposition. More than thirty companies applied last year. One of our two winners, Hemex Health, creates a portable, inexpensive device that can be used to screen for malaria and sickle cell disease in developing countries. Their social impact was off the charts as well as their potential revenue and market share.
What misconceptions do people have about social impact investing?
I sometimes get pushback that social impact startups aren’t viable or that they generate lower financial returns to investors. But the evidence is stacking up that there’s a strong business case for social impact startups that solve real, societal problems. Society at large is willing to reward these companies with revenue and market share.
The Bend Venture Conference takes place in October. Is there anything new or different about this year’s social impact track?
We have a lot of momentum coming off of last year. People are excited, especially after watching Hemex Health go on to raise another $1.7 million in a Series A round. Our fund was the first investor in the company. Last year, we raised $110,000 for the fund, about half from institutional investors. This year we’re aiming for $150,000. We’re also doing a Reg D 506(c) offering for the fund, which allows us to advertise publicly for investors.
You also manage investments for your day job, a partner at Bend-based Trueline Capital. What does Trueline do?
Trueline Capital is a boutique real estate investment fund focused on residential construction and development in the Pacific Northwest. After the last recession, most community banks stopped lending into the residential construction market, even as the economy came back, leaving a lot of these projects without a good source of capital. We manage the fund on behalf of our investors, investing in smaller, in-city and infill residential developments, usually projects that are too small for a large, private investment and not eligible for bank financing. We’re currently invested in more than thirty-five projects, valued at $32 million.
Lastly, tell us about your Thoughtful Investor series of letters.
I found myself having a lot of one-on-one conversations with investors about how money and monetary systems really work. I started writing about these conversations in a serialized letter format at thoughtfulinvestor.co. The goal is to write sophisticated, but accessible, letters to investors. Recent topics include the role of central banks, the importance of hard assets and whether we’re in a bubble. I also plan on writing about cryptocurrencies, the coming artificial intelligence/machine learning labor revolution and the innovations occurring in real estate finance. It’s pure thought leadership and a chance for me to start these conversations.
Artist Courtney Holton honors ancestral Native American photos with bold colors and contemporary designs.
The familiar, proud faces of native people resemble black and white photos of an earlier time. But familiarity quickly fades to curiosity. Big splashes of color give Courtney Holton’s large canvases a contemporary twist, and, yet, why are the portraits striped with the American flag? Do those patchwork blocks behind the elegant woman shape the state of Oregon?
Part of the answer lies with a cache of turn-of-the-twentieth century photos and prints Holton obtained as a student at the University of Oregon in the 1980s. He held onto the archival material for thirty years while his life and the love of a French woman took him to Paris and later the Loire Valley.
He initially sold abstract paintings on Paris streets and sometimes exhibited in bars and restaurants. The owner of the Galerie Expression Libre in Paris saw Holton’s paintings in a theater and began exhibiting his work, leading to shows in Turkey, Belgium, Switzerland and the United States. “Art is everywhere, and can be a wonderful tool in communication, history and thought,” said Holton.
Born and raised in Eugene, Holton spent winters skiing at Mt. Bachelor. In 2016, he decided to spend more time in his home state, and Bend was a good fit. He rented studio space at Cindercone Clay Center where he began to develop this portrait series, enlarging old black and white images onto canvas through industrial ink-jet technology, and then hand layering the canvas with colorful oil paints. Each painting takes about a month to complete.
“With a heartfelt compassion for his subjects and a sincere commitment to accuracy in depicting and painting these subjects, Courtney lends his remarkable talent to his larger-than-life, beautiful oil paintings of the mid-to-late-1800’s Native American occupants of northeastern Oregon,” said Billye Turner, a local art dealer who facilitated a recent show, “Remembrance,” at Bend’s Franklin Crossing.
The exhibit included a painting with the American flag imposed over the photo of a native man. Holton’s intent was to honor the patriotic service of all Native Americans who served in World War II, including “code talkers” whose job it was to transmit secret messages in code. In a painting of a native woman, he created a facsimile of Oregon counties in the background, a nod to their tribal lands both ancient and current.
“Each portrait tells a story of the beauty and power of these photographs—the desire to remember and respect,” he said of the exhibit. He donates ten percent of sales on the portrait series to the Warm Springs Community Action Team.
Today, he splits his time between Bend and the village of St. Sauveur where he owns part of a 500-year-old convent, that serves as his home and studio. He’s working with a master printer there to create wood-block prints that are more attractive to collectors.
“It’s daunting to start over again in a new place,” he said. “With art, it’s something you grow over the years.” But proximity to family and ski slopes will make his re-entry to Central Oregon a lot easier.
The No-Bake Cookie Co. went from a project for a family-owned deli to one the next great Bend companies.
Tom, Carol and Eric Healy, owners of the No-Bake Cookie Co. Photo by Alex Jordan
Mmm. Cookies like grandma used to, well, not bake. Carol Healy started making old-fashioned, no-bake cookies for her family-owned Expressway Corner Market & Deli in Bend, and soon the nostalgic recipe dovetailed with one of the hottest food demands: gluten-free products. The wholesome treats, made with natural nut butters, premium certified gluten-free whole-grain oats, butter, Madagascar vanilla, cane sugar and milk also boast no preservatives, hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, wheat flour or genetically modified anything.
The cookies developed a fervent fan base among the market’s customers, mostly from the Southeast neighborhood, who head there for burgers and other housemade dishes at the cafe-convenience store-gas station at the Reed Market Road and 15th Street roundabout.
In 2011, Healy and her husband, Tom Healy, created the No-Bake Cookie Co., and it took off quickly that year after she presented the sweet goods to Nordstrom. The high-end retail department store’s buyer and her team had grown up eating no-bake cookies and loved them. The gluten-free certification fit Nordstrom’s demographic and the timing was perfect because demand was building, yet not many products had been certified as gluten free. Stores were looking for them.
Now the cookies are in thousands of stores nationwide—from Whole Foods, Kroger stores and Fred Meyer to Alberstons, Safeway, Market of Choice and Newport Avenue Market—plus convenience stores, including Sheetz, with 550 stores. The growth prompted the Healys to recruit their son, Eric, as chief operating officer, who left his ten-year career as an aerospace mechanical engineer for Boeing and other big corporations. All twenty employees work in the 5,000-square-foot facility in Bend, except for a Los Angeles-based national sales director.
Entrepreneurship is also in the family’s blood. Eric’s grandfather, Bill Healy, founded the Mt. Bachelor ski area in 1957, and his uncle, Cameron Healy, founded Kettle Chips, now an international manufacturer of potato chips, tortilla chips and nut butters in Salem.
The company hit its goal on funding the recent growth with a summer funding round on CircleUp, a crowdfunding platform that serves consumer brands seeking to raise money from accredited investors.
Eric Healy said manufacturing in general has its challenges. Shipping from Bend, in particular, can be challenging, especially last winter, when big snowstorms slowed semi-trucks delivering ingredients. A local advantage has been working with FoundersPad, which is selective in funding and mentoring early stage companies.
“They have been very instrumental, helping with all aspects of the business, working on margins, supply chain, fundraising and branding,” said Eric.
How to turn a bad 1980s kitchen remodel into a space that is modern and usable.
Photo courtesy of Neil Kelly Company
Barb Macomber and Richard Ross’ 1920 bungalow in the Old Town Historic District was perfect—except for a kitchen that was suffering from a bad 1980s remodel. The room’s dominant features were a too small window, a too big refrigerator, and too little storage and style.
The couple enlisted Kathleen Donohue at Neil Kelly to redo the space. “We went to one of her demonstrations,” said Macomber. “She just really resonated with us.”
Confined by the kitchen’s galley configuration, the object was to create an efficient, light-filled kitchen while respecting the bungalow’s Craftsman history. Donohue, who relishes combining creativity with the more technical and practical demands of design, removed everything except the original floor.
To bring light into the eleven-by-ten-foot room, a new thirty-six-square-inch window was placed above the kitchen sink and under-cabinet lights and historically accurate ceiling fixtures were installed. Donohue added light-reflecting white quartz counters and subway tile to the mix.
Photo courtesy of Neil Kelly Company
To increase storage, cherry cabinets were fitted with deep, self-closing drawers and pullouts, and a built-in cream-colored hutch was added as a pantry.
The biggest cure to the kitchen’s ills was the use of smaller apartment-sized, or European, appliances: Installed were an eighteen-inch wide dishwasher, a thirty-inch wide range and a twenty-four-inch wide refrigerator.
Small details such as black pulls and knobs on cabinets, glass shelving, trim work on the hutch and cabinets, and a mosaic above the range connect the kitchen to its history, while the use of eye-popping red paint and red range knobs take the newly-functional room from sedate to warm and inviting.
“It’s a nice room now,” explained Ross. “It wasn’t that way before.” “It was awful,” added Macomber, “but now it’s like a beautiful functional jewel box.”
Flyte Camp, a vintage trailer restoration company in Bend, breaks the mold in the camp trailer industry with its new line of trailers that look vintage, but have modern luxuries.
It all started with a 1958 Shasta Airflyte. To some, a heap of aluminum and rubber tires rusting in an overgrown junkyard. But to Anna and Justin Scribner, it was a piece of living history that deserved a second chance. Their work to restore the vintage trailer to its former gleaming glory spawned a successful business and a popular TV show, but, more importantly, it marked the beginning of their crusade to restore American craftsmanship to camping trailers.
Almost a decade and close to 100 renovations later, Flyte Camp is embarking on a new adventure: designing and building their own model of trailers. Dubbed the Neutron, the trailers are high-end and designed in mid-century vintage style but with modern amenities.
Justin said that the idea came when the trend of vintage trailers picked up and other companies started putting out their own models that looked vintage. But those trailers “missed the mark” when it came to the craftsmanship that is the hallmark of the trailers made in the mid-twentieth century.
The Neutrons are made-to-order, three-at-a-time at Flyte Camp’s Bend shop. Designed and made using all the knowledge they’ve gleaned from years working with vintage trailers and racking up insight into their craftsmanship, the Neutrons are dripping with nostalgia.
Adding the Neutron felt like the logical next step to Anna and Justin, who wanted to make their mark on the retro camping trailer market. Even as they drive the business forward, they do so with one eye on the rearview mirror of history and that first trailer that marked the beginning of a lifetime infatuation with classic design. Anna recalled seeing that Shasta Airflyte when Justin brought it home, almost a decade ago now.
“Man, the first time I saw that thing, I walked through it and fell in love,” she said. “I loved all the mid-century detailing and the quality that was in the small things.”
Justin, a contractor by trade, echoes that sentiment when he talks about what sparked the idea for the business.
“We’re preserving a piece of Americana,” he said. “It doesn’t need to be rotting out in a field somewhere.”
Like many upstarts, success didn’t come overnight. The work grew slowly and organically in the first few years. In some ways, they didn’t know they had a business at all. The couple spent several years buying, restoring and selling vintage camp trailers as a hobby before officially launching Flyte Camp in 2009. Less than a year into it, their renovations caught the attention of a television producer. He offered them a spot on Extreme RVs, then their own show, “Flippin’ RVs,” which is now in its third season on the Travel Channel.
Justin grew up camping in trailers around the Pacific Northwest, and has a passion for all things nostalgic, but especially vintage camping trailers.
“[Vintage trailers] all need to be saved, in my opinion,” he said. “We’re too much of a throwaway society anymore. They should be out on the road.”
One of the reasons the business has been so successful is that they know how to capture the look and feel of an era through their restorations. They also capitalized on a trend that has swept American culture in the last decade.
“People just want that experience of stepping back in time, escaping to an earlier era,” said Anna. “That’s one thing we try to do, is make sure that our restorations are era correct, are the real, true look and feel of the year.”
The business has turned them into experts in the field, and the couple is sought after around the country for their design and craftsmanship.
Despite the TV show, the business and building the new trailers, Justin and Anna are still out camping as much as possible. Though today, they’ve traded in the vintage trailer for the Neutron, taking it camping to places around Central Oregon such as Crescent Lake and Paradise Campground.
Justin and Anna are hoping the Neutrons will stand the test of time like the vintage trailers that they restore.
“Hopefully, we’re putting out something that will last another sixty years,” said Justin.
Mahonia Gardens is a one-acre farm in Sisters that is focused on sustainability and farming by hand.
Benji Negal and Carys Wilkins at their farm Mahonia Gardens. Photo by Joshua Langlais
Most commercial gardens are not biologically thriving ecosystems. At Mahonia Gardens in Sisters, birds, lizards, snakes, bunnies, and a manner of beneficial insects live amid floral perennials and rare plants. Oh, and fifty crops, which all prosper on just one acre.
“We really like doing things by hand. That is sustainability, not using oil and machines,” said owner Carys Wilkins. “Also the noise, the aesthetic of it. It’s such an art. And a conscious choice that we can make at this point because we are able to sustain economically.”
With this year’s harvest marking their fifth growing season in Sisters comes a confidence in their hand scale technique. “We’ve been honing in on what grows best in our climate,” said Wilkins. “Lots of crops don’t like Central Oregon’s big swing in diurnal temperature. Broccoli is a good example—they like stable temps through day and night.”
It’s also a balancing act between what grows well and what sells well. “Sometimes that means sacrificing crops because of space,” said Negal. “We’ve adapted within our space.”
Jess Weiland of the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance spoke to Mahonia’s model. “Carys and Benji have put so much effort into diversifying what they’re growing,” she said. “They really stay true to what they deem as a sustainable model for them. It’s so easy as a farmer to get pulled in a lot of directions and scale up. They are really clear with themselves about what they want to produce and prioritize, maintaining some amount of a work/life balance.”
Of course, for a farmer that means mostly working from spring through winter’s first snow. The couple prefers working in the field over managing people.
“We’ve said from the beginning: Let’s do it by hand as long as we can. We think it works to our benefit to grow more within a small space,” said Negal. “Our motto: Let’s grow inward rather than outward. Within the confines of our space, let’s continue to get better. Better soil, every corner gets watered, every piece of land gets attention.”
Benji Negal at Mahonia Gardens. Photo by Joshua Langlais
Wilkins and Negal live on a property they bought with Negal’s father just a half-mile from Mahonia and only a couple blocks from the Sisters Farmers’ Market, which Wilkins runs. They keep their cost of living low and didn’t take out any loans to start Mahonia (they raised $9,000 on Kickstarter to fund the business). Benji is also a musician, a talent which also happens to supplement their income. When the couple decided to move to Negal’s hometown after stints in Southern Oregon and Northern California, proximity to family was the primary driver.
Mahonia sells out its CSA (community-supported agriculture) memberships each season, which capped at forty members this year.
“CSA is great because you already know it’s sold when you plant the seed,” said Wilkins.
The other three-quarters of their business comes from farmers’ market sales and a bit of surplus crop sales to Agricultural Connections.
“This is the ‘abundance mentality’ idea. If people try another farm’s CSA or grow their own garden, we feel good about that,” said Negal. “It’s a small town and we’re very much a community,” added Negal, recognizing the work of educators, residents and new farmers to expand the local presence of fresh food. “Of course, that’s a benefit for the business but more than that, growing food becomes purposeful and meaningful.”
These trails are perfect for a late summer or early fall hike with views, wildflowers, refreshing lakes and waterfalls.
Backpacking on the Pole Creek Trail | Photo by Brandon Nixon
Pole Creek
In the Three Sisters Wilderness, Pole Creek is less popular than Green Lakes for hiking, but you will probably still run into other hikers on the trail. The Pole Creek Trail leads to Camp Lake, an alpine lake tucked between South Sister and Middle Sister Mountains. This hike is best done as a two-day backpacking trail, as Camp Lake is about 13 miles from the Pole Creek trailhead. The trail is rated as difficult but has stunning views along the way.
Canyon Creek Wilderness
The Canyon Creek Meadows hike in the wilderness area below Three Fingered Jack is an easy four-and-a-half-mile loop for families with kids and is known for its colorful array of wildflowers. The hike is only open in late summer through October, so get there before it closes for the season.
Doris Lake
Off Cascade Lakes Highway, Doris Lake, about six miles from the Six Lakes Trailhead, is a moderate hike since there isn’t much elevation gain, but the out-and-back trail will still cover about a dozen miles for one day. The trail is popular with backpackers, who will hike in and pitch a tent next to the lake for the night.
Tam McArthur Rim
In the Three Sisters Wilderness Area, Tam McArthur Rim is about five miles round-trip, but has plenty of elevation to make it a climb. At the rocky peak, you’ll find expansive views. A portion of the hike is bare of trees, so bring lots of water. Back at the bottom, a small shack sells ice cream. Enjoy a refreshing treat while you soak your feet in Three Creek Lake.
Teddy Lakes Trail
The Teddy Lakes Trail, about four miles from the Winopee Lake Trailhead, is a lesser-known trek in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Access the trail from the popular Cultus Lake Campground adjacent to the Cultus Lake Resort. You’ll soon escape the throngs of tourists jet skis and power boats. You can continue along the loop for a longer hike. Teddy Lakes is also a good spot for backpackers who overnight in the area.
Paulina Creek Falls
Just north of La Pine near Wickiup Junction is the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Here you will find Paulina Creek Falls, one of the least trafficked waterfalls in Central Oregon. The five-mile out-and-back trail doesn’t offer much in the way of elevation gain. Paulina Falls is about eighty-feet tall, and is a refreshing place to dip your feet on a hot day. Up the trail a little further, you can hike to Paulina Lake. Along the Paulina Lake Loop Trail, you can find natural hot springs—the ultimate reward after a hike.
On the hottest days of the summer, here are seven ways to beat the heat in Central Oregon.
Photo by Adam McKibben
Central Oregon is known for its almost unnaturally cool summer evenings, but the days are another story. Come July and August, the High Desert begins to live up to its name. If you don’t have air conditioning, it can be tough to beat the heat. (And who wants to sit inside, anyhow?) Thankfully, our wealth of rivers, streams, reservoirs and high alpine lakes offer boundless opportunities to soak, splash and even surf.
Hit the Lakes
Dozens of lakes are scattered across Central Oregon, and are popular hangouts on hot summer days. At a lower elevation than other alpine lakes, Suttle Lake is perfect for swimming. Just up the hill is tiny Scout Lake, which is typically brimming with floaties because its small size means warm water (for high lake standards). Off Cascade Lakes Highway, Elk Lake has a large beach area with views of Mt. Bachelor to boot. Further down the road you’ll find Cultus Lake and the charming, old school Cultus Lake Resort. Keep driving and hit Wickiup and Crane Prairie reservoirs, popular spots for camping, swimming and fishing. You can also get away from the crowds by hiking to a lake. Lucky Lake is only a short hike from Cascade Lakes Highway. Park at the Senoj Lake Trailhead and hike just over a mile to reach the lake, and solitude.
Relax Poolside at Sunriver SHARC
Indoor and outdoor pools and a disc golf course make SHARC (Sunriver Homeowners’ Aquatic & Recreation Center) a fun place for families to spend an afternoon, or a day, and are easy ways to cool off in the heat. You can buy passes for the day, or get a multi-day pass for a deal. When you’re ready for a break, check out some of the great food options that families will enjoy, such as Sunriver Brewing or Blondie’s Pizzeria.
Float the River
Floating the Deschutes River is almost a rite of passage in Bend. On hot days, you’ll see crowds of people on the water. If you don’t have your own floatie, you can rent one at Riverbend Park, where you begin the float. Skirt the dam in the newly revamped safe passage adjacent to the Whitewater Park before the final stretch down a calm bend in the river brings you to Drake Park. There’s a shuttle you can ride back to Riverbend Park for a small fee. There are also a few rules about life jackets, alcohol and what you can float on, so look for signs at Riverbend Park to be in the know.
If you don’t want to battle the throngs in Bend, there are a couple of other options within a short drive that allow you to escape the crowds. Tumalo State Park offers access to a lazy float on the Middle Deschutes River that meanders past downtown Tumalo and offers a great excuse to hit The Bite, Tumalo’s cozy food cart pod. If you’re willing to venture south, the Sunriver area offers access to several floats on the upper Deschutes river and a chance for an apres float beer and appetizers in Sunriver.
Go Rafting
When an urban innertube float isn’t enough adventure, book a raft trip on the Deschutes River. These guided day trips are unforgettable, and take you to parts of the river you can only see by raft. Seventh Mountain Resort, Sun Country Tours and Ouzel Outfitters are based in Bend. In Maupin, a hub for whitewater rafting less than two hours north of Bend, you can book trips with All Star Rafting, High Desert River Outfitters, Imperial River Company, Sage Canyon River Company, Deschutes River Adventures and River Drifters and spend a day rafting with the experts.
Find a Waterfall
Central Oregon has no shortage of waterfalls. Most are accessible and have close-in parking and paved pathways to viewpoints, where you can cool off with the mist from the falls and hike along the water. Close to Bend, Tumalo Falls is one the most popular and photographed viewpoints in the region. After you take in the ninety-seven-foot falls from a couple viewpoints, you can extend the adventure into a hike. Dillon Falls and Benham Falls are a little farther from town. The hiking trail that leads to both falls is easy for families. Paulina Falls is probably the least trafficked of the bunch. The falls is about eighty feet tall and is inside the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
Jump off the cliffs at Steelhead Falls
Speaking of waterfalls, on the hottest days of the summer, jumping off the twenty-foot cliffs at Steelhead Falls into the cold water is one of the most refreshing and adrenaline-pumping experiences in the region. Jump feet first into the water (do not dive) and consider climbing down the cliffs to test the water first. There’s also no shame in wearing a life jacket, which will help you get back to the surface of the water more quickly. Wear water shoes to help you with the climb back up the cliffs.
Catch a Wave
Bend’s whitewater park offers locals and visitors a chance to catch a surfable wave without leaving town. Hardcore surfers and kayakers can be found playing on the standing waves at the Colorado bridge almost anytime of year. Come summer, the series of curling whitewater drops draws kayakers, surfers and boogie boarders in droves. If surfing isn’t your thing, you can watch the thrills and spills as they unfold from the nearby footbridge where spectators gather for photo ops and the occasional catcall.
Summer wouldn’t be complete without that burger-milkshake-fries trifecta from classic Central Oregon drive-ins. Nothing says, “Summer is here!” like a burger hot off a sizzling grill with a side of piping hot fries, preferably served with a milkshake. No Central Oregon summer vacation or staycation is complete without a stop at one of several nostalgia-rich, drive-in burger joints sprinkled around Central Oregon.
Tastee Treet
If you venture east, the Tastee Treet in Prineville is a mandatory stop. The drive-in feels like a historic landmark, with the old-fashioned sign intact and a drive-up window. The burgers and shakes on the menu don’t change, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Tastee Treet is a great stop in Prineville while you’re on the road, but it also serves as a destination itself.
493 NE 3rd St., Prineville
Jody’s Drive-In
When in Redmond, the place to be is Jody’s, where it’s almost always standing room only. The classic burger is always a win, but the specialty burgers are inventive and won’t disappoint. The outdoor seating adds to the classic ambiance of this place.
807 SW 14th St., Redmond
Sno Cap Drive In
The perpetual line outside of Sno-Cap in the summer may seem daunting, but it’s there for good reason. Sno-Cap has some of the best burgers and fries in the region that satisfy after any day hiking in the Three Sisters Wilderness or swimming in one of the nearby lakes. The milkshake list is long, so it may require a few repeat visits to make your way through it all.
380 W Cascade Ave., Sisters
Dandy’s Drive-In
With covered drive-up stalls and waitstaff zipping around on old-school roller skates, Dandy’s is a true throwback to the days of muscle cars, drag racing and pop crooning. Dandy’s keeps it simple with burgers, fries, milkshakes and few other drive-in worthy items. The burgers are made to order and served up with a side of piping hot fries, the perfect treat on a long summer day.
Here’s our guide for how to make the most of Bend Brewfest weekend.
Photo by Lasala Images
Bend Brewfest (#BendBrewfest ) takes place August 10 to 12, and is one of the best events in Bend each summer. Held at at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in the Old Mill District along the Deschutes River, Brewfest brings in dozens of craft breweries from around the region to show off their latest brews. Here’s our guide for how to make the most of the Brewfest weekend.
How it works: $20 gets you a tasting mug and five tokens. Each token is one taste. You can buy additional tokens (5 or $5) at the information booths. All ages are welcome until 5 p.m. (after that it’s 21-and-over), but the party keeps going well into the night.
Best way to get there: Walking. There’s a lot of traffic around the Old Mill District during Brewfest weekend. Avoid the traffic and walk, bike, or take and Uber (new users get $10 off with the code BENDBREWFEST) of Lyft to and from Brewfest.
Best day to go: Well, that depends on you. If you’re there for the beer, particularly the specialty and small batch runs, and would rather avoid the big crowds on the weekend, Thursday is your day. Sure, you might be a little late for work the next morning, but if you get there on opening day, you are sure not to miss your favorite beers (because they can run out). The crowd isn’t as large as Friday or Saturday night, so you won’t have to wait in long lines to taste. On the other hand if you’re looking for a party, Saturday is the big blowout. Tons of people. A raucous crowd and a deejay pumping a dance heavy mix into the night. Afterward the party pours into the streets and nearby bars where drinks continue to flow and the good times continue to roll.
Look out for: ABVs. The alcohol by volume number can sneak up on people. Some of the specialty brews can have ABVs of seven percent and higher, which will catch up to you quickly if you aren’t careful. Bring a water bottle—they are permitted and there are places to fill it up with water throughout. If you’re planning a thorough tasting tour, make sure to have a plan to get home safely.
Don’t miss: X-Taps. Each brewery brings two to three regular beers to pour for the event, and then a speciality, small-batch brew that you’ll only find at Brewfest. Those brews will only be poured during certain times in the Brewtality tent. Find the schedule of the X-Taps so you don’t miss out on some spectacular experimental batches of beer and cider.
Fun event to try: Stein Hosting. Large mugs filled with three pounds, and people compete to see how long they can hold them up. Test your skills by signing up for the competition that takes place throughout the day on Saturday.
Beyond Brewfest: When you need a break from the festivities.
Since you’re already at the Old Mill, you can stay cool by floating the river or renting a kayak or paddleboard and play on the water for a few hours. There are also places to rent bikes and explore town on wheels. Tumalo Creek and Kayak rents from their shop on the river which provides convenient parking and float out, float in access. You can also rent tubes riverside from Sun Country Tours which operates a stand at Farewell Bend Park.
You’re also a few steps away from the Deschutes River Trail, and you can find miles of urban hiking or mountain biking in the area. From the Old Mill you can walk along the paved path to Bill Heally Bridge where primitive gravel path parallels the Deschutes River for a two-mile loop that features a wooden boardwalk and pedestrian bridge that allows users to hike the short route as a loop.
If you’re looking for a place to sit down and eat, you can find a few of our favorite patio dining options within walking or biking distance. No visit to Bend is totally complete without a burrito or wrap at the iconic Parilla restaurant on Galveston that can be washed down with a house margarita or $2 PBR. Across town, El Sancho is the go-to place for street tacos that can be scarfed on their patio.
And if you haven’t had your fill of beer yet, you can head to Immersion Brewing and brew your own batch of beer. You can also head to Crux, one of Bend’s newer and more popular craft breweries, whose fermentation program is overseen by Larry Sidor, former Deschutes Head Brewer, and Crux founder. The brewery is tucked away in and old industrial area in a converted automotive shop and features a large and popular lawn and patio, where friends coworkers and families gather to on weekends and after work to sip ale and play cornhole or toss a frisbee.
Need to get your family outside this summer? Here are five of the best family activities in Bend and Central Oregon.
Sun Mountain Fun Center
Race around the go-kart track
Known for its family-friendly bowling, Sun Mountain Fun Center expands its offerings in the summer months to include batting cages and mini-golf. Best of all is the go-kart track that beckons would-be racers of all ages. The banked track snakes around the north end of the Fun Center in looping ribbons of concrete hemmed in by ubiquitous crash barrier tires. Side bets are encouraged.
Putt-putt at Sunriver’s minigolf course
What happens when you cross a putt-putt course with Sunriver’s Crosswater? If you’re golf architect John Fought, you create a one-of-a-kind bentgrass putting course that melds the family fun of mini-golf with the meticulous conditioning of Sunriver’s championship golf courses. The result is a fun-for-all-ages putting course that challenges and delights while serving as the perfect after-dinner diversion for resort guests.
Visit the local farmers’ market
On farmers’ market days, you’ll find the whole community browsing the stands for farm fresh fruits and veggies. From chefs scouring for the best last-minute ingredients to families plucking produce for the dinner table there is something fresh for any dish. If you miss the market but still want to find local produce, check out Locavore, open year round, or Paradise Produce, a farm stand open every day in the summer on Bend’s Westside. Rainshadow Organics outside Sisters has also opened a small market to complement their CSA’s and farm to table lunches and dinners.
Take a family staycation
Vacations are supposed to be about relaxing and recharging, but the hassles of air travel or prolonged road trips can add stress to any itinerary. The answer: a staycation. With so much to see and so many different options for overnight lodging, Central Oregon is the perfect place live like a tourist, if just for a long weekend. There are plenty of great staycation options, but for a more dollars consider spoiling yourself at one of the many world class resorts in the region, including Sunriver, Black Butte Ranch and Pronghorn and Tetherow. Looking to the east, Brasada is usually near the top of our list for its mix of casual luxury and family fun. Tucked into the base of Powell Butte, Brasada is just a half-an-hour’s drive from Bend, but it feels a world away. A kids’ game center and family pool area, complete with lazy river and waterslide, make for hours of fun. Add in a world-class spa, 18-hole championship golf course, horseback riding and four-star dining and you’ve got a recipe for memories.
Spend the day at Sunriver SHARC
Indoor and outdoor pools and a disc golf course make SHARC (Sunriver Homeowners’ Aquatic & Recreation Center) a fun place for families to spend an afternoon, or a day. You can buy passes for the day, or get a multi-day pass for a deal. Make a day of it by adding meals and shopping in the Sunriver mall. The growing village has eighteen miles of paved paths through the woods and near the Deschutes River for biking and walking. When you’re ready for a break, check out some of the great food options that families will enjoy, such as Sunriver Brewing or Blondie’s Pizzeria.
The BendFilm 72-Hour Filmmaker’s Scramble is a whirlwind filmmaking event for professional and amateur film buffs in Bend.
You don’t have to be a professional filmmaker to take part in BendFilm’s 72 Hours Filmmaker’s Scramble. In fact, Todd Looby, the executive director of BendFilm, encourages people to enter and make a film with their phone camera.
“Since everyone is limited in resources and time, you’re basically just really exercising creativity and using everything that’s around you at your disposal,” said Looby. “There’s no hurdle to entry. Anyone can do it.”
The Filmmaker’s Scramble does have one hurdle that each filmmaker who enters would have to jump over: the 72-hour timeframe to conceive, shoot and produce a movie. But that’s all part of the fun.
The event is produced by BendFilm, the organization that also produces the annual BendFilm Festival in October, and Scalehouse, a nonprofit organization that encourages creativity and collaboration in Bend.
Now in its third year, the Filmmaker’s Scramble will take place on July 20, kicking off with a workshop from Looby about no-budget filmmaking. Then, each team receives the theme for the film contest, and the clock starts ticking. Filmmakers then have 72 hours to complete a film, from writing the screenplay to casting the actors to shooting and editing.
Looby said that local Central Oregonians usually enter the competition, but he encourages people from outside the region to come for the event. About ten groups have entered each year, from people who have worked on Hollywood feature films to people who have never picked up a camera before.
“Even someone who is really well versed in this is kind of thing is at the same mercy of luck as someone just starting out,” said Looby.
For those who want to watch the entries, the films will be screened on August 7 at the Workhouse. A panel of professional filmmakers will judge the films, which range from documentaries to narratives, and the winning films will be screened at the BendFilm Festival in October.
Tetherow Resort revamped its dinner options with Solomon’s, a fine dining restaurant that upholds the resort’s atmosphere of unpretentious luxury.
In 1845, looking for an alternative to the Oregon Trail, Solomon Tetherow led a wagon train through Central Oregon on the infamous Meek Cutoff route. The journey was perilous and much of the company’s travails were lost to history, but the name stuck as a symbol of a pioneering spirit.
This spring, Tetherow Resort revamped its dinner options by adding a fine dining experience, aptly named Solomon’s. Thankfully, the ambitious new restaurant and menu will not lead you astray.
Erin van der Velde, managing partner at Tetherow, said that though the space has undergone an elevated refurbishing and an extensive menu change since it was previously known as Tetherow Grill, the experience of eating at Tetherow hasn’t changed much at heart.
“It’s a little more elegant Tetherow experience with the same amazing view,” said van der Velde.
Perched on a hill overlooking the resort’s 700-acre property, Solomon’s boasts expansive windows that frame picturesque Central Oregon views. From each table, find sights of the Scottish-style links that stretch out toward mountain peaks in the distance.
Inside, the restaurant provides a warm, comfortable atmosphere for intimate meals, as well as enough space for a group.
Though the tables are topped white tablecloths, the restaurant doesn’t feel stiff for fine dining standards. Across the room, you’ll find couples sharing a romantic meal, as well as groups just coming off the golf course or trails.
Solomon’s menu is Pacific Northwest-inspired with surprising and welcome twists. It’s not often that you find elk, boar or pheasant on a menu, but those are the dishes with which Chef Rian Mulligan’s creativity and talent shine.
Mulligan, 34, has been working in Bend restaurants for almost a decade. He brings experience working under chefs and creating his own menu from scratch, as well as three years working at Solomon’s predecessor, the aforementioned, Tetherow Grill.
“We knew when he was ready he would be the right chef for this experience,” said van der Velde. “He has the talent.”
Mulligan has studied everything from European to Southwestern to Asian cuisine. “I take techniques from all those different style and make it my own,” he said. “I may take something Japanese and add southwestern flavor and use a French technique to cook it.”
“I can’t describe my style,” he said. “It’s always changing and growing.”
On a recent summer evening, my dining companion and I were admiring the view from our table next to the window. We each ordered a glass of wine from the carefully curated wine list that features a variety of Oregon bottles and varieties.
We started our meal with steamed manila clams, bathed in a light sauce that wasn’t too buttery with just a touch of chili spice; we eagerly mopped it up with the grilled, cheesy French baguette that accompanied it. The asparagus was also a delicious starter for the early summer evening, sautéed in a light sauce of garlic, white wine and drizzled with bleu cheese and balsamic vinegar.
For our entrees, we were both drawn to the dishes that have already emerged as favorites among Solomon’s regular guests, according to Mulligan. The risotto-stuffed poblano pepper immediately caught my eye. It’s always a joy to come across a chef willing to give a vegetable a leading role instead of a supporting one as a side dish. Indeed, most chefs can sear a steak and bake a chicken, but can they elevate a poblano pepper to the level that a risotto requires, or find a way to pair oyster mushrooms and fennel? Mulligan can, and did, with delicious results. Though the pepper was about as large as my hand, and risotto can often be heavy, the meal wasn’t dense or overwhelming. A simple Romesco sauce covered the dish and was a perfect pairing for the pepper.
My dining companion was equally impressed with his Steelhead Vera Cruz. Served on a bed or fingerling potatoes, the delight of Pacific Northwest fish was perfectly cooked. The dish was finished with a cilantro and lime broth that was light and refreshing, perfectly complementing the already rich flavor.
Dinner was topped off with a duet of desserts: crème brulée and a flourless chocolate torte, each with a raspberry accent.
As the “unpretentious luxury” (as van der Velde describes the Tetherow experience) of our meal ended, we sipped port and watched the early summer sunset from the window.
With a rotating menu based on the seasons, regional bounty and the chef’s whim, Solomon’s aims to always have something new to try. I’m eager to see where Mulligan takes the menu next.
Solomon’s is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, beginning at 5 p.m. Reservation are encouraged and can be made at tetherow.com
From jumping off waterfalls to watching a live show by the Deschutes River, our summer cheat sheet includes the 25 best Central Oregon summer activities to make the most of the season.
Photo by Adam McKibben
1. Take a Dip in a Lake
Dozens of lakes are scattered across Central Oregon, and a quintessential summer day here usually finds its way to at least one of them. Sure, you could paddleboard or kayak or hike while you’re there, but you could also relax by the water and bask in the warm sun, which is what makes a day at the lake idyllic. At a lower elevation than other alpine lakes, Suttle Lake is perfect for swimming. Just up the hill is tiny Scout Lake, which is typically brimming with floaties because its small size means warm water (for high lake standards). Be sure to check out The Suttle Lodge, which recently underwent a renovation. Minimalist, rustic-meets-urban décor blends into the log cabin-style lodge, and elevated food and cocktails mimic the aesthetic. Off Cascade Lakes Highway, Elk Lake has a large beach area with views of Mt. Bachelor to boot. Further down the road you’ll find Wickiup and Crane Prairie reservoirs, popular spots for camping, swimming and fishing. You can also get away from the crowds by hiking to a lake. Lucky Lake is only a short hike from Cascade Lakes Highway. Park at the Senoj Lake Trailhead and hike just over a mile to reach the lake, and solitude.
Summer doesn’t really start until you’ve pulled your tent out from the corner of your garage, thrown sleeping bags and s’mores ingredients into the trunk, and packed the family and dog into the car to sleep under the stars for a night. For those new to camping, try a resort-supported site. Family-friendly spots include Tumalo State Park and Cove Palisades State Park. If you’re ready to get a little more off-grid, campgrounds at Paulina Lake near La Pine and on the Metolius River in Camp Sherman are secluded, but still have amenities that make camping easier for families.
4. Watch the Eclipse
One million people are predicted to flock to Oregon for the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse that will pass through the state on August 21. About 200,000 of those people are expected in Central Oregon for the event and the festivals that lead up to it. Campgrounds and hotels in the path of totality have been booked for more than a year, but you can still get a near-perfect experience watching it from as far south as Redmond and as far north as Fossil. Wherever you go, plan to arrive early and stay late to avoid the attendant traveling headache.
5. See a Show Outside
Photo by Nate Wyeth
On select Sunday afternoons in July, Bend Memorial Clinic hosts Free Summer Sunday Concerts on the lawn at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in the Old Mill District. Pack a lawn chair and enjoy live music from local acts. You can also find free shows at Munch & Music on Thursday nights in July and August. National acts come to Bend all summer for outdoor shows at the Les Schwab Amphitheater, Athletic Club of Bend and the Century Center. Check online to get tickets for Bend favorites such as Michael Franti & Spearhead, the Avett Brothers and more.
6. Watch the stars from Worthy’s Hopservatory
Photo by Alex Jordan
The newest addition to the ever-expanding Worthy campus (that already includes the brewing facility, the pub, an expansive patio and a hop garden), the Hopservatory has a telescope for viewers to catch some of the best sights of Central Oregon’s night sky. Sign up for a tour to make sure you don’t miss out on a clear, starry night.
7. Minigolf Like a Pro
What happens when you cross a putt-putt course with Sunriver’s Crosswater? If you’re golf architect John Fought, you create a one-of-a-kind bentgrass putting course that melds the family fun of mini-golf with the meticulous conditioning of Sunriver’s championship golf courses. The result is a fun-for-all-ages putting course that challenges and delights while serving as the perfect after-dinner diversion for resort guests.
8. Join the Pet Parade
This is one of Bend’s oldest (and weirdest) traditions. Dress up your dog, turtle, goat, horse, or other family pet that can handle large crowds and join the 4th of July Pet Parade in downtown Bend. The streets are lined with people watching the furry, feathered and scaled pets of Bend dressed up to celebrate.
9. Hike a New Trail
Photo by Brandon Nixon
Get out of your hiking rut (and find some trail solitude) with these trails that you won’t find on any “Top 10” list. The Canyon Creek Meadows hike in the wilderness area below Three Fingered Jack is an easy 4.5-mile loop for families with kids, and is known for its colorful array of wildflowers. In the Three Sisters Wilderness Area, Tam McArthur Rim is only five miles round-trip, but has plenty of elevation to make it a climb. At the rocky peak, you’ll find expansive views. A portion of the hike is bare of trees, so bring lots of water. Back at the bottom, a small shack sells ice cream. Enjoy a refreshing treat while you soak your feet in Three Creek Lake.
10. Float the River
Photo by Jon Tapper
Floating the Deschutes River is almost a rite of passage in Bend. On hot days, you’ll see crowds of people on the water. If you don’t have your own floatie, you can rent one at Riverbend Park, where you begin the float. Skirt the dam in the newly revamped safe passage adjacent to the Whitewater Park before the final stretch down a calm bend in the river brings you to Drake Park. There’s a shuttle you can ride back to Riverbend Park for a small fee. There are also a few rules about life jackets, alcohol and what you can float on, so look for signs at Riverbend Park to be in the know.
11. Visit Local Farmers’ Markets
Photo by Alex Jordan
On farmers’ market days, you’ll find the whole community browsing the stands for fresh picks, from chefs scouring for the best ingredients to add to the menu to families picking out produce for that night’s dinner. If you miss the market but still want to find local produce, check out Locavore, open year-round, or Paradise Produce, a farm stand open every day in the summer on Bend’s Westside.
12. Try Backpacking
Photo by Adam McKibben
There’s no better way to really get off the grid than backpacking. While trekking miles with pounds of gear on your back can seem daunting, there are lots of trails around Central Oregon to get you started. Off Cascade Lakes Highway, Doris Lake, about six miles from the Six Lakes Trailhead, is a good adventure for beginners since there isn’t much elevation gain. The Teddy Lakes Trail, about four miles from the Winopee Lake Trailhead, is a lesser-known trek in the Three Sisters Wilderness. You can continue along the loop for a longer hike before (or after) setting up camp.
13. Visit the Ochocos
It might be a stretch to call the Ochocos a secret, but this low-elevation mountain range and its namesake national forest are just far enough off the beaten path to escape the crowds that gather at other popular Central Oregon destinations. There are hikes aplenty, just a few miles east of Prineville, that include iconic destinations such as Steins Pillar. For those seeking a more adrenaline-charged experience, the Lookout Mountain bike trail system offers one of the premier shuttle-based rides in Central Oregon. Lookout features forested singletrack with bomber straightaways and hairpin curves for seven, white-knuckle miles. Maps and information, including shuttle services, are available at Good Bike Co. in downtown Prineville.
14. Find a Waterfall
Photo by Brandon Nixon
Central Oregon has no shortage of waterfalls. Most are accessible and have close-in parking and paved pathways to viewpoints. Close to Bend, Tumalo Falls is one the most popular and photographed viewpoints in the region. After you take in the ninety-seven-foot falls from a couple viewpoints, you can extend the adventure into a hike. Dillon Falls and Benham Falls are a little farther from town. The hiking trail that leads to both falls is easy for families. Local’s hack: Don’t go around sunset or you’ll be eaten alive by mosquitos. Paulina Falls is probably the least trafficked of the bunch. The falls is about eighty feet tall and is inside the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
15. Take a Staycation
Need a long weekend to rest and recharge? There are plenty of great staycation options in Central Oregon, including Sunriver, Black Butte Ranch and Pronghorn, but Brasada is usually near the top of our list for its mix of casual luxury and family fun. Tucked into the base of Powell Butte, Brasada is just a half-an-hour’s drive from Bend, but it feels a world away. A kids’ game center and family pool area, complete with lazy river and waterslide, make for hours of family fun. Add in a world-class spa, 18-hole championship golf course, horseback riding and four-star dining and you’ve got a recipe for memories.
16. Follow the Ale Trail
Tyler Rowe
The Bend Ale Trail is the official way to get to know Bend’s craft breweries. For visitors, it’s a good way to experience the diversity of beer being brewed in Central Oregon, with more than two dozen breweries and counting. For locals, it’s a good way to get out of your beer-comfort zone and find a new favorite pint. Pick up the official passport and map at the Visit Bend office downtown, and collect stamps at any ten breweries to earn a souvenir. If you can’t decide on who’s going to be the designated driver, most of the breweries are within walking distance of each other.
17. Pedal for Pints
Bend is known for its breweries and its cycling scene. But why choose when you can do both at the same time thanks to thanks to The Bend Tour Company’s Cycle Pub, a rolling, person-powered bar that functions as a guided tour of Bend’s beer scene for groups of four to fourteen people. Plan your trip on the fly with your guide as the tour rolls out. The only required stop is at Cycle Pub’s sponsor, Silver Moon Brewing on Greenwood Avenue. Not to worry—this classic pub is a must-stop watering hole anyway.
18. Catch a Wave at Sunriver SHARC
Indoor and outdoor pools and a disc golf course make SHARC (Sunriver Homeowners’ Aquatic & Recreation Center) a fun place for families to spend an afternoon, or a day. You can buy passes for the day, or get a multi-day pass for a deal. Make a day of it by adding meals and shopping in the Sunriver Mall. The growing village has eighteen miles of paved paths through the woods and near the Deschutes River for biking and walking. When you’re ready for a break, check out some of the great food options that families will enjoy, such as Sunriver Brewing or Blondie’s Pizzeria.
19. Race Around the Go-Kart Track
Known for its family-friendly bowling, Sun Mountain Fun Center expands its offerings in the summer months to include batting cages and mini-golf. Best of all is the go-kart track that beckons would-be racers of all ages. The banked track snakes around the north end of the Fun Center in looping ribbons of concrete hemmed in by ubiquitous crash barrier tires. Side bets are encouraged, and remember, rubbing is racing.
20. Kick up Some Dust at a Rodeo
The Sisters Rodeo in June is just the beginning of the season that celebrates the region’s Western culture and heritage. Don’t miss the Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo in Madras in July and the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo in August. Find carnival rides, 4-H shows, live music, festival food, games, rodeo performances and more. Concerts at the Deschutes Country Fair are always a good time as well.
21. Jump Off the Cliffs at Steelhead Falls
Photo by Adam McKibben
On the hottest days of the summer, jumping off the twenty-foot cliffs at Steelhead Falls into the cold water is one of the most refreshing and adrenaline-pumping experiences in the region. Jump feet first into the water (do not dive) and consider climbing down the cliffs to test the water first. There’s also no shame in wearing a life jacket, which will help you get back to the surface of the water more quickly. Wear water shoes to help you with the climb back up the cliffs.
22. Eat at a Classic Drive-In
Nothing says, “summer is here!” like a burger hot off a sizzling grill with a side of piping hot fries, preferably served in wax paper. No Central Oregon summer vacation or staycation is complete without a stop at one of several nostalgia-rich, drive-in burger joints sprinkled around Central Oregon. In Bend, Dandy’s Drive-In is without peer. The place retains its vintage A & W feel, complete with drive-up stalls. Wash the grub down with a fountain soda or, even better, a handmade shake (choose from 23 different flavors). If you venture east, the Tastee Treet in Prineville is a mandatory stop. When in Redmond, the place to be is Jody’s, where it’s always standing room only.
23. Play Cornhole at a Brewery
Photo by Alex Jordan
It’s only a dirty word if your mind is already in the gutter. So grab a cold beer, a few friends and get ready to, er, toss off. When it comes to cornhole, these breweries have ample space in which to partake in one of the few sports where holding a beer during competition isn’t frowned upon, it’s encouraged. Breweries with cornhole and other lawn games include Crux, Goodlife, Worthy, Bridge 99, and Atlas Cider.
24. Opt for a Natural Soak Outdoors
Photo by Jon Tapper
Spend a day soaking in the mineral-rich, soul-revitalizing pools of a hot springs. Within Central Oregon, you can find the Paulina Lake Hot Springs off the Paulina Lake Loop Trail in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. It takes a moderate hike, but the reward is entirely worth the trek. The temperature of the water is usually around 95 degrees. You can also dig your own soaking pool at North Beach, just a short walk away. If you want to venture farther, Breitenbush Hot Springs to the west and Summer Lake Hot Springs to the east are both within a two-hour drive from Bend and Redmond and offer resort amenities.
25. Go Big at Mt. Bachelor
Central Oregon is a mountain bike mecca. Numerous routes have been added in the past decade, but none are more dramatic than Mt. Bachelor’s Bike Park, where familiar winter ski runs such as Leeway are transformed into daredevil dirt routes with names such as Rattlesnake and Rockfall. With chairlift access from Pine Marten and Sunshine Accelerator, the park features dozens of miles of banked singletrack, whoop-de-doos, bridges and other competition-worthy features. A mix of terrain and difficulties opens the experience to riders of all abilities. Bike, helmet and protective gear rentals are available at Mt. Bachelor.
Big Story owners Josh and Heidi Spencer are hoping they can finally live that bookstore owners’ elusive dream: actually having time to read.
Big Story is on the corner of Greenwood and NE 3rd Street in Bend.
The Bookmark, the longstanding used bookstore on the corner of Greenwood and Third Street in Bend, is getting a sequel. Josh and Heidi Spencer, who live in Bend and own the iconic The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, bought The Bookmark in February, renovated the building and renamed it Big Story.
Heidi and Josh Spencer, owners of Big Story.
With Big Story, the Spencers are hoping they can finally live that bookstore owners’ elusive dream: actually having time to read.
Heidi and Josh are married with two small children. Though they moved to Bend two years ago, Josh still spends a week in L.A. each month at The Last Bookstore. The two didn’t have plans to open a bookstore in Bend until The Bookmark came up for sale. Josh described buying the used bookstore as “a little challenge for me to take on.”
Beginning in February, they began renovating everything, including the shelving, by hand. “That means something to us,” said Heidi, “to create something that we want to be in.”
The Spencers are also dedicated to building a community with the bookstore, hoping to keep the previous owners’ loyal customers coming in to buy and sell books. “People have been very open to the changes that we’ve made,” said Heidi.
Big Story is the second independent bookstore that has opened in Bend within the last year; Roundabout Books opened in NorthWest Crossing in the fall. But Central Oregon isn’t the only place where bookstores are having a renaissance. Despite competition from Amazon and e-readers, indie bookstores are thriving across the United States. Between 2009 and 2014, independent bookstores rose by 27 percent, according to the American Booksellers Association.
The Spencers made all the shelving by hand for Big Story.
Big Story is a new chapter for the Spencers. “It is a challenge,” said Heidi. “It’s a real juggling act,” she continued, referring to their challenge in figuring out how to run this bookstore versus their L.A. bookstore, which is a cultural destination in the city as the largest new and used independent bookstore in California (by square footage and the number of books sold). “Our heart is to be a local, independent bookstore,” she said.
“It really is a family-owned, family-run business,” she added. “[Big Story] is this manageable, fun thing in a small community.”
Amy Hazel has been called the “Second Mouth of the Deschutes River,” but she couldn’t care less. She’s just here to fish.
“Can you feel that?” asked Amy Hazel. “This is it.”
We were hiking along the riverbank of the Deschutes River in Maupin, waders on, fly rod in hand. Green foliage was just starting to crop up along the bank, a striking contrast to the golden grass and red and brown rocks that painted the canyon walls above us. A blue sky brushed with hazy white clouds stretched seemingly forever beyond the canyon.
Hazel’s feeling was something only a fisherman knows. It’s how the water flows and how the wind blows, what the foam on the water looks like and where the bugs are. They call it “reading the water.” It seems like more of a hunch. Hazel felt it, so we climbed down the bank through the brush and stepped into the water.
We were knee-deep in the river, close to the bank and wedged between rocks and grass that stuck out of the water. After tying a stonefly pattern on the line and throwing a few casts, Hazel explained how an angler knows where to cast the line, something done by feel as much as anything else. It was mid-morning, and a slight breeze was starting to pick up.
A few minutes later. No bites yet. Evan, our shuttle driver and one of her guides, had told her this spot had been fishing well that week. “We’ll blame Evan,” she said jokingly. “He was lying; this place is shit.”
Then, of course, the line tightened. Fish on.
Small Town, Global Sport
Hazel is a formidable presence on and off the water. At five feet nine inches tall, dressed in waders and a Deschutes Angler baseball cap and with a boisterous voice and a firm handshake, Hazel could be an intimidating figure. But any intimidation is immediately tempered by her kind face. She laughs easily and, in turn, so do the people around her.
Maupin is a hamlet of about 400 people on the Deschutes River between Madras and The Dalles. It’s a place built around the river. In the summer, the population swells to a few thousand people, nearly all of them here to raft and fish. Hazel landed here nineteen years ago at age 28, recruited by John Hazel—considered one of the masters of fly-fishing and spey casting—who wanted her to work for him as a guide. They met at a convention in Portland. He also wanted to date her and, after a few months, he landed her. Eventually, they got married and opened Deschutes Angler, a fly shop in Maupin.
This was the late nineties. Hazel had just come off a yearlong journey traveling around the world to fish. One of her shticks is rattling off the countries, in order and in one breath: NewZealandAustraliaIndonesiaMalaysiaSingaporeThailandLaosVietnamNepalIndiaIrelandEnglandScotlandWalesFranceZimbabweZambiaSouthAfricaArgentina. The only continent she hasn’t fished on is Antarctica.
Hazel grew up in Minnesota and learned to fish in the lakes and creeks near her home. She didn’t pick up fly-fishing until she went to college at Middlebury in Vermont. Leaving school, she had offers to work on Wall Street, but decided to take some time off instead. She traveled to Thailand, then spent some time working odd jobs in the Pacific Northwest before embarking on her backpacking trip around the world.
It’s probably fair to say that by the time Hazel got to Maupin, she had reached her 10,000 hours of fly-fishing (the time it takes, per Malcolm Gladwell, to master something). John Hazel brought her in as a guide in his fly-fishing guiding service. The only female guide in the group, and in a sport that’s male-dominated, Hazel did encounter some sexism. But it didn’t take long to prove her skills.
The culture of sexism continues to pervade some aspects of the sport—especially for those making a living at it—and social media compounds the issue, she believes. Hazel said she’s grateful that she came of age as an angler before the advent of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Women today who show interest in fly-fishing get mocked for being try-hards or get accused of getting sponsorships without earning them. It’s a brand of misogyny that’s common in outdoor sports. Sometimes the aggression is more direct. She encounters men on the water who yell or put up a fight over a spot she’s fishing. ‘He’ll yell at me, ‘It’s a big river’ and I say, ‘Yeah, it is.'” As in, he can find somewhere else to fish.
She and her husband live on a 300-acre property on the outskirts of Maupin on a cliff overlooking the river. They have two dogs, and Hazel has a couple of horses. They don’t have children, but she calls the guides who work for them, “my boys.” It can be easy to romanticize a life on the river, but the days are long and the pay isn’t great. Deschutes Angler, their fly shop, doesn’t see a lot of customers in the winter. They rely on times like the salmon-fly hatch in late spring that brings anglers from all over the country and on repeat clients of their guiding service. She and John travel all over the world to fish now, but after almost two decades on the Deschutes, Hazel doesn’t have a desire to move anywhere else. “You can’t get this kind of fishing anywhere else in the West,” she said.
Fighting for the Future
Her passion for the Deschutes River is also why she’s playing an active role in the politics of it. In 2013, she joined a group of fisherman, scientists and activists to form the Deschutes River Alliance, or DRA. The nonprofit is aimed at addressing and correcting issues they say have arisen on the lower 100 miles of the river since the installation of the Round Butte-Pelton Dam Complex fish passage facility in 2009. The DRA has waged a public relations and awareness campaign about the issue and is currently suing Portland General Electric (the current owners of the dam complex) for violating the Clean Water Act. PGE tried to have the lawsuit dismissed earlier this year, but that was denied, allowing the DRA’s suit to proceed. The case is currently pending in the United States District Court.
Hazel isn’t often serious, but when she talks about the lawsuit and the DRA, her frustration is visible.
“I just don’t want to see this river turned into a shithole,” she said, in characteristic frankness.
A Day’s Work
Hazel promotes the organization and its primary cause: getting clear, cold water back in the lower river. She’s not shy about sharing her opinions. She’ll talk about it—along with any other thoughts, good or bad, she has that day—in her shop and on the blog she writes almost daily on the fly shop website. It’s what earned her the nickname “The Second Mouth of the Deschutes River” on an online forum, made by an anonymous poster. She shrugs off the ill intent, though, chalking it up to just another encounter that happens when you’re on the river.
Hazel talks the whole day while we’re on the water, mostly unprompted, though she’ll constantly interrupt herself to identify the bird in the water or one that’s flying overhead. Identifying birds and bugs is a hobby she picked up from endless hours on the river guiding and teaching people how to fish.
With most of her time spent in the shop, Hazel doesn’t get a lot of time on the water these days. A day like the one we spent together, where she just gets to fish, is rare. But she rattled off tips and tricks all day without hesitation.
“I can’t help it,” she said. “I’m always teaching.”
“Yeah, but this time you’re the one that just gets to fly fish all day,” I said.
She looked out at the river toward her line in the water. A small, knowing smile broke out across her face.
Common craft corners are usually relinquished to an existence behind closed doors. Hidden from view, they are disassociated from the airy, less cluttered parts of the home and are often neglected. “She sheds,” with an admittedly kitschy name, are gaining popularity as a dedicated space where crafting materials can be organized and find their purpose. These small buildings outside the main home are named in the same vein as the “man cave” and are often built by and for women. The outbuildings offer a sanctuary of sorts, plus a dedicated space to pursue hobbies and crafts.
Valerie Yost, who lives in Bend, had the idea for her shed when she picked up sewing again after having kids. “I love to sew, and I have accumulated a lot of fabric and miscellaneous craft things throughout the years,” she said. “There was absolutely no space in the house for that, and you know, if it’s not handy and practical, you don’t use it.”
Built on a rarely used side yard on her property, the ninety-six-square-foot building houses all of her sewing materials in creative and efficient ways. Building the shed inspired Yost and her husband to use the rest of the side yard in a new way. “We’ve kept adding on,” she said. “This was basically a dirt side yard that was never used. We added grass and the fire pit, and it’s a more usable space.”
She sheds are growing in popularity right now. Rick Lovely, who owns Tamarack Sheds in Bend, said that he’s seen an increase in people, especially women, looking for these kinds of spaces outside the home. They’re easy to put together and can be designed to fit each person’s need or style.
Though Yost is aware of the she shed trend, she doesn’t think of her space that way. She just calls it “The Shed.”
Small spaces
White walls and a natural wood paneled ceiling keep the space from feeling small. “I knew since it was such a small space that I wanted it to be a white interior, but I love color so I wanted to have pops of color,” said Yost.
Hiding clutter
Repainted lockers salvaged from Craigslist hide yards of fabric and other sewing supplies. “This rug is really fun because it adds color, but it also hides thread really well,” she said.
Thrifty finds
She purchased bamboo floors on clearance from Lowe’s. The table was another Craigslist find. Colorful ribbons are stored in clear glass containers, and a repainted frame turned into a pegboard to hold tools. The shed is dotted with “lots of things I’ve collected, and find pretty ways to use,” said Yost.
Modern Comfort
Central Oregon has a wide range of weather and temperature. “We decided to add a little wall heater and an air conditioner, so I should never have an excuse for not being out here,” said Yost. With that addition, Yost began also using the space as an extra guestroom.
Creative inspiration
A framed picture of her grandmother, who originally taught her how to sew, sits on a shelf in the shed. “My grandma, she was a really important person in my life and was a master seamstress,” said Yost. “[My grandma] being able to sew anything for me—I wanted that for my own kids.”
Central Oregon may be Oregon’s craft beer capital, but when it comes to hops, the industry doesn’t even come close to leading the production charge.
Hop bines at Tumalo Hops.
Central Oregon may be Oregon’s craft beer capital, but when it comes to hops, the (almost revered) ingredient that adds flavor and bitterness to each pint, the region doesn’t even come close to leading the production charge. That could change in the coming years, as hop yards sprout up around the region.
Eleven years ago, Gary and Susan Wyatt planted rhizomes on their property that would become their first hop bines. The decision made them the de facto leaders in the High Desert’s now burgeoning hops industry. Their farm, Tumalo Hops, was the first commercial hop farm in Central Oregon since the early 20th century. Since Tumalo Hops staked their bines, four commercial hop yards have started in Central Oregon and more are on the way.
Gary and Susan Wyatt next to their growing hop bines.
“All of the information we’ve learned in the last ten seasons, the dos and the don’ts of growing hops, we pass along to the other hop yards in Central Oregon,” said Gary. “We’ve shared all that information of how farming goes with hops and what you should do and how to plant them and what songs to sing so they’ll grow.”
Tumalo Hops sits on an unassuming five acres off Highway 20 in Tumalo. Both graduates of Bend High, the Wyatts have lived on the property since 1978. In 2006, Susan lost her job and decided she wanted to do something with their land. Cows were too expensive, and hay was out of the question with just a handful of acres. Hops turned out to be the perfect crop.
Through word of mouth and working with local homebrewer supply businesses, the farm grew. One relationship in particular helped make the farm successful. Trever Hawman, who graduated from home brewing to a commercial craft brewery when he founded Bridge 99 Brewery in Bend, buys ninety percent of the harvest from Tumalo Hops. The rest is sold to home brewers or as specialty purchases by other craft breweries.
The Wyatts grow six varieties of hops. A majority of the acreage is devoted to Cascade, the most popular variety. They do most of the work themselves, from planting to harvesting and transforming the hops into pellets. For a crop with so much history, the learning curve was still steep. “We read everything we could find,” said Susan. “It was lots of information, but it all pertained to the [Willamette] Valley or back east.”
Oregon farmers are no strangers to hop crops. The Beaver State is the nation’s second largest producer of hops behind Washington. Most Central Oregon craft breweries get their hops from the Willamette Valley or Yakima, Washington. Yakima is the leading region for hops with 30,000 dedicated acres. Central Oregon’s warm and dry climate is similar to Yakima’s, which makes it an ideal location for growing hops, though Central Oregon’s growing season of 120 days is a bit shorter than average.
Still, the Wyatts and other early adopters in Central Oregon believe that brewers will soon have more options to purchase hops from local growers. With only a smattering of acres of hops planted throughout the region, Central Oregon still has a long way to go before catching up to Yakima. Much like the way hops grow on the bine, it will be a climb.
Vacancy rates for office, retail and industrial spaces have all fallen below 5% in 2017.
Illustration by Brian Zager
The housing shortage may be the most talked about issue stemming from Central Oregon’s population growth, but renters aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch. With historic low vacancy rates for office, retail and industrial spaces, businesses are also facing a shortage of leasable space that, in some cases, has hampered plans for growth and stymied relocation efforts that are key to the region’s economic growth.
Bend’s vacancy rates for office, retail and industrial spaces all fell to below five percent in 2016 and continued to drop in the first quarter of 2017, according to reports produced by Compass Commercial. In comparison, Portland’s vacancy rate was reported in the eight percent range in 2016. Boise and the surrounding area had a 10 percent vacancy rate.
Though some businesses may have a hard time finding space, the high occupancy is indicative of a strong local economy, according to Howard Friedman, partner and principal broker at Compass Commercial in Bend. “It’s an incredibly healthy market right now,” said Friedman, “which bodes well for owners and sellers, but not for tenants and buyers.” Friedman predicts that these numbers won’t be changing anytime soon. “We don’t see vacancy rates going up for at least the next couple of years, at least not unless something changes with the economy that’s bigger than our little bubble here,” he said.
He described the market as a bell curve, but where the peak is—where both landlords and tenants are happy—is hard to quantify. “It’s hard to predict,” he said. “I don’t know if there is a way to figure out the middle ground.”
Jon Davis, CEO of the software company Shape, started his hunt for office space around Christmas last year. Davis, 33, founded Shape in 2014. The company specializes in managing paid internet search campaigns, known as pay per click, or PPC. With venture seed funding, it’s grown from “me in my kitchen with a couple part-time developers” to a full time staff of seven, he said. With that growth came the need for office space.
“We are in software, and people could get their jobs done remotely, but there’s still a lot of power to people being in the same room,” said Davis.
The search took him months, and he came up against a range of hurdles. “The risk factor on a software startup kind of scares landlords,” he said, citing the possibility of not having enough positive cash flow for an extended period. Another factor, Davis believes, is his age. “You get enough of those red flags working against you, it gives people that own buildings enough cause for concern.”
From his side, Davis was sorting through low inventory, expensive square footage and long lease terms. “Eventually, we found a spot we were super happy with, and got really lucky,” he said. “But we didn’t go through any traditional means.”
Four months into his search, Davis was in Bond Street Market buying beer. The cashier, a friend, asked him if he was still looking for an office. As it turns out, the office space above the market had just become available. Davis jumped. “The paperwork was done in three days without any agents involved,” said Davis. “For us, it was serendipitous.”
Stories such as Davis’ concern Roger Lee, the executive director at the nonprofit organization Economic Development of Central Oregon (EDCO). It is Lee’s job to attract companies to the region and help grow the businesses that are already here. Lee’s team works to ensure that there are enough jobs, especially good paying jobs, for all the people moving to Central Oregon. Lee said that space is one of the top three challenges facing new businesses in Bend, and points to problems that began with the Great Recession in 2008.
“We’ve had consistent population growth, consistent job growth, GDP growth, and hardly any construction on the commercial and industrial side,” said Lee. “It was pretty easy to see that this was coming.” He explained that the problem seemingly created itself. “Some of the reasons we’ve been able to grow so quickly and be at the top of growth charts is that we’ve had existing space to occupy,” said Lee, but that inventory is almost gone.
He explained that it’s not just low vacancy rates for business buildings that will cause some economic uncertainty. “That in combination with housing [low vacancy rates] is creating pressures we’ve never seen in Bend before.”
Lee does see some relief on the horizon. The City of Bend’s recent Urban Growth Boundary expansion will add 815 acres of buildable plots that can accommodate more commercial and office space—but that may take years, as infrastructure such as sewage systems and roads need to fill in first. In the meantime, Bend’s population base, already among the fastest growing metro areas in the United States, will continue to mushroom. (Long-term estimates put Bend’s population at more than 135,000 by 2035.)
“We kind of look at it as a short-term imbalance that will get resolved in the intermediate term,” said Lee. He acknowledged that throughout this “intermediate term,” Bend and Central Oregon could be affected more by any economic recession that occurs during that timeframe.
“It could definitely put the brakes on job growth and economic growth, as well,” he said. “That talent and that workforce will migrate somewhere else, where they don’t have that constraint of space.”
To understand sculptor Danae Miller, one need only spend an hour at her Tumalo farm.
To understand Danae (“Nye”) Miller’s art, one need only spend an hour at her Tumalo farm. Her bronze sculptures are sprinkled around Central Oregon, but owe their veracity to the living things that cohabitate on the farm with her, her husband, Ron, and their 17-year-old son, Logan. Horses, lambs and ewes, turkeys, chickens, ducks, peacocks and two dogs roam the ten-acre compound. The wild things—deer, red tail hawks, eagles and coyotes—also make cameos.
The fauna is more than just window dressing. These diverse creatures play an observatory function in her kinetic sculptures. “They are all critical to my understanding of anatomy,” she said. They’ve also played a more tangible role. She once cast the back of Bueno, Logan’s horse, for the sculpture in the Newport Avenue roundabout in Bend.
A classically trained sculptor, Miller got her master of fine arts degree at the University of Washington in 1986, taught sculpture and ran a foundry. Today she creates large and small bronze and glass pieces with the lost-wax method—an ancient technique that translates wax into metal. It’s a complicated, messy process, and Miller forgoes traditional steps of making a mold for multiple copies.
“Not many sculptors work in wax,” she said. “It’s finicky and doesn’t always suit every artist’s sensibility—plus wax shatters in cold temperatures and loses shape in hot weather.”
Miller once transported a large wax horse—appropriately in a horse trailer—to a foundry in Enterprise. But she had to pass through Pendleton, where temperatures topped 100 degrees. In anticipation of the heat, her husband installed a makeshift air conditioner in the trailer to prevent months of work from melting away.
Evocative of the cave drawings of Southern France, Miller’s one-of-a-kind animal sculptures often consist of dozens, sometimes hundreds of pieces welded together, imbuing them with a primitive edginess. “When I’m working, the spark of life flows from me into the sculpture,” she said, explaining that it’s one reason she doesn’t do multiple copies. She’s one of just a few artists who use the lost wax method to blend bronze and lead glass crystal in a single sculpture.
“I’m a devoted friend and fan,” said Bea Zizlavsky who has collected eight pieces, including several bison. “They all have a personality and appear to have movement. They brighten up any environment.”
Miller, 58, moved to Bend in 1994 and has several commissioned pieces in public places. In addition to the Newport roundabout, Miller’s sculptures can be viewed at the fountain at the end of Minnesota Street in downtown Bend, Ash Street Park in Sisters and the Unitarian Universalist church on Skyline Ranch Road in Bend. Catch her at Art in the High Desert in August in the Old Mill District.
Next year, she will open a large studio space and gallery on her property where she’ll be sculpting, print making and expanding into multimedia projects that incorporate wood, antlers and glass, along with bronze projects. And if you visit in the spring, you’ll get to see lambs in the corrals and the rest of the species that encapsulate Miller’s world.
From Thai coconut curry to Japanese tacos to warm Indian fried cauliflower salad, Bend’s Global Fusion is a true melting pot.
“Coconut milk,” said Bethlyn Rider. When I asked the chef and co-owner of Global Fusion what ingredient should be the universal ambassador of food, she humored me without hesitation. “Everybody loves coconut milk.”
From Thai coconut curry to Japanese tacos to warm Indian fried cauliflower salad, Global Fusion’s menu is a true melting pot that hit the local scene as a food cart in 2015, then quickly pivoted into a small brick-and-mortar in the Maker’s District. In March, Rider and her silent partner, Nicole Timm, expanded the business again, landing in the restaurant’s current location on NW Newport Avenue. Outdoor seating included, the new digs add about forty more seats.
“If it wasn’t for her this probably wouldn’t have happened,” Rider, 48, said of Timm. They met when Rider left Broken Top Bottle Shop for a chef position at Common Table, a now defunct downtown restaurant with a social benefit component. Over the last three years they’ve developed a strong local following, orchestrating monthly farm-to-table dinners at various locations, in addition to starting Global Fusion.
Rider’s penchant for healthy, fresh food unfolds in unusual preparations—often with vegan or gluten-free roots. “I’ll get this inspiration in a moment, a flash, and I want to blend ingredients from two cultures,” she said, noting the Wednesday summer farmers’ market as a place where her ideas flow. “I get so excited that I’ll go get all the product and build a new dish.”
Field Farms, Millican Valley Beef, Juniper Jungle and Rainshadow Organics are among Rider’s favorite local vendors, but she readily admits the challenge in going local. “I really try hard to work with farmers in everything I do,” said Rider. “It’s really hard because financially you’ve got to meet price expectations. I try for at least 50 percent local in the summer. In the winter it’s mostly reduced to cheeses and meats.”
Rider credits her interior designer mother and artist father with germinating her passion for cooking. They were creatives who “were awesome home cooks, revolutionaries,” said Rider. “Here I was thirty-five years ago in upstate New York doing those damn wheat grass shots. I can never smell it again. My mother’s a real health nut freak.”
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, “because I wanted to go to the best,” Rider briefly landed in fine dining in Colorado. She promptly backed out of that scene and into Santa Fe, New Mexico. There she earned her stripes over a decade at Whole Foods, helping open new stores and create recipes.
“I wanted to bring out amazing flavors in an environment without the high stress that leads people to drink a lot in this industry,” she said. Two of her cooks have been helping her fulfill that dream in Bend for the last ten years.
“They know my style so much and they intuitively get what fusion is about,” said Rider. “I’ll do anything for my staff and I know they’ll do anything for me—though I will let you know that I do scream every now and then.”
Observe Rider and her staff mingling with each other and customers, and camaraderie is the culture. One employee even popped by on her day off for a post-mountain bowl of curry.
“I have this knack that, for years, I didn’t even know I had: I can create a meal in my mouth,” said Rider. She was shocked when friends informed her that, no, most people can’t taste a meal in their imagination. “I thought, really? Wow. I definitely thought everybody could. I can bring all the textures together in my mouth when the idea comes. Not like the best chefs in the world, but it’s there.”
Bunk and Brew offers affordable lodging for travelers in Bend—and a free beer when you check-in.
Outside Bunk+Brew in the historic Lucas house in downtown Bend. Photo by Danielle Meyers
Frankie Maduzia and J Charles Griggs had the same goal: create a place with a bed for travelers, and beer for good measure, in Bend. Both avid travelers but novice entrepreneurs, Maduzia and Griggs had a serendipitous meeting that resulted in Bend’s first hostel, Bunk+Brew.
Opened in January, Bunk+Brew is located in the oldest brick building in Bend, the historic Lucas House in the north section of downtown. Maduzia and Griggs, who both recently moved to Bend from Portland, had noticed a void in Bend’s lodging options during their pre-move visits.
“I love coming here to climb at Smith Rock, and I don’t mind being dirty and roughing it sleeping in a tent or my car, but sometimes a shower and a bed can’t be beat,” said Maduzia.
About a year ago, Maduzia and Griggs met through a mutual friend, discovered their shared passion for traveling and lodging and decided to go into business together.
Before getting into the hostel business, Maduzia worked in the medicine and technology industry. Maduzia has traveled all over the world, beginning with a trip to Ecuador when he was seventeen. His partner, Griggs, is a licensed attorney and also has ample travel experience. In 2015, Griggs traveled from Mexico to Panama and ended his journey in Cuba, visiting a total of eight countries and staying in more than fifty hostels. During his travels, Griggs noticed a trend of more young people choosing to stay in hostels rather than hotels, himself included.
“Millennials all over the world are on the move,” said Griggs. “Hostels are not only incredibly cost effective, they also offer a community atmosphere.”
The first guests at Bunk+Brew were from France and Germany, and more guests from around the world have stayed there since. The hostel already has a map stuck with pins, representing the global origins of the hostel’s guests.
Photo by Danielle Meyers
Built in 1910, the Lucas House has a history of accommodating travelers, predominantly as a boarding house. The seller supported the business partners’ vision for the property, hinting that their plans to continue its legacy sealed the deal.
The hostel sleeps twenty-four people in seven rooms, with beds in a shared room starting at $33 per night. Private bedrooms can be booked starting at $68 per night—an affordable rate considering the average night in a local hotel room cost $121 last year, according to a report produced for Visit Bend. Guests also have access to a full kitchen and laundry facilities. Community living and dining room spaces encourage guests to mingle over coffee in the morning or beers from local breweries in the evening, beginning with a free beer for each guest upon check-in.
“We hope the hostel will be a welcoming place for all ages,” said Maduzia, who envisions guests stemming from a variety of demographics coming to visit this “young, fresh, hip house.”
Wildflower Mobile Boutique sells affordable—and adorable—fashion in a renovated retro delivery truck.
With rising rent prices and falling retail vacancy rates, more new businesses around Bend are sprouting wheels. One of those is Wildflower Mobile Boutique, which sells a curated mix of clothes and accessories.
Mariah Young
Mariah Young, 34, opened the truck two years ago this fall. Originally from La Grande in Northeast Oregon, Young had been working as a dental assistant in Bend.
“I always wanted my own business or my own store, but I knew that would be a huge commitment,” she said. “I had the seen the mobile retail businesses that were taking off, and I thought I should do a clothing store out of one.”
Young found a former Frito-Lay delivery truck that was being used by a plumber as a shop vehicle. With the help of her husband and a couple friends, the truck was renovated and open for business in just four months as a mobile boutique. The result was a light and bright space, with a few racks for a curated collection of clothes and jewelry and a small dressing room. “It honestly all came to fruition in a really incredible way,” she said.
The truck is parked at Spoken Moto every Thursday, and Young spends the rest of the time bringing the truck to private events, where people can have a personal shopping experience, usually from their homes. Without the overhead costs of a brick and mortar store, Young turned a profit in less than a year.
“It was something that hadn’t been done here,” said Young. “I also know Bend’s a very progressive town and very supportive of local businesses, so that was something I felt like I had going for me. This town is great that way.”
We caught up with CrushCore founder Adam Krefting to learn more about how he came up with the idea, why he moved his startup from Texas and what he’s learned from his entrepreneurial ventures, or rather, adventures.
Adam Krefting
One of the most common questions that CushCore founder Adam Krefting gets from mountain bikers who hear about his invention is ‘When can I try it?’ The enthusiasm for Krefting’s patent pending product is understandable. The CushCore inner-tire suspension system promises to prevent flats, in addition to offering more stability, traction and a smoother ride.
A foam injected mold insert that sits on the inner radius of your mountain bike tire, CushCore serves numerous functions, but acts primarily as inner-tire suspension that dampens impacts and provides a smoother, more consistent ride. It also improves durability by preventing impact-related rim damage and the dreaded pinch flat.
CushCore began selling its products in March, and you can find them in many Bend bike shops, as well as online.
You noted that you’re a natural tinkerer. What was the process for inventing CushCore?
I started with a hacksaw, and I just cut foam into a trapezoid shape, glued it into a ring, and inserted it into my tire. After I realized that worked, even in a primitive form, I set about trying to find the ideal material. I wanted something that was super lightweight but could also handle repeated impacts. I probably tried fifty kinds of foam, and all sorts of different ways to shape it. At one point, I brought a giant piece of foam to a woodworking shop to see if they could mill it. It disintegrated. It was a two-year process to get where we are today. Now we use an injection molded foam.
CushCore began selling its inner tire suspension system in March. What’s the response been?
If we can get people to try it, they love it. We’ve received lots of positive reviews from pro riders across the country who have tested it. We get some concerns on our Facebook page from people who are worried about adding 250 grams of weight to their wheel. But you can often offset that with a lighter tire or wheel. More significantly, riders say our product increases ride quality and overall speed. That’s something we’ve also been able to back up with demos and tests.
You moved Kreft Moto and CushCore to Bend from Austin last year. What brought you here?
We were interested in living in a smaller community, and the strength of the startup programs here were a big draw. My wife is a physical therapist; she got a job at St. Charles and that made our decision. So far, it’s been a great fit. I’ve found excellent techs for Kreft Moto and EDCO connected me with CushCore’s first employee, who used to work in Honda’s R&D department. We also ended up winning $18,000 in grants from the Bend Venture Conference and the Venture Out Festival.
In addition to Kreft Moto and CushCore, you’ve launched a couple other businesses. What have you learned?
You have to be willing to try and fail. It’s easy to look to people for advice about what kind of business to start, whether it’s a good financial risk, etc. But at some point you have to get comfortable answering those questions yourself. If you think you have a good idea, give it a try—you’ll know in a short time whether it will work.
A mix of desperation and determination fueled Bill Smith and his enduring contributions to Central Oregon.
It’s approaching midnight on the Deschutes River and the scene is unusually quiet at the Brooks-Scanlon lumber mill. A workers’ strike has silenced the churning economic backbone of Bend, which, in 1973, supports many of the nearly 15,000 residents, directly or indirectly. The night watchman patrols the riverbank.
The river’s current is slackened by a dam and the banks have eroded from years of industrial activity. As the watchman goes, he snips off pieces of willow and pushes the tender shoots into the riparian mud, a minute reparatory act. The river’s surface, temporarily relieved of some of the logs that typically choke it, tempts him to drop in a fishing line, an act strictly forbidden on this liquid conveyor belt to the mill. Then it dawned on him: “I’m the night watchman; the only one who’d catch me is me.”
It wasn’t a job that William Smith was used to doing. Among the company’s top brass, he was pitching in to cover skeleton crew shifts during the work stoppage. The strike would end, but the problems were just beginning for the logging industry. Later that year, Smith would be named president of Brooks Resources Corp., the four-year-old real estate subsidiary of the timber monolith. He knew timber resources were limited; someday soon, the mill would close. But, boy, did he like that stretch of the river. Despite its industrial baggage, the site had potential. He wouldn’t have a chance to act on his notion, though, for two decades.
Fast forward to 1993, past an entire collapse of the Pacific Northwest timber industry, past Smith launching his own development company, and past a visit to San Antonio’s River Walk—where the shops, restaurants and public art lining the riverbank inspired him. Timber giants such as Crown Pacific and Weyerhaeuser are conducting fire sales on their timber holdings. Among those lands are several parcels bundled with the idle Bend sawmill, which most buyers considered the ugly stepchild in the portfolio. Smith, a consummate dealmaker, forms the River Bend Limited Partnership, and calls up the likely bidders with a proposal: buy the land and give him the unwanted mill, for a price. It didn’t take long for him to put together a deal.
It would take nearly five years—“four years, eleven months and two days,” Smith is quick to say—to funnel his plan through Oregon land use laws and get city zoning approval to begin creating the 270-acre Old Mill District. Central to that was cleaning up more than two-and-a-half miles of the riverbank that had been off-limits to the public for most of a century. The area opened in late 2000 with Regal Cinemas and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop as its flagship tenants. Today it has more than sixty businesses, including local and national restaurants, retail stores and nine historic buildings. The most iconic is the mill powerhouse, with its 200-foot-tall silver smokestacks, that now houses an REI store. A footbridge bedecked with colorful flags connects the shopping area to an outdoor amphitheater that hosts year-round events and attracts musicians on national and international touring circuits. Four hotels overlook the retail-lined streets and the walking and cycling paths that parallel the river and link to Bend’s extensive network of parks and trails. Thousands of people paddle or float by on this lazy section of the river, where otters frolic, offering evidence of the habitat’s restored integrity.
While the Old Mill District is Smith’s signature piece, and widely credited as integral to Bend’s rebirth, his prior work with Brooks Resources helped shape Central Oregon’s evolution from timber outpost to outdoor mecca. From Black Butte Ranch, Sisters and La Pine to major developments in Bend, such as Awbrey Butte and Mount Bachelor Village, Smith oversaw work that helped transform Brooks-Scanlon from a mill operator to a purveyor of destination lifestyles—work that helped rebrand and redefine the region in the process. He launched William Smith Properties in 1985, extending his holdings to vast ranches in Eastern Oregon. His wife and co-owner of the firm, Patricia “Trish” Smith, has taken the lead on their significant civic and philanthropic work, supporting arts and culture, education, and healthcare in Bend and throughout the state.
Known widely in the Central Oregon business community as a consummate dealmaker, Bill Smith turns 76 in August, with no intention of being more laissez-faire, even as the couple’s son and daughter assume responsibilities in the family’s thriving enterprises. By all accounts, including his own, it’s Smith’s pure love of work, ox-like persistence, obsession with detail and unrelenting desire to live nowhere but Bend that have allowed him to make a lasting mark on Central Oregon.
“Bill has cemented a place in our community’s history with his vision for the Old Mill District, whether you agree with his vision or not, and there are those in the community who didn’t necessarily want his vision,” said Kelly Cannon-Miller, executive director for the Deschutes County Historical Society. “It has had an undeniable impact on changing the face of Bend and what it means to visit here.”
Last summer, the Old Mill District was a finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s Global Award Program, alongside twenty-five others from Paris and Geneva to Manhattan and Mexico City, said Ken Kay, whose San Francisco-based design firm applied its specialty, linking urbanism and ecology, to Smith’s project.
Smith, known for his laconic style, sloughs it off. “It’s just fun,” he said. “I like to fix, rewind, repair, redo, rejuvenate. Historic preservation’s fun. Doing that gives you a place to know where you came from.”
The Making of a Dealmaker
You could argue that Smith pours so much into his work because he doesn’t know how to have fun. But it’s more complicated than that. The value of a day’s work was a notion embedded in him as a child. His maternal grandmother lived with his family when he was growing up, and she spoke with a heavy German accent. Trish recalled that the matriarch would sit in her rocking chair, always with a book, dispensing her favorite piece of advice: “You must verk.”
Members of the Brooks-Scanlon leadership team gather for a group photo at the Bend sawmill circa 1974. Bill Smith is in the center, directly above then-CEO Mike Hollern, standing bottom row center. Smith would later go on to acquire and redevelop the sprawling mill site as a modern mixed-use and retail hub while retaining elements of the historic mill, such as the iconic silver smokestacks.
Smith, born in Denver to a mechanical engineer and a homemaker, the oldest boy of five children, launched a forty-hour-per-week lawn and garden business when he was a high school sophomore. He capitalized on the fact that the school was overcrowded. Half of the students, including Smith, had classes from 6 a.m. to noon, and the other half went until 5 p.m. Once he turned 16, he worked for his workaholic uncle’s growing trucking company, doing office work and filling in on the dock.
He graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1964 with a degree in economics, but the best employers avoided hiring men who might be drafted, so Smith joined the Navy. His four years of service included twenty-two months aboard a destroyer that bombed the shores of Vietnam, rescued pilots who’d been shot down and searched for those who missed aircraft carrier landings. In Saigon, as an Officer in Charge of Construction, he slogged through Agent Orange during the Tet Offensive.
When he returned, he entered the MBA program at Stanford. In 1969, after Smith’s first year in the program, Mike Hollern, president of Brooks-Scanlon, recruited him and another graduate student to work for the lumber company during the summer, having interviewed about a dozen candidates. The company was founding its real estate subsidiary, Brooks Resources. That October, back in Palo Alto, Smith was at a party when a dark-haired, blue-eyed, fourth-grade schoolteacher walked in. He asked if he could buy her a beer. They were engaged at Christmas, married in June and moved to Bend in July 1970.
“Bill had turned down offers in L.A. and New York and chose Bend, where he could fish and hunt, which he did a bit, but not nearly as much as his imagination held,” said Trish.
Maverick Methods
Bill Smith, president of Brooks Resources, in 1974 with Black Butte Ranch and the Cascade mountains in the background.
Newly formed Brooks Resources was creating Black Butte Ranch, and Hollern placed Smith in charge of marketing. Hollern recalled, “We did so many things differently—as young kids, we didn’t know any better—and I credit Bill with the marketing ideas: no paid advertising or print media.” Instead, Smith had frame-worthy posters made of Black Butte Ranch landscapes surrounding the undeveloped vacation home lots on 1,800 acres. He got the membership lists for all the private golf courses in Northern California, Oregon and Southern Washington.
“Every doctor, dentist, mortician, plane-owner,” Smith said, “anyone who made enough to afford a second home.” The vacation home concept had just arrived in Central Oregon with Sunriver and Inn at the Seventh Mountain (now Seventh Mountain Resort). The market research showed they could expect to sell about fifty lots at first. The Black Butte Ranch site had a natural advantage—people had to drive by it on their way to the other resorts, Smith said, “and they’d have gotten this unsolicited, nice piece. We didn’t have to spend as much to recruit them, we just had to get them to stop as they went by.”
Smith worked with a local designer and McCann Erickson ad agency in Portland to create the posters. The only information was a single slogan (which the property still uses): “There is a place … Black Butte Ranch.”
James Crowell, former communications director for Brooks-Scanlon, worked with Bill on the project. “Smith’s marketing approach was pure genius and set the tone for the way Brooks Resources sold property,” he said. “There was a very strict architectural review committee and they started with a limited number of lots to limit speculation. They wanted people to buy a lot, build a house and bring their family.”
It was a maverick approach for the 1970s, with the dawn of timeshares in Mexico and direct marketing brochures with price lists and huckster-like radio and TV pitches. “Real estate was being sold like used cars,” said Crowell. At a time when salespeople worked strictly on commission, Smith put his team on salary, which set them apart and kept aggressive pitching in check. “It was a heck of a different approach to selling property that nobody absolutely really needed,” said Crowell.
The team had sales objectives, though, and Monday breakfast meetings were important for the entire staff, not just salespeople. Smith reluctantly agreed they’d commence at 7 a.m. instead of 6:30 a.m. “He wound up every meeting with something I always thought was brilliant: ‘Nobody makes anything until somebody sells something,’” said Crowell. “Everyone loses track of that.”
Tough Times
Black Butte Ranch was the most fun because “success is always fun,” said Smith, but there were tough times, too. In 1982, while he was president of Brooks Resources, he led the company to invest heavily in Kennewick, Washington, piggybacking on the construction of a planned nuclear power plant. The gamble was ill-timed. The Washington Public Power Supply System was about to default on $2.25 billion in construction bonds for the project. It remains one of the one of the biggest municipal bond failures in U.S. history. WPPPS (dubbed WHOOPS by the national press) halted construction of several Pacific Northwest nuclear power plants, including one near Kennewick on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Speculators such as Brooks that bet on the accompanying boom had no recourse when the bottom dropped out of the local economy. Smith’s research on Kennewick had included several contingencies, but not an outright collapse. “I didn’t count on them hitting the pause button and there being no jobs,” he said.
The fallout was swift. Smith left Brooks Resources and began William Smith Properties with the ranchland that Brooks Resources didn’t want. It was precarious, and he admits now that he was afraid, but he had a plan: work even harder. “Instead of getting up at 4:30, I’d get up at 3:30.”
Hollern said, “He owed us a lot of money. We financed it, and he paid it off and we’ve maintained our friendship.” It took about six years for the market in Kennewick to turn around and Smith’s son, Matt Smith, now manages that region for William Smith Properties.
For all of Smith’s sheer love of dealmaking, positioning Bend for success in a new economy was central to the goal, and it aligned with his business philosophy: “If you’re doing good deals, you’ve got to have both sides win.” For him, that means a Bend where future generations can continue what he started. He still works every day, but when he isn’t at his desk with the resident cat, “Teeny,” he’s seen around the Old Mill’s wildflower beds with a couple of his five grandchildren, pulling weeds.
A Renaissance, Complete with a “Benign Dictator”
Bill Smith, far right, with Mike Hollern, left, and Bob Lockrem during the early development stages of Black Butte Ranch. The resort was a first for the mill’s spinoff, Brooks Resources, and one of Smith’s first initiatives for the evolving company.
Trish, whose triple major included Renaissance history at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and a year abroad in Florence, said, “I have a theory about Bend in the ’70s. It was a convergence of people who had a vision, like in Tuscany at the time of the Renaissance, and what they did lasted.” She cited Fred Boyle, a Harvard graduate who sought to model Central Oregon Community College after his alma mater; Mike Hollern, who came West to run Brooks-Scanlon even though the timber industry was dying; Sister Catherine Hellmann, a driving force behind St. Charles Hospital that spawned a regional medical complex; Rod Ray, who pioneered the area’s biotech sector with Bend Research; and John Gray, who created Sunriver, the area’s first destination resort, when “people didn’t know quite what it was,” she said. “All of the institutions in Bend we’re most proud of, the backbone, had those influences in the ’70s.” It created a foundation for today’s entrepreneurial tech and startup community, she said. “In some ways, it’s another Renaissance.”
A true renaissance also goes beyond brilliant, fresh ideas to compassion, and Trish has made that her life’s work. Since serving on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s board twenty-two years ago, she has become a primary source for philanthropic work east of the Cascades. She’s served on the board of many nonprofits, including: Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon Medical Board, Central Oregon Community College Foundation, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (which distributes a portion of state lottery funds for salmon recovery, watershed improvement and state parks), St. Francis of Assisi Church and its school foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation.
Evoking the Renaissance, Smith refers to himself as the “benign dictator” of the Old Mill District, only half-jokingly. Clad in his unofficial uniform of blazer, Oxford shirt, striped tie and khakis, he removes posters and flyers which violate the Old Mill’s strict CCRs. He picks up litter, compulsively. His family recalls taking walks at Black Butte Ranch during its early days. They’d always have a Safeway bag with them for collecting litter. It’s a small act, but indicative of what has permeated all aspects of his business: a commitment to excellence. From his insistence on landscaping with flowers (another influence of his German grandmother and mother) to paying tribute to Bend’s history with pithy epitaphs on plaques throughout, to sending memorial gifts to the families of anyone who ever worked at the mill, Smith’s vision has always encompassed the micro and the macro. Trish summed up his credo: “‘Pay attention to the details,’ he would say, ‘It’s what always makes something good.’”
Giving Back
Among Trish Smith’s many charitable activities, she has been deeply involved with the Oregon Community Foundation, where she sits on six committees.
Trish Smith
The foundation holds a $1.8 billion endowment, composed of about 2,000 charitable funds created by Oregon individuals and families, including the Smiths. It is among the top ten wealthiest and most generous statewide community foundations in America. OCF awards more than $100 million in grants and scholarships to Oregon nonprofits, and local recipients have included the Tower Theatre, High Desert Museum, Boys and Girls Clubs of Bend, Bethlehem Inn, KIDS Center and the La Pine Community Center.
“It’s ‘Oregon for good,’” Trish said. “We’ve touched every community.” OCF’s work ranges from the absolute essentials to the arts. She details how OCF made possible a symphony that took eighteen months to write and was performed on the rim of Crater Lake. In the next breath, the former schoolteacher rattles off statistics about the broader societal impacts of meeting the needs of children between birth and age three, that Oregon children’s dental health ranks near the bottom nationally, and that third-grade literacy is linked to school drop-out and juvenile justice rates. “We can move that needle,” she said. “Imbalance of opportunity directs your life one way or another, and if we can address it at an early age and solve problems, we can close prisons and open universities.”
Cheryl Puddy, an OCF program officer, said Trish Smith’s deep knowledge of Central and Eastern Oregon goes from the grassroots up to all stakeholders, on issues from schools to salmon to ranchers, and that’s just the beginning of what makes her an invaluable philanthropist. “‘Time, talent, and treasure,’ we always say—and Trish has all of those,” said Puddy. “I don’t know where she comes up with the time she devotes to all kinds of causes.”
Jeff Sagner’s detail-rich greenhouses are more than just a home for plants.
Dutch doors, French windows and wainscoting are not terms you would expect to use when describing a backyard greenhouse. Then again, these are not run-of-the-mill greenhouses. Custom designed, made with Incense Cedar, and handcrafted with wood and stone details, the greenhouses made by NW Green Panels are immensely Instagram-worthy.
Owner, designer and builder Jeff Sagner is the visionary behind the company. He has a background in carpentry dating back to his teen years, when he began building cabinets and furniture.
Five years ago, his wife was pregnant and wanted to grow produce to make baby food. When Sagner looked into buying a greenhouse, he ran into a trifecta of challenges. The greenhouse had to comply with strict aesthetic rules set by his homeowner’s association, withstand strong Columbia River Gorge winds and expand as their garden did. “I wanted something that looked nice and was sturdy and I could make bigger if I wanted to,” said Sagner.
After deciding to build his own structure, Sagner sketched out a rough idea of what the greenhouse would look like, though he primarily winged it from a mental picture. Neighbors and friends took notice of the finished product, and started requesting their own greenhouses. Sagner then advertised his greenhouse building service on Craigslist and requests rolled in, so he took the leap to turn his hobby into a business. He moved the company to Madras in 2014.
Jeff Sagner
Double paned Polycarbonate glass embedded in wood panels makes the greenhouses more stable than traditional designs. As such, Sagner’s greenhouses can withstand substantially more wind, rain, snow and extreme weather conditions. The prominence of the wood in the design adds visual appeal and lends itself to a modular system, meaning the configuration can easily be expanded. An automatic ridgeline ventilation system keeps the greenhouse from overheating.
For the wood, Sagner uses a high-quality wood, called Incense Cedar, that is grown and milled in Oregon. It can be stained a variety of tones, so the greenhouses are at once eye-catching and able to blend into their landscaping.
Though the business has grown substantially over the last five years, Sagner said he tries to remain true an ethic of sustainability. “We’re dedicated to sourcing [our materials] as locally as possible,” he said.
In addition to his modular business, Sagner also designs custom greenhouses. He recently debuted a greenhouse in the style of a Japanese tea room, complete with a slanted roof and sliding doors that form a geometric pattern using wood. Sagner, who still develops many designs on the fly, has an innate ability to envision a complete structure and execute it—though he is quick to point out the craftsmanship his six employees demonstrate.
Sagner said he is seeing more young people who are in their late twenties and early thirties show interest in NW Green Panels. He believes in the trend of consumers who want a closer connection to their food.
“This is my favorite thing that’s happening right now,” said Sagner. “I’ve got multiple customers that are in the late twenties and early thirties. I think that’s a movement right now.”
At home, Sagner and his young family still abide by the food-growing philosophy that inspired the business. Raised garden beds and a large greenhouse anchor their property. “All of our landscaping is edible,” he said.
Get the year-round outdoor experience with an outdoor kitchen at home.
Photo by Paula Watts
It’s okay to admit it. You want the neighbor’s kitchen. The outdoor one that generates the smell of brick-fired pizza, the buzz of friends around a fire pit, the pop of a cork for Sunday mimosas. If you’re dreaming, or actually considering, adding an outdoor kitchen to your home, you’re not alone.
Outdoor kitchens are one of the hottest trends in patio design, particularly in Central Oregon where the outdoor lifestyle encompasses even the dinner hour. The good news is that a range of options exist for homeowners ready to embrace the next frontier of cooking and entertainment.
Outdoor kitchens can be simple—a dedicated space with seating, a barbeque, maybe a drink caddy or rolling cart and protection from the weather. Or they can be elaborate like the one in Westside Bend that overlooks the Deschutes River. It features a vaulted ceiling, built-in appliances, cabinets, a sink and counter tops, a wood-burning fireplace, overhead radiant heat, surround sound, a TV and sliding glass barn doors that maintain the views while buffering the wind.
The owners of this kitchen moved to Bend from Florida in 2016 and made it part of their home’s original construction. They report spending 60 to 70 percent of their time in the space that functions as an outdoor great room.
“A lot of people are moving here from warmer climates,” said Kirsti Wolfe, a Bend interior architectural designer who helped the couple design the outdoor kitchen. “They want the year-round outdoor living they’ve experienced elsewhere,” she said.
Get started
Photo by Paula Watts
First decide whether a simple, detached space will do or whether it’s better to connect the outdoor kitchen to your home. Jeff Klein, a Bend architect, advises people to consider consistency with their home’s style and consideration of infrastructure—such as electricity for lighting, natural gas or propane for cooking and heating elements in cooler months. Adding a water line for a sink or ice maker can be a great touch, but it can be costly and requires seasonal maintenance.
With creativity and DIY skills, a homeowner can build a detached outdoor kitchen for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. An attached outdoor living space will require considerably more time and cost, but will increase a home’s footprint and value.
Klein said that in most cases, homeowners will require the services of an architect or designer, a structural engineer, a city or county building permit and neighborhood design review.
Expect four to six months in the design phase, another two to three months in construction and expenses ranging from $60,000 to $150,000, “although every project is a little different,” said Klein.
Central Oregon trends
Photo by Paula Watts
Wolfe said everyone wants to gather around an outdoor fire pit or pizza oven but owners should install fans or other ventilation to keep smoke away from the home. She said that wood trellises and shading devices, such as screens, create a protected atmosphere.
Other considerations include lighting that doesn’t leak into the neighborhood and building materials that withstand Central Oregon’s swings in temperature, from freezing to 100-plus degrees. She suggests marine-grade mahogany for cabinets, concrete or quartzite countertops and stainless steel sinks that stand up against the freeze-thaw cycles.
“Everyone wants these outdoor living spaces,” Wolfe said, adding that “our air is so fresh you want to be outside.”
Adventure, culture, dining and fun await at Black Butte Ranch.
Heading northwest, the fringes of Bend in the rearview mirror, the highway straightens, meadows on either side. The sky seems bigger here, and makes you feel as if you could go on forever. That’s when your eye gets hold of it—nature’s perfect isosceles triangle, graphite against the blue.
Black Butte, its sweeping, elegant lines unmarred by the glacial chiseling that carved neighboring pinnacles, suggests a relatively peaceful backstory, but it’s all a facade, geologically speaking. It erupted about one-and-a-half million years ago, burying the Metolius River, creating swampy meadows to the south, and, at the northern base, springs where the river now emerges.
Ever since, people have been traveling here. Local indigenous people named the volcano Turututu. Native Americans migrating west from the Great Basin camped here, leaving behind tools found to be about 1,000 years old, confirming the oral history. Settlers began calling it Black Butte around 1855.
Photo by Mike Houska
Cattle and horse ranching began in the 1880s, when Till Glaze built the area’s first house—a modest log cabin in a sprawling meadow. In the mid-1930s, wealthy San Franciscan Stewart S. Lowery bought the property and named it Black Butte Ranch. He and his family spent summers there, horseback riding and swimming in their large pool, while the ranching continued.
Brooks Resources [learn more about the history and Mike Hollern] bought the property in 1970 and began developing a residential resort with limited commercial activity. The company had encouraged local business to develop instead in the nearby town of Sisters, a lumber town in decline. The company offered merchants $5,000 and free architectural help to create an 1880s theme, which endures today and has thrived. From quaint spots for ice cream and cowboy boots to a spa, microbrewery, and independent movie theater, the town is all 1880s outside and a mix of modernity and nostalgia inside.
Meanwhile, Black Butte Ranch has more than 1,250 homes, eighteen miles of paved bike paths, seventeen tennis courts, five swimming pools, three restaurants, a general store, and two 18-hole championship golf courses, Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow.
Play
Hike Black Butte
Relatively short but steep, the 1.9-mile route climbs 1,600 feet in elevation to a 6,436-foot summit, revealing fabulous views of Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack. The first half of the hike follows Forest Service Road 1110 before becoming a hiking trail amid towering ponderosa pines. About midway up, a treeless slope is usually awash in white serviceberry blossoms in June.
Metolius River Loops Scenic Bikeway
This roughly twenty-four-mile system can be done in one swoop or in a few shorter loops, offering family-friendly options, starting with one that’s just three miles. The relatively flat, paved roads that follow a breathtaking stretch of the Metolius River culminate as one of the best rides in the state.
36 Holes of Championship Golf
Black Butte was developed as a dual tennis and golf resort community. In the ensuing decades, interest in tennis has waned while the resort’s 36 holes of championship golf have remained a cornerstone. In just the past few years, both the Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow have received upgrades, including a multi-million dollar makeover at Glaze Meadow, cementing Black Butte’s reputation as a must-visit for Northwest golfers.
Mountain Modern
After roughly four decades as an icon of Northwest destination resort living, Black Butte Ranch embarked on an ambitious remodel and renovation of its pool area that debuted in 2015. The $11.5 million facelift includes a totally revamped pool and lakeside lodge area, as well as fitness facilities designed to serve guests for decades to come.
See
Photo by Joey Hamilton
Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery
This is a perfect outing for all abilities, where gentle paths wind around the Metolius River to ponds teeming with rainbow, brook, cutthroat, and trophy trout, plus kokanee and Atlantic salmon. It’s fun to feed the fish, no matter your age.
Headwaters of the Metolius
View the source of the mighty Metolius River, one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the United States. The origin of this river, a tributary of the Deschutes River, is considered one of the most serene spots in Central Oregon. It is easily accessible and offers great views of Mt. Jefferson.
The Lodge Restaurant, with a relaxed, upscale atmosphere, serves Northwest dishes that aim to rival the views of the Cascades. Aspen Lounge on the third floor of the lodge offers regionally inspired, housemade cocktails, wine, draft beer, small plates and daily specials with a deck offering a 270-degree view of the mountains.
Robert’s Pub, a family-friendly eatery in the Big Meadow clubhouse, is named for golf course designer Robert Muir Graves. Robert’s offers classic pub fare, a broad selection of Oregon microbrews and Northwest wines and more great views from an outdoor patio. The Lakeside Bistro is the place for coffee, espresso, housemade pastries, pizza, salads and sandwiches along with stunning views of Mt. Washington. The building opened in 2015 and was recognized by the nonprofit Sustainable Forestry Initiative for excellence in wood architecture.
There are several alternatives for those wishing to explore beyond the resort’s boundaries. Options abound in nearby Sisters, from the authentic Texas-style barbeque at Slick’s to casual fare at The Barn in Sisters. In nearby Camp Sherman, the HOST SUPPER CLUB offers comforting classics and exciting new flavors. Suttle Lodge resort also offers a menu of casual snacks and sandwiches.
Central Oregonians live for open air, and some of our region’s best restaurants encourage our outdoor obsession with patios, sidewalk seating and garden-style settings. Whether it’s a Saturday morning brunch, a weeknight happy hour or Friday date night, everything seems to taste a little better when it’s served up al fresco with a side of Central Oregon summertime. Here’s our list of the best outdoor restaurants in Bend and Central Oregon.
Pub Life
Photo by Alex Jordan
All you need to do is read the label on any local ale to realize that Central Oregon’s beers are inspired by the outdoors. Many of our favorite pubs have gone to great lengths to extend their footprint beyond the four walls, allowing patrons to enjoy these local libations in the open air that inspired their creation.
Pig & Pound Public House | Redmond
A wraparound porch sets the scene at this Redmond eatery. Food is United Kingdom-themed, and though we wouldn’t exactly put the Oink & Boink or Cornish Pasties among our favorite culinary delights, the menu is a novelty for Central Oregon pub grub, which makes it fun. Plus, the beer is cold and plentiful.
Three Creeks Brewing | Sisters
Although there may in fact be more visitors than locals hanging out in the woodland setting behind Three Creeks in Sisters, the vibe is undoubtedly one of small town hospitality. Picnic tables dot the rustic patio outside the barn-like pub where family-friendly is the name of the game. The brewery-branded fire pit is a sight to behold.
Bend Brewing Company | Bend
The new owners of the old-school Bend Brewing Company (BBC) changed the game in downtown Bend this summer. Having renovated a lot adjacent to the revamped NW Brooks Street brewery, BBC is now the only downtown pub with an outdoor space worth writing home about. Order a beer from the sidewalk on NW Brooks Street and head around back to see what else is in store. A wraparound patio more than doubles the full-service outdoor dining space, enhancing the view of Mirror Pond. A quarter-acre lawn, dotted with Adirondack chairs, sprawls toward the water. Radiant bench heating lines a twenty-eight-foot gas fire pit (Say what?!). A new parking lot corrals thirty bikes and includes a bike-tuning station. BBC is showing off, and we love it.
Crux Fermentation Project | Bend
Perhaps the crown jewel of pub-style al fresco, the football field-length lawn at Crux brings together hordes of locals and tourists in craft beer-lathered Bend harmony. Play a game of cornhole, then order another beer at the outdoor bar. The small kitchen at Crux has some solid, basic dishes. Onsite food carts are also a great option and help keep the food wait times down when the crowds swell.
Table With a View
Photo by Alex Jordan
Long summer days in the High Desert offer the ultimate chance to pair the region’s delectable culinary offerings with the area’s natural beauty. Enjoy a freshly prepared meal while taking in views of snow-capped peaks, emerald fairways and patina-hued spires at these eateries.
Greg’s Grill | Bend
An afternoon of shopping in the Old Mill should be capped with a cocktail and a round of appetizers, or more. Greg’s Grill has perhaps the best perch on the Deschutes River. The River Trail path and clear sound waves from concerts at Les Schwab Amphitheater equal a lively atmosphere. Order something cooked on the apple wood and mesquite fired rotisserie for an upscale, barbeque-style meal.
Cascada | Pronghorn
Pronghorn sits between Bend and Redmond and, yet, is an island—a self-sufficient luxury community, surrounded by desert and sage. From the clubhouse balcony of the resort’s casual dining restaurant, Cascada, the juniper-laden landscape extends beyond the golf courses in a scene unmatched elsewhere. The food is as memorable as the mountain views, and the scotch and wine selections deserve a golf clap.
Range Restaurant | Brasada
Views from Range Restaurant and Bar at Brasada in Powell Butte give the illusion of seeing the High Desert through a fish-eye lens. A wall of windows and another wall of roll-up glass doors heightens the Range’s indoor-outdoor, farm-to-table dining experience. Ranch-raised meat is prepared over an outdoor fire spit. After dinner, migrate out to the huge fire pit ring and curl up in a chair with a complimentary blanket and s’more kit.
Carson’s American Kitchen | Sunriver
Sunriver Resort’s flagship restaurant, Carson’s American Kitchen, is a showpiece, part of a major renovation at the iconic lodge that has upped the luxury factor at Central Oregon’s original destination resort. With summer comes seating for about forty people outside. Dine on Northwest casual fine dining fare as you imagine a time before the immaculate fairways when restaurant namesake, fur trapper Kit Carson, trekked through the area on his western journey.
Terrebonne Depot | Terrebonne
Known for its banana belt climate and even hotter climbing scene, Terrebonne is an agricultural community with an international draw. After a day exploring Smith Rock, you’ll want to slake your thirst at Terrebonne Depot, a rehabilitated relic of the area’s railroad history that serves as a gathering point for locals and visitors alike. If you’re lucky, a passing freight train will add extra story fodder to your meal. With pastoral views and the famed, patina-hued cliffs beyond, you’ll know you’re on the right side of the tracks.
Evening Ambiance
Photo by Alex Jordan
It takes more than a few deck chairs and an umbrella to make a great al fresco experience. A memorable outdoor dining space evokes the atmosphere of the restaurant’s indoor dining room, but adds a pinch of adventuresome character. You won’t go wrong with a dinner reservation at one of these charming destinations.
Washington Dining & Cocktails | Bend
Fresh shucked Pacific oysters on the half shell on a warm, sunny day. Need we say more? In addition to a raw seafood bar, family-friendly Washington has a full menu with a “gourmet diner” bent and artisan cocktails. Not bad for a neighborhood hub. Located in the Westside Bend Northwest Crossing community. The restaurant was built to maximize the Central Oregon lifestyle, with a patio—equipped with an elaborate heating system should you feel a chill—that doubles the eatery’s seating capacity.
The Open Door | Sisters
The Open Door in Sisters has flouted just about every dining convention and we couldn’t be happier about it. Choose your own adventure: Eat in an art gallery among bronze sculptures, get cozy with a well-tailored wine selection in the wine bar, or gather on the ethereal patio or in the all-glass greenhouse. Dripping with twinkle-light allure, the patio is where Western Sisters meets farm-to-table Mediterranean bowls of pasta and plates of charcuterie—often set to live music.
Kebaba | Bend
The iconic purple craftsman is a slice of Lebanon on Bend’s Westside with the intoxicating aroma of lamb and Middle Eastern spices drifting from the kitchen. During summertime, the vibe is all Pacific Northwest in the restaurant’s garden. Bistro tables create an intimate dining scene where cocktails flow and scratch-made ethnic food is shared among friends. An added bonus: special diets are happily accommodated.
Bistro 28 | Bend
Owners of the award-winning Zydeco brought their winning formula to the Athletic Club of Bend and revived its dining room, which is open to the public. The decadent barbeque shrimp dish (a Zydeco favorite) also graces this casual fine dining menu. Outdoor tables under the pergola look out over the grassy knoll where the summer concert series is played (restaurant not open on event days).
The Porch | Sisters
From the outside, it looks more like a cottage home than a restaurant, but then that’s also what makes The Porch so great. Located on an unassuming side street in Sisters, the comfort food is served up with a touch of haute cuisine. Eating chicken and waffles on the patio is the kind of guilty pleasure that you can only indulge in when dining at this culinary home away from home.
An interview with Alison Perry, who has worked with veterans for more than a decade at Central Oregon Veterans Ranch.
Alison Perry has been working with veterans for more than a decade. In 2007, she had a vision of a place where veterans could come together in community—learning, working and healing together in a natural setting. Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (COVR), a nineteen-acre property intended to support the health and healing of combat veterans, was born from this vision. Perry just turned 45. “It has been a wild journey, and 45 feels like a good time for reflection,” she told me over a cup of hot tea. Perry, who was recently named Community Hero by the Bend Chamber of Commerce, has much to reflect on.
When did you know you wanted to devote your life and work to supporting veterans?
I started graduate school in Portland one month to the day after 9/11. I was shocked that the event wasn’t mentioned the night of our orientation. It felt so real to me because I had a brother in the military, but it didn’t seem to be directly impacting anyone around me. In February of 2003, my brother was deployed to Iraq as an Apache helicopter pilot. That was a key turning point. I felt called to serve. I cold-called the Portland [Veterans Administration] until I finally got a call back.
You worked for the Portland VA as part of their PTSD Clinical Team. What did that teach you?
In 2005 when I started, the Oregon National Guard had the heaviest combat engagement of any National Guard in the nation. Vietnam veterans were coming in triggered because we were at war again. Many had not talked to anyone about their war experiences since Vietnam. I realized that this was a sacred experience, a privilege to be trusted with their stories. Although the VA does wonderful work, the medical model can’t treat all the dimensions of a human. So many injuries can’t be seen but are lived daily. When you talk about people coming back from war, you are talking about people who are having a spiritual crisis. Coming home from war is not just “PTSD.” It’s an identity crisis, a spiritual crisis. They need to be in an environment of healing. This calls for healing beyond the idea of “curing.”
You said you feel like the birth mother who birthed this project onto the world. Can you share a bit of the labor story?
In 2007, I moved to Bend and met Ron Kokes, a 73-year-old former Catholic priest who had been working with groups of war veterans. We shared a belief in a holistic approach. Ron died of pancreatic cancer shortly after my arrival and entrusted the groups to me. I spent the next few years listening to and learning from them. The sheep ranch vision kept coming back to me. In 2012, I left my job to make the vision a reality. In 2015, we closed on a nineteen-acre property between Bend and Redmond where the former owners were actually raising sheep.
What is your vision for COVR now?
My hope is the COVR will serve as a beacon of awareness for how we work with combat trauma and serve as a complement to the VA and medical model of treatment. Our programming will include intergenerational peer support, end of life care and agri-therapy. The ranch incorporates an element of natural beauty into all its programming. People in trauma need to be reconnected to the beauty in this world.
A Texas couple finds luxury turn-key living on the Deschutes River for their Bend vacation home.
Photo by Christian Heeb
For Dotty Sonnemaker and her husband, Scott, the search for a second home could have led them to a gated community or a multi-acre property far from the hustle and bustle of fast-growing Bend. Instead, it led them to the heart of town.
Based in Houston, the couple had been looking for a second (maybe someday primary) home in Bend when their realtor showed them a house on the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District. The house was just steps from parks, shopping and a short walk or ride to downtown dining and entertainment. Best of all, it was completely furnished and ready for occupancy.
Photo by Christian Heeb
“It just felt right when we walked in,” said Dotty, “and then I opened all the cabinets and saw the glasses in the kitchen and the beautifully folded towels in the bathroom. I’m not kidding when I say it was like a dream come true; I didn’t have to do anything. We could just walk right in and start enjoying it.”
The couple had come across a new twist to Central Oregon’s residential offerings: homes built for the vacation market. The Sonnemaker house was one of four single-family homes developed by brothers Gene and John Buccola over the past two years.
Photo by Christian Heeb
The 2,840-square-foot home has three-bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. It also offered large patio spaces that added to the home’s seasonal living and entertainment appeal while taking full advantage of the river location. The project was marketed by Gene’s son, Ryan, and designed by Ryan’s wife, Melanie. All the homes were sold either before or at the time of completion.
“It was an effortless collaboration,” said Gene, who attributed much of the project’s success to his daughter-in-law. Using her background as an interior designer of private jets, she married the practical to the luxurious to outfit the home with everything a homeowner might need.
Photo by Christian Heeb
Behind its clean-lined aesthetic, the house is loaded with conveniences for its on-the-go owners.
“I do like to use every little bit of space,” Melanie said.
Tile and wide-plank oak floors, quartz and cement counters, and other finishes and surfaces were chosen for their ease of use as much as their contribution to the design scheme of neutral, effortless comfort.
Unusual materials, such as a basalt pedestal as a shower seat and natural edge seat and coat rack in the mud room, were put to work for everyday tasks, adding character and personality to the design.
A Nest thermostat texts homeowners with the status of the heating and cooling system and can be hooked up to security cameras; an iPad-based system permits control of the home’s functions from a smart phone; and the irrigation controls are hooked into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather forecasts so that plants will never be under- or over-watered again.
Photo by Christian Heeb
Storage spaces were included for homeowners, vacation renters, and maintenance firms, should owners opt to rent out the home when not occupying it.
“The Buccolas really wanted people to be able to close up a house and then open it up and start enjoying it right away,” said Bart Mitchell, owner of Stillwater Construction, who built the homes. “Though,” he added, “all the design and structural choices they made would also work very well in a primary residence.”
As much as the homes are about living in Bend, the homes are also appointed with furnishings from local businesses. Buccola bought everything in Bend: “We have such great stores here like Furnish, Bend Furniture, and Haven,” said Buccola. I want to support local businesses and there’s really no need to go anywhere else.”
Mitchell also used Central Oregon subcontractors and sourced the needed materials through local businesses including Johnson Brothers for appliances, Cascade Design Center for tile, carpeting and counters and Buildings Solutions for structural materials.
Photo by Christian Heeb
Attracted to Bend by the climate and to Oregon because they had lived here for fourteen years before being transferred to Texas, the Sonnemakers now visit here almost monthly and let friends use the home when they are not in residence.
Planning ahead to their next visit in July, they’re looking forward to discovering how well sound might travel from the amphitheater when big draw musical acts are performing—not to mention the everyday appeal of kayaking on the river, and hosting friends and family.
“We want to indulge in everything possible,” said Dotty.
It was only a matter of time before a region obsessed with beer would find a way to integrate the nectar into its health regimen, too. Enter: Hop in the Spa.
Deschutes Brewery’s Red Chair makes a great breakfast beer.
I discovered that on a recent early morning in Sisters, soaking in a warm tub filled with a potpourri of hops, lemon slices and minerals while drinking a tall pour of the Northwest pale ale. Despite the less-than-conventional hour to imbibe, I wanted the full experience of Hop in the Spa, even if that meant sipping beer before coffee.
Located in a renovated house on the edge of downtown Sisters, Hop in the Spa received a parade of media attention for being “America’s first beer spa” when it opened in February 2016. While beer, exclusively from Deschutes Brewery, is ubiquitous in the spa, one of the biggest misconceptions of Hop in the Spa is that spa-goers soak in beer. That’s not the case. Instead, hop oil, extracted from hops grown in the Willamette Valley, is integrated into spa treatments such as full body soaks, massages, and soon-to-come facials and foot soaks.
Two years ago, owner Mike Boyle was in a car accident that almost took his life. Post-accident, Boyle sought pain relief and met Sally Champa, who practices Ayurvedic massage therapy. Boyle called the practice “miraculous” and key to his recovery. On a subsequent trip to Europe, he heard about beer spas and the wheels starting turning.
Returning to Central Oregon, where he’s lived for the last thirty years, he and Champa decided to go into business together. They first made hop-infused bath products, and then integrated Champa’s naturopathic knowledge and massage therapy practice to create Hop in the Spa.
Extracted from the same plant that provides the bitterness and flowery aroma to beer, hop oil is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. It’s been used as a sleep aid, a pain reducer and a natural remedy for dermatitis.
The signature soak at Hop in the Spa is a blend of hops, hop oil and other natural ingredients that are steeped in hot water just before you soak. The hops’ calming qualities are released in the hot water. That, plus the refreshing beer and the dark room, made for an instantly relaxing experience.
Owners Mike Boyle and Sally Champa in front of Hop in the Spa.
While touring the building recently, Boyle shared his plans to grow Hop in the Spa. “We’re onto something here,” said Boyle. They have big ideas for the business—some seem a little off the wall. Then again, so did a beer spa.
Oil Essence at Home
“Beer spa” may have an oxymoronic ring to it, but the ingredients that make up beer, especially hops, have several health benefits. Sally Champa, who partnered with Mike Boyle to create Hop in the Spa, integrates hop oil into the Ayurvedic massage therapy.
“Oils of the hops create a nice moisturizer for the skin,” she said. “It helps with any kind of muscular inflammation. It’s also great for eczema and psoriasis. Because it absorbs into the skin, it’s actually great for the nervous system as well.”
To get similar benefits at home, Champa recommends massaging your body with hop oil before you shower. The shower then helps pores open so the oil can absorb into the skin.
A pioneering forest restoration management program has melded leading edge science and community consensus to protect a volatile and highly visible swath of Central Oregon’s public lands from the mounting threats of climate change and a catastrophic Central Oregon wildfire.
Like many Central Oregonians, Pete Caligiuri has a personal connection to the forest. Caligiuri was raised in Redmond and grew familiar with the lakes, trails, and quiet spaces that beckon thousands of visitors and newcomers here every year. He left to pursue an education and a career on the East Coast. Yet it was restoration—not recreation—that Caligiuri had on his mind when he came back to Central Oregon to work on a pioneering forest initiative for the Nature Conservancy.
Over the past several years, Caligiuri, a Yale-educated forest ecologist, sat alongside loggers, environmentalists, scientists and recreation advocates as part of the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project—one of the first of its kind in the country. The goal was to hammer out a management strategy for a roughly 257,000-acre swath of forest just west of Bend, stretching from Sunriver to Sisters. It’s a contiguous sea of emerald pine spires painted against a dramatic mountain backdrop of snowcapped Cascade wilderness peaks that serves as a playground for locals and visitors alike. The pine forest, a mix of majestic red-barked ponderosa and lodgepole pine and fir trees, is deeply connected to the region’s economic past and its future. It was once home to one of the most extensive and intensive logging operations on the West Coast, a rough and tumble business that fueled Bend’s sawmill economy for nearly a century. Today the big trees are mostly gone, as are the mills.
Pete Caligiuri of the Nature Conservancy
The forest is largely quiet, a haven for wildlife and hub of recreation that drives a $500 million local tourism economy, based on exploring rather than exploiting the forest. But that’s the glass-half-full version. Come July and August, the forest west of Bend is also a tinderbox of dense trees and brushes that, some say, is a ticking time bomb of sorts. The huge stockpile of fuels in an overly dense forest is ripe for a wildfire. The impact of such an event would be catastrophic: Valuable wildlife habitat destroyed, hundreds of miles of popular hiking and biking trails obliterated, scores of homes that have been built on the ever-expanding fringes of Bend and Sisters at risk.
“All the climate indications suggest that we are going to have longer summers, uncertain precipitation, [and] potentially longer, hotter fire seasons. So, if anything, fire is going to become a more dominant force once again, one that we are not able to control,” said Caligiuri.
Recognizing that the stakes were high from an ecological and economic perspective, Caligiuri and the rest of the steering committee developed a set of recommendations that have been largely implemented by the Forest Service. A central element of that plan is a strategy of more, not less, fire in the forest. The approach did more than just reduce fuels, it has helped land managers restore entire sections of forest to conditions that existed before a century of grazing, logging and fire suppression altered the landscape. It began with a desire to better understand the role that humans and industrial activity have played on the evolution of the forest. By understanding human impacts, the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project, or DCFP, could begin to mitigate them.
“The forest restoration problem is a social problem with an ecological explanation,” explained Caligiuri, whose organization has helped drive both the science and the social elements of the collaborative project.
Old Ways, New Problems
Until recently, there has been little consensus about the best way to address the challenges faced by forests. Environmentalists didn’t want to see an aggressive logging plan. The Forest Service didn’t have the resources to do large-scale thinning and clean-up work to reduce fuels across such a large area. The result was gridlock, a status quo standoff that ensured inaction as the forest deteriorated and the time bomb kept ticking.
“We have this homogenous sea of even-aged trees and they are really dense. Our soil precipitation doesn’t sustain that kind of density well,” said Nicole Strong, a forester and researcher at Oregon State University who worked with the collaborative. “What I see are too many trees and not enough shrubs and grasses and not enough open spaces. It’s not a very resilient system.”
Despite disagreements over how to manage the forest, stakeholders from across the spectrum agree that the forest is integral to the community’s economic health and the region’s quality of life.
“I think what we want is a forest that continues to provide this broad suite of benefits that everyone cares about,” said Caligiuri. “Everything from jobs in the woods to, in our case, an economy that is squarely dependent on a healthy forest for tourism and recreation, [in addition] to things like drinking water and clean air. All of those values depend on healthy, resilient forests.”
That was the starting point seven years ago when members of the fledgling DCFP steering committee got together and started talking about shared interest and compromise. The group, which includes more than a dozen stakeholders, developed a set of recommendations to restore more than a quarter-million acres of forest land stretching from outside Sisters to southwest of Bend. The project, which has been underway since 2010, uses a collaborative process to develop recommendations for forest management.
“What is unique about the Deschutes Collaborative is it’s not being run or administered by the Forest Service. We are really just a partner,” offered John Allen, Deschutes National Forest Supervisor.
It’s an approach that was born out of years of gridlock, frustration and protracted litigation between the Forest Service, environmentalists and the forest industry—groups with very different views about the best use of forest resources. In Bend, the result is a plan that removes hurdles to forest management, but does so based upon shared values and clearly defined outcomes, such as the protection of animal habitat and the removal of dangerous fuels. The DCFP required that participants, many of whom were veterans of the Northwest timber wars, not just listen to alternative viewpoints, but embrace ideas that were once seen as heretical. Environmentalists signed off on logging plans; loggers embraced the idea of leaving behind some of the most valuable trees. In the case of the Forest Service, an agency that spent more than a century obsessively putting out fires, crews were sent into the woods to intentionally light fires in the hopes of preventing one.
A New Approach
The DCFP was one of the first plans to be funded under the federal Collaborative Forest Restoration bill that Congress passed in 2009. Since then the program has grown, from ten to more than twenty collaboratives, mostly around the West, where the timber battles have been the most pitched. There are two more in Eastern Oregon, one on the Freemont-Winema Forest near Lakeville and another in the Blue Mountains on Malheur National Forest land. Another independent, community-based collaborative is underway in Prineville. By most accounts the projects have been a success, helping longtime adversaries sit down in the same room to find common ground, certainly something that some participants didn’t think existed at the outset. They have also created a blueprint of sorts for how to manage at least a slice of our vast inventory of public lands at a time when there is little consensus among interest groups about how to do that. It’s a particularly pressing matter for the Forest Service, which is tasked with managing millions of acres of public land with a shrinking pool of resources.
“I would hope that we can use what we’ve learned and put it to work on the entire Deschutes National Forest,” said Allen. “This could be a model for how we look at community forests. And it’s really a partnership between the community and the National Forest.”
From community and consensus building to funding, the collaborative forest framework has helped to free the agency to do the work that it has long believed was necessary to ensure the health of the forest. The agency is projected to spend about $20 million on the Deschutes Collaborative Forest, half of which is coming directly from Washington, D.C. through the Collaborative Forest Project Act, money that otherwise would not have been available. Those dollars subsidize the expensive and time-consuming work of small-diameter tree removal and brush thinning that commercial loggers typically avoid. Whether that work would have happened without the collaborative is the subject of some debate, but it certainly wouldn’t have occurred with the speed or community support that it currently has, according to Allen.
Several years into implementation, the tree removal and thinning work has been highly visible and not without controversy. So far, the Forest Service and partners have harvested roughly thirty million board feet of timber just west of Bend, some of it along the area’s popular trails. Around the iconic Phil’s Trail complex, several popular trails have been shut down for extended periods while logging and thinning crews removed trees. Then, when users returned to the trails, they were greeted by a landscape that was almost unrecognizable in places. For trail users who were deeply familiar with, and attached to, the status quo, it was a visually jarring experience.
“I would say shock is the most common reaction,” said Melanie Fisher, a member of the DCFP steering committee and former co-owner of Cog Wild bike tour company in Bend.
Fisher has spent years riding and guiding in the forest, but she became convinced that the forest near and dear to her heart, as well as her bottom-line, was unhealthy in a way that presented a risk to itself and to users. Fisher looked around the forest and saw a landscape of dense and immature trees. She wondered what would happen if a wildfire were to erupt. How would bikers and hikers be alerted to the danger? Would they have time to escape a fast-moving blaze? What if she were out with friends or clients? It was clear to her that Bend needed a more fire-tolerant forest, one that could withstand what many saw as inevitable: a wildfire near Bend moving too quickly and burning too hot for fire crews to beat back.
Playing with Fire
One needn’t look far for examples of the forest’s volatility around Central Oregon. In just the past five years, two major wildfires have erupted on private and public lands between Bend and Sisters. The Pole Creek fire burned forty-one square miles west of Sisters in 2012, threatening homes and completely consuming vast acres of forest that included hiking trails and wildlife habitat. Cars that were parked at the Pole Creek trailhead near Sisters burned like campfire logs, along with the lodgepole and pine trees. No one was hurt in the fire, but it proved a dramatic example of the speed and ferocity at which a modern forest fire grows. Only two years later, the Two Bulls Fire erupted in July of 2014, burning almost eleven square acres in dramatic fashion, filling the western horizon with dancing flames and thick plumes of smoke visible from afar. The fire forced the evacuation of 250 homes on the west side of Bend. The homes ultimately were spared after winds and weather shifted, allowing firefighters to gain control of the blaze. For longtime Bendites, the fire evoked memories of another blaze that blew up quickly and made a bee-line toward Bend: the Awbrey Hall fire of 1991. That fast-moving blaze ultimately consumed twenty-two homes on Bend’s Westside, including Ann Malkin’s home in Mount Bachelor Village.
The flames came without warning, Malkin recalled. It was hot and dry, but an otherwise postcard-perfect July day spent exploring the Cascade Lakes with her family and some out-of-town friends. The first sign of trouble didn’t come until the afternoon when she and her then-husband, Dave, rounded a corner near Mt. Bachelor and spotted a tall pillar of white smoke on the horizon. Malkin remembers thinking that it seemed awfully close to Bend—but she still didn’t know how close. By the time she and her family arrived home, firefighters were already in their west Bend neighborhood coordinating an evacuation. She had just a few minutes to grab photo albums, fleeing with celluloid memories and her then four-year-old daughter in tow. Within a few hours the home was burned to the ground. Even the metal window frames melted in the blaze. There was nothing to salvage. One of the sole recognizable items was a dime store Christmas tree stand. There was no rhyme or reason as to the fire’s path through her neighborhood, no explanation why her house burned while nearby neighbors were untouched—a testament to the fickle behavior of wildfire.
“It was just shocking. It was breathtaking. We lived in the backside of the development, so we had to drive through the rest of the neighborhood. You see these types of fire pictures in the news from other places, but you never think it’s going to happen to your development and your neighbors,” said Malkin.
Malkin’s family rebuilt and the scars from the fire have all but disappeared to time. The lessons from the fire were not entirely lost on local officials who have since ramped up efforts to reduce fuels around homes, including developing fire protection plans for neighborhoods most likely to be hit by fire. Building codes now encourage fire resistant landscaping, such as small lawns that can serve as buffer areas and fire breaks amid the dry brush. There is also an acceptance of the fact that allowing development to move farther into the forest will only invite wildfires.
Fighting Fire with Fire
Caligiuri and other DCFP stakeholders started from the premise that fire was the ally, not the enemy, in any comprehensive forest restoration plan. In an area where dozens of homes and thousands upon thousands of acres have been lost to wildfire, that might seem counterintuitive. It’s also an about-face to the approach taken by commercial and public land managers who, for most of the 20th century, stomped out flames like they were ants at a family picnic. Ecologists admit that the Smoky the Bear approach might have made sense from a short-term perspective in a commodity driven resource economy—where trees translated to dollars, but only when trees were green. But putting out every wildfire comes at a cost, both in terms of resources and long-term forest health. Wildfires are incredibly expensive to fight. Last year, the Forest Service spent more than half of its total nationwide budget fighting wildfire, roughly $1.6 billion. As summers grow hotter and longer with each passing year, the task of battling every major wildfire appears Sisyphean at best.
In a dry forest ecosystem like that found on the east slope of the Cascades, “trying to stop fire is about as foolhardy as trying to stop a hurricane,” said Caligiuri.
On the other side, there is a growing body of research that suggests forests need fire like rivers need a good flood every so often. Healthy forests can not only withstand fire, but use them to regenerate. Fire is part of a cycle that sparks rebirth and helps maintain the ecological balance, creating wildlife habitat from burned wood while removing fuels that, when allowed to accumulate, can contribute to so-called catastrophic wildfires.
“There is a whole body of research around fire as part of the system,” said OSU’s Strong. “We are rethinking the relationship with fire and recognizing that we all moved into a fire-adapted landscape. It needs fire and we haven’t allowed that for over 100 years.”
The Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project started its work with the premise that a better understanding of the history and role of fire in the forest was essential to any large-scale restoration project. The challenge was how to reconstruct the history of a forest before humans were here to record it. What ensued was a forensic investigation of sorts, using clues left behind by the ghost of a forest’s past. As it turns out, the forest around Central Oregon had its own way of cataloging major events such as wildfires. The hidden history, including when fires burned and how far they spread, was locked in the trees that had survived the events. Most of those trees were felled long ago during the logging heyday, but the biological notes have endured, embedded in the tree rings and preserved in the stumps left behind after the logs were carted away. The Nature Conservancy worked with Oregon State University and the Forest Service to reconstruct this history using cross sections of these stumps. Just as climate researchers can piece together much of the earth’s climate history by studying core samples from polar ice fields, OSU researchers were able to reconstruct the behavior of fire in the forest, dating back more than 400 years. Scarring and other telltale signs found in samples taken from stumps west of Bend showed clearly that fire was a frequent visitor long before the first settlers arrived in Bend.
“The research very clearly paints a picture of how fire used to behave before a century of grazing and an intensive amount of logging,” said Caligiuri. “That opened everyone’s eyes to the dominant role that fire has played for a millennium in these ecosystems.”
On a recent tour of the forest area, Caligiuri walked gingerly on a surgically repaired ankle, a casualty of mountain biking accident in the same forest. He led me through an area that had been commercially thinned, just west of Bend and adjacent to the Cascade Lakes Highway. Just a few hundred feet from the Widgi Creek Golf Course and housing developments, the Forest Service, on the recommendation of the DCFP, employed a mix of tree removal and brush mowing to reduce overall vegetation density. The agency followed up with a controlled (or prescribed) burn—a low-intensity fire designed to mimic some of the natural fire activity that historically occurred in this type of ecosystem. The result is primarily open ponderosa pine, almost park-like. Bunches of pale green native grasses and shrubs have returned to the forest floor. What’s missing is the dense understory seen in so many other places that can transport otherwise innocuous flames from the forest floor to the canopy where it spreads like, well, wildfire. Eliminating these fuels is one of the easiest ways to fight wildfire proactively.
The DCFP is more than just a wildfire prevention strategy. The goal was to recreate the kind of forest, or at least the kind of forest conditions, that existed here prior to the arrival of settlers.
“It’s not that we are trying to go back to the past,” said Caligiuri. “What we are trying to say is we can learn from the past. So that becomes the white lines on either side of the road that keeps you more or less in the center of the lane. History becomes one line, and the future, climate change and the science around adaptation becomes another line.”
Voice of Skeptics
Not everyone agrees that more management of the forest is the recipe for healthier ecosystems. Paul Dewey has been leading the environmental charge on land use and forest health issues for more than two decades as the founder of Central Oregon LandWatch. An attorney by trade, Dewey helped beat back logging and development plans in the Metolius area during the late 1990s and 2000s. Since then he has focused on issues related to urban growth and the environment, challenging destination resort plans and unchecked suburban growth that has blurred the line between open spaces and private places in Central Oregon.
Dewey believes that the best way to fireproof communities like Bend is to limit building permits in areas where wildfire is a natural part of the ecology. In cases where development has already encroached, the answer isn’t thinning the forest, but preparing residents for the inevitable by making defensible spaces around homes and using fire-resistant building materials, such as metal roofs.
“The collaborative is talking about managing the forest, and the concern I have with that is it creates this impression that, if we only have the right management strategy, we can control wildfire. That’s such a dangerous attitude. With the right conditions, there is no way. These are climate-driven fires that no amount of human thinning is going to stop. What you have to do is then assume the bad one is going to hit and you have an urban design that can withstand that,” Dewey explained.
Dewey isn’t the only one with concerns about a management-intensive approach. George Wuerthner has been studying and writing about fire and western ecosystems for more than twenty years. An independent researcher, Wuerthner worked as a firefighter in his youth but spent the past decade-and-a-half as a researcher and writer at the Foundation for Deep Ecology, a pet project bankrolled by North Face founder Doug Tompkins. The organization was shuttered after Tompkins died in South America in 2015, yet Wuerthner carries on with his work, which has included keeping tabs on the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project.
Wuerthner, who lives in Bend but travels around the country researching and speaking, said the scientific basis of the thinning and other management employed by the Forest Service at the behest of the DCFP is not as solid as they would have people believe. While there is an argument for creating defensible spaces in the immediate vicinity of homes and neighborhoods that adjoin the forest, the expansive ecosystem-wide approach is little more than good old-fashioned logging dressed up to look like environmental stewardship.
“They have gone hook, line, and sinker [into the notion] that the forests are denser than they used to be,” said Wuerthner. “These assumptions are driving fire policy as well as the forest restoration work and yet there are some who question how accurate those initial assumptions are.”
Forest in a Fish Bowl
Caligiuri, Strong and other committee members are aware of the criticisms. It’s the reason that they say the DCFP took a scientific approach to its work.
“From the nature conservancy’s perspective, the question was, ‘Where is there needed restoration work to be done in the forest?’ and then understanding the scientific rationale for that work,” said Caligiuri.
“Ultimately, sustainability from a human perspective is dependent on coming up with a solution that finds that balance, but if we can start from a scientific foundation, we can have that conversation,” he added.
Strong said she understands that there are those who oppose any kind of management on lands, but that doesn’t solve the problems faced by our forests or our communities. Those who chose to engage in the collaborative forest did so with the understanding that it wasn’t a zero-sum proposition. Compromise was at the heart of the endeavor. And while no one got everything that they wanted, most who chose to participate got out what they put into the process.
“We focus a lot on the, ‘I can live with it,’ not ‘I’m getting everything I want.’ And that can be a tough point for some folks,” said Strong.
The fact that so many people are so passionate about our local forest underscores the importance of sharing the work that has gone into the collaborative process, said both Strong and Caligiuri. It’s one of the reasons that the collaborative has put a premium on a consensus and dedicated so much time and effort to telling that story to the community.
“It’s sort of a forest in a fish bowl. We have a lot of people that pay attention to it, and they pay attention to it for different reasons,” said Caligiuri. “I think that makes the work we are doing particularly important.
Inside the newly-restored Crooked River Inn, a bed & breakfast in the heart of Prineville.
It took Elizabeth Hendrix six months of renovations, including scraping off more than a few layers of wallpaper, to get the walls of the Crooked River Inn to talk. What she found was the soul of a house and a community.
Columbus Johnson, an early settler of the region, built the farmhouse on his expansive property in 1906, and it stayed in the family for the next sixty years. For a time in the 1970s, it was a boarding house. After that, it was a private residence until Hendrix bought the house in November 2015 with a vision of opening a bed and breakfast.
Hendrix has talked to Prineville residents today who have stories to tell about the house. Some lived there when it was a boarding house. One woman came to the door and told Hendrix the story of how her father was born in the house.
The house’s previous owner had a Victorian aesthetic (think dark, floral wallpaper and heavy curtains), but when Hendrix moved in, she transformed it into a bright, open farmhouse that could have easily dropped from the South—a nod to her childhood in Virginia.
One of the first steps was removing the layers upon layers of wallpaper to reveal shiplap, the original wooden walls of the house. Inside the walls, she found sentimental pieces of history, including a handwritten love letter.
“There are bits and pieces of people’s lives in these walls,” she said.
The Columbus Johnson House, circa 1905.
Hendrix put the history of her own life on the walls, too. She collected, over a matter of decades, all the Western-themed antiques sprinkled around the property. The result is a bed and breakfast that feels like a home (albeit a home straight out of Architectural Digest), which was exactly what Hendrix had in mind.
Before she retired and took on the project, her corporate job required her to travel. “That’s one reason why I felt compelled to make this a wonderful place to stay,” she said. A stay at the inn comes with fresh pressed coffee and a homemade breakfast in the morning, often with produce grown in the property’s garden and eggs from the resident chickens.
The house has become a gathering place in the community, too. Hendrix has hosted everything from corporate events to book clubs. She treasures the connections she’s made with everyone who has stayed at the house, often over breakfast and coffee at the dining room table. “For a little moment in time, you get to be part of whatever that is,” she said.
Though she’s still figuring out how to balance running an inn and having a life, Hendrix said she likes the sound of “innkeeper.” She wouldn’t mind if her job title stayed that way for the rest of her life. “I want the inn to be something that carries on in Prineville,” she said.
On the trails with MBSEF Bike Club, a program that gets kids mountain biking.
Story and Video by Mackenzie Wilson
Remember being a kid and feeling like you were so fast? You didn’t just think it, you knew it. The tingle of sweat on your forehead as you raced around the playground was proof. That’s the same feeling hundreds of kids experience in Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation’s (MBSEF) Bike Club program. Kids between six and 14 years old gain confidence on their bikes and learn trail etiquette at Phil’s Trail in Bend.
“Everything is ‘challenge by choice.’ None of the kids have to hit a jump or go down a super rocky section of trail,” said MBSEF Cycling Director Jordan Church, 23. “But if they want to, all the support is there for them to do it.”
The program, which provides afterschool transportation during school months, is designed to keep kids active and engaged after the final bell rings. At the same time, they are building skills and confidence while making new friends. Most of the kids bring their own gear, but MBSEF has a few loaner bikes. The kid to coach ratio is low; two coaches get a group of five to six young riders.
“We have a lead coach and then a coach that brings up the back to make sure no kids are getting left behind,” said Molly Cogswell-Kelley, MBSEF financial development, and events director.
Many of the coaches were in the program themselves at one time or another.
“As a kid, my favorite thing to do was ride my bike and explore the woods behind my house,” said Church. “As a teenager that turned into mountain biking, and now I try to inspire that same sense of fun and adventure that got me into it years ago.”
Get Involved:
Summer Mountain Bike Sessions
Ages: 6-14
Sessions are two weeks and run
Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Available sessions: July 10-20,
July 24 – August 3 and August 14-24
Price per session: 2-day/week $80,
3-day/week $110, 4-day/week $130
The Bend-La Pine School District’s Central Oregon free summer lunch program provides daily meals available for kids up to 18 years old at no cost.
Summer presents lots of challenges for families in Central Oregon. There is the challenge of managing family vacations with work schedules, the daily relay of shuffling school-free children between day camps, and, of course, the battle against boredom once the novelty of summer wears thin. All challenges to be sure.
For some Central Oregon families, however, the strains of summer are a little more acute.
Families who have relied on school cafeterias to ensure children are getting enough food and healthy meal choices face a different sort of reality. For these families, summer can mean a struggle to have children’s basic nutritional needs met.
Thanks to the work of Bend school district employees, no child has to go hungry during the summer break. Once again this year, the district is offering kids up to age 18 a free meal.
Beginning in late June, the district will offer lunch meals at multiple locations in Bend as well as breakfasts at Elk Meadow. The district is also offering the program in La Pine with breakfast and lunch options available.
The program, which is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture, includes lunches of a hot entrée or sandwich, fruit, vegetable, low-fat milk and an occasional dessert. Parents are encouraged to attend and may purchase a meal for $4 or can bring their own lunch. Registration is not required.
A companion program is offered through the Redmond school district with breakfast and lunches available in Redmond and Terrebonne at Sam Johnson Park, the Redmond Boys and Girls Club, and the Terrebonne Community School. Below is the full list of hours and locations in Bend, La Pine and Redmond.
Bend area locations:
(Monday – Friday, June 26 to Aug. 18 unless otherwise noted; closed July 3-4)
Boys & Girls Club – Bend-La Pine Schools Education Center, 520 NW Wall St.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; afternoon meal 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. (program runs through Aug. 25)
Elk Meadow Elementary 60880 Brookswood Blvd., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; breakfast 8:30 to 9 a.m. Monday to Thursday, July 31 to Aug. 17
Ensworth Elementary School,2150 NE Daggett Lane, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Harmon Park 1100 NW Harmon Road, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Larkspur Park, 1700 SE Reed Market Road, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park 1310 NE Hwy 20, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Sun Meadow Park 61150 Dayspring Drive, near R.E. Jewell Elementary School, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
La Pine area locations:
Finley Butte Park, 51390 Walling Lane (includes Lunch & Learn Reading Program) 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, June 26 to Aug. 4. (No meals served July 3-7.) This site will also offer a Lunch & Learn opportunity for students to earn free books and prizes while reading during the summer.
TUESDAYS only: La Pine Community Center, 16405 First Street, noon to 12:45 p.m.; breakfast 7:30 to 8 a.m. June 27 to Aug. 22. (No meals served July 4.)
Redmond area locations:
Sam Johnson Park: Breakfast: 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. ; Lunch: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Redmond Boys and Girls Club: Breakfast: 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.; Lunch: 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
With dozens of lakes and miles of river to explore, Bend has endless adventures on the water that families can enjoy together. In town, families can spend an afternoon floating the Deschutes River or paddling around the Old Mill District. For a bigger adventure, head up Cascades Lakes Highway to one of Bend’s many alpine lakes where you can kayak, canoe and paddleboard all summer long. Businesses in town will rent gear for the hour or the day, and some also provide lessons and excursions that families can enjoy together.
Standup Paddleboarding (SUP)
Standup paddleboarding is more than a passing fad. Easy to learn and fun for families on Bend’s lakes and rivers, paddleboarding is quickly becoming one of the most popular summer activities in the region. The hardest part about paddleboarding is finding (and keeping) your balance, but it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. In the Old Mill District, Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe has paddleboarding lessons for anyone 16 and older. The classes cover basic paddleboarding techniques and safety. Once you’ve honed your skills, you can paddle up and down the calm water like a pro, or take a paddleboard up to a lake for a day.
Take your river floating to the next level with a rafting trip on the upper Deschutes River. In Bend, Sun Country Tours and Ouzel Outfitters have half-day and all-day trips where families can pick up a paddle and experience some of the West’s best whitewater that the river is known for, including Big Eddy, a series of Class III rapids that never fails to be fun.
Drive around Bend, and you’re bound to see plenty of kayaks stacked on the roofs of cars. In Bend, kayaking is a popular sport because almost anyone can do it. If you’re new to kayaking or want to practice your skills with your family before heading out on your own, both Tumalo Creek and Kayak and Wanderlust Tours provide kayaking and canoeing tours that can be custom made for your family. The tours are guided by outdoor experts, and all gear and transportation is provided.
One of the best summer activities in Bend is spending an afternoon floating down the Deschutes River through town. The float begins at Riverbend Park in the Old Mill District and ends at Drake Park downtown. Midway through the float you will have to make a decision to exit or ride the rapids at the Whitewater Park. The rapids are a fun adventure, but Bend Park & Recreation District doesn’t recommended the route for young children or poor swimmers. A shuttle is available from the end of June through the beginning of September and costs $3 per person for the day. The shuttle stops at Riverbend Park, McKay Park and Drake Park. For the shuttle schedule, visit Cascade East Transit Ride the River webpage. While most people opt to bring their own river tubes, quality tubes are available for rent at Farewell Bend Park on the west side of the river near the park district administration building. Nearby Tumalo Creek and Kayak also offers rentals, allowing river goers to essentially float away from the shop, thanks to Tumalo’s riverfront location.
The “Biggest Little Show in the World,” brings rodeo traditions and Western heritage to Central Oregon’s artsy small town.
Known as “The Biggest Little Show in the World,” the Sisters Rodeo will celebrate seventy-seven years as one of the most popular rodeos in the region this year. More than 2,000 people are expected to fill the stands the second weekend in June.
The event kicks off with extreme bull riding on Wednesday, June 7, and rodeo performances begin Friday, June 9.
“If you have never been, come. It’s an event for everyone,” said Bonnie Malone, member of the Rodeo Board of Directors since 1989. “It’s a fun experience and half of our crowd are urban cowboys who have never been on a horse, and at the end of the rodeo they all dance in town.”
Events throughout the weekend include team bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, bareback and saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, bulldogging shootouts and more. On Saturday morning, June 10, the rodeo hosts a parade through downtown Sisters.
“All the competitors are such kind decent people—they attract a different kind of crowd,” said Malone. “There are never any rock star types in the rodeo.”
The first rodeo took place in 1940. It was a locally organized event, completely volunteer run and funded by the Sisters community. That tradition still holds true today, despite having grown throughout the years. The rodeo is an important part of the Sisters community, and supports education and local nonprofits. With one of the biggest purses in the region, the Western event attracts elite rodeo stars from across the country.
Tickets can be purchased in advance through the Sisters Rodeo website. Rodeo performance tickets start at $12 for reserved seats, and children 12 and under receive free admission. A shuttle from Sisters Elementary School to the rodeo ground southeast of Sisters runs throughout the weekend, as parking is limited at the event site.
The Education Foundation encourages innovative curriculum and increases educational and extra-curricular opportunities in Bend, Sunriver and La Pine.
It’s been three decades since Oregon leveled the playing field for school dollars by shifting the burden of funding K-12 education from local communities to Salem. That move helped standardize funding for all Oregon schools, eliminating the haves and have-nots of the past. It also created a whole new set of questions about how to fund non-core activities like sports and extracurriculars and even the arts.
It’s a vacuum that has been filled by bake sales and car wash fundraisers in many places. Here in Deschutes County, a dedicated group has taken a more deliberate approach that has raised more than $1.5 million in private donations to fund athletic scholarships and classroom teaching grants that have enhanced the experience of thousands of students.
Now celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, the Bend-based Education Foundation awarded almost $90,000 in classroom grants this school year that will help bolster arts, language and science curriculums.
“It would be great if all the resources were available and there wasn’t a need for the Education Foundation, but there is a need,” said Executive Director Michelle Johnson.
The Education Foundation’s oldest program is the activity fee scholarship, financial aid that goes toward participation fees associated with after-school sports. With Mt. Bachelor’s donations from its annual Ski4Schools event and the support of former recipient and Olympic athlete Ashton Eaton, this program has aided nearly 4,000 middle and high school students.
The Foundation also provides classroom grants to innovative STEM programs, art and music, life skills and wellness programs. Although there is a focus on high-need schools, grants are awarded throughout the entire Bend-La Pine district.
“These are teachers that are going outside the box,” said Johnson. “We might have a teacher in the language arts area who will have MOsley WOtta come and show students how the spoken word of poetry can relate into a career. We just funded a grant for an elective course in zoology.”
For the 2018-2019 school year, the Foundation awarded $89,000 in fifty-three classroom grants, which is $30,000 more than its previous record in honor of its thirtieth anniversary.
Most recently, the Education Foundation has adopted two new programs: perseverance awards and Latino scholarships, both awarded to graduating seniors. Thanks to the continued support from grant partners, individual and corporate donors and the Bend community, the Education Foundation is able to help meet the demands of the growing Central Oregon population.
