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We have always made our community central to our work and view it as a privilege to tell the stories of your world, too. These experiences are touchstones of lives well lived — just like those for a magazine, or a marriage.

The celebrations wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people that surround us. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the talented team who pour their heart and soul into each issue of Bend Magazine to capture the essence of Central Oregon with such passion and creativity. In this issue, we invite you to fall in love with the magic of a winter in Bend’s backyard over and over again. Explore cozy cabin hideaways tucked away in snowy landscapes, try your hand at winter fishing on a pristine lake or river, and meet the athletes who inspire us with their dedication to winter sports — whether on powder or on the ice. We bring you along to discover the vibrant scene in Central Oregon after dark, whether you’re seeking a night out or a cozy evening by the fire. This issue is an invitation to create your own winter traditions and take your own journeys into the new year and beyond.

We haven’t reached these milestones alone. To our advertisers, thank you for believing in our vision and for partnering with us to share our community’s stories. And to our amazing readers: thank you for being the heart of Bend Magazine. Your support means the world to us and pushes us to continually strive for excellence. Here’s to many more years of shared stories, adventures, and a deep appreciation for this incredible place we get to call home.

Happy Trails,

Heather & Ross Johnson,
Publishers/Owners, Oregon Media LLC

We have always made our community central to our work and view it as a privilege to tell the stories of your world, too. These experiences are touchstones of lives well lived — just like those for a magazine, or a marriage.

The celebrations wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people that surround us. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the talented team who pour their heart and soul into each issue of Bend Magazine to capture the essence of Central Oregon with such passion and creativity. In this issue, we invite you to fall in love with the magic of a winter in Bend’s backyard over and over again. Explore cozy cabin hideaways tucked away in snowy landscapes, try your hand at winter fishing on a pristine lake or river, and meet the athletes who inspire us with their dedication to winter sports — whether on powder or on the ice. We bring you along to discover the vibrant scene in Central Oregon after dark, whether you’re seeking a night out or a cozy evening by the fire. This issue is an invitation to create your own winter traditions and take your own journeys into the new year and beyond.

We haven’t reached these milestones alone. To our advertisers, thank you for believing in our vision and for partnering with us to share our community’s stories. And to our amazing readers: thank you for being the heart of Bend Magazine. Your support means the world to us and pushes us to continually strive for excellence. Here’s to many more years of shared stories, adventures, and a deep appreciation for this incredible place we get to call home.

Happy Trails,

Heather & Ross Johnson,
Publishers/Owners, Oregon Media LLC

We have always made our community central to our work and view it as a privilege to tell the stories of your world, too. These experiences are touchstones of lives well lived — just like those for a magazine, or a marriage.

The celebrations wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people that surround us. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the talented team who pour their heart and soul into each issue of Bend Magazine to capture the essence of Central Oregon with such passion and creativity. In this issue, we invite you to fall in love with the magic of a winter in Bend’s backyard over and over again. Explore cozy cabin hideaways tucked away in snowy landscapes, try your hand at winter fishing on a pristine lake or river, and meet the athletes who inspire us with their dedication to winter sports — whether on powder or on the ice. We bring you along to discover the vibrant scene in Central Oregon after dark, whether you’re seeking a night out or a cozy evening by the fire. This issue is an invitation to create your own winter traditions and take your own journeys into the new year and beyond.

We haven’t reached these milestones alone. To our advertisers, thank you for believing in our vision and for partnering with us to share our community’s stories. And to our amazing readers: thank you for being the heart of Bend Magazine. Your support means the world to us and pushes us to continually strive for excellence. Here’s to many more years of shared stories, adventures, and a deep appreciation for this incredible place we get to call home.

Happy Trails,

Heather & Ross Johnson,
Publishers/Owners, Oregon Media LLC

We have always made our community central to our work and view it as a privilege to tell the stories of your world, too. These experiences are touchstones of lives well lived — just like those for a magazine, or a marriage.

The celebrations wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people that surround us. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the talented team who pour their heart and soul into each issue of Bend Magazine to capture the essence of Central Oregon with such passion and creativity. In this issue, we invite you to fall in love with the magic of a winter in Bend’s backyard over and over again. Explore cozy cabin hideaways tucked away in snowy landscapes, try your hand at winter fishing on a pristine lake or river, and meet the athletes who inspire us with their dedication to winter sports — whether on powder or on the ice. We bring you along to discover the vibrant scene in Central Oregon after dark, whether you’re seeking a night out or a cozy evening by the fire. This issue is an invitation to create your own winter traditions and take your own journeys into the new year and beyond.

We haven’t reached these milestones alone. To our advertisers, thank you for believing in our vision and for partnering with us to share our community’s stories. And to our amazing readers: thank you for being the heart of Bend Magazine. Your support means the world to us and pushes us to continually strive for excellence. Here’s to many more years of shared stories, adventures, and a deep appreciation for this incredible place we get to call home.

Happy Trails,

Heather & Ross Johnson,
Publishers/Owners, Oregon Media LLC

This issue has us reflecting on some of our most important journeys and milestones. Bend Magazine will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year and it’s incredible to reflect on the path we’ve taken to discover and share the Soul of Central Oregon with you during the past decade. Coincidentally, 2025 marks another important milestone: our 25th wedding anniversary. From a windswept engagement at the base of Broken Top — one that nearly blew us off the mountain — and saying “I do” in Sunriver’s Great Hall, to raising our kids here and calling Bend home for almost 30 years, this special place has been an essential part of our story and has truly shaped our lives.

We have always made our community central to our work and view it as a privilege to tell the stories of your world, too. These experiences are touchstones of lives well lived — just like those for a magazine, or a marriage.

The celebrations wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people that surround us. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the talented team who pour their heart and soul into each issue of Bend Magazine to capture the essence of Central Oregon with such passion and creativity. In this issue, we invite you to fall in love with the magic of a winter in Bend’s backyard over and over again. Explore cozy cabin hideaways tucked away in snowy landscapes, try your hand at winter fishing on a pristine lake or river, and meet the athletes who inspire us with their dedication to winter sports — whether on powder or on the ice. We bring you along to discover the vibrant scene in Central Oregon after dark, whether you’re seeking a night out or a cozy evening by the fire. This issue is an invitation to create your own winter traditions and take your own journeys into the new year and beyond.

We haven’t reached these milestones alone. To our advertisers, thank you for believing in our vision and for partnering with us to share our community’s stories. And to our amazing readers: thank you for being the heart of Bend Magazine. Your support means the world to us and pushes us to continually strive for excellence. Here’s to many more years of shared stories, adventures, and a deep appreciation for this incredible place we get to call home.

Happy Trails,

Heather & Ross Johnson,
Publishers/Owners, Oregon Media LLC

Introducing our November + December 2024 issue of Bend Magazine.

Notes of cinnamon scents and Bing Crosby songs in the air trigger a visceral response: Ready or not, the holiday season has arrived. We’re dreaming of a white Christmas around here, just like the ones we used to know as a kid. Well, maybe a childhood lens has nostalgia superseding reality. I recently revisited the sledding hill where I grew up. What was a mountain in my mind was barely a bump in reality. Either way, both my experience and memories are heavenly.

Impending snow gets us giddy in the Oregon Media office. Just outside our windows, Drake Park’s sledding hill will soon be a slippery slope in a scene of kicks and giggles. The production of Bend Magazine provides lots of action, too. It’s said a sign of character is what you do when no one is watching. I think that’s true with anything: Quality is defined by the small things no one may see.

What happened behind the scenes to create our holiday gift guide was no exception. Before a single frame was shot by the talented Cody Rheault, we spent many hours spent visiting some of our favorite local retailers in the procurement process. Kelly Alexander, Cali Clement and I built sets, chased a puppy and lit a fire in the fireplace at Sunriver Resort’s Historic Great Hall. The organized and creative chaos swirled around before coalescing on our pages, starting on page 78.

Many stories in this issue reflect what is unseen, but important. One of the most recognizable houses in Bend, the McCann House, took three years and more than 300 craftspeople to renovate. Each board was meticulously examined, restored, painted and seamlessly put back in place—details only the homeowners, contractors and Bend Landmarks Commission might recognize (page 53). Also often unseen, female military veterans are interviewed in Aaron Rasheed’s story, “They Are Not Invisible” (page 45). Tim Neville wrote “Aces of Bases” to explore how photo-worthy turns begin with the skill IT’S SAID A SIGN OF CHARACTER IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING…QUALITY IS DEFINED BY THE SMALL THINGS NO ONE MAY SEE.” local ski-tuning experts found in workshops or in a mobile tuning van (page 72).

With Bing in my ear, I’m dreaming of powder days with every card I write. It’s a holiday pleasure to think of those messages landing in the hands of my friends and family. Hopefully, this issue arrived in your hands to help you connect with our community. We keep sleds handy at our Bend Magazine office, so come by and join us for a ride when the snow starts to fall. In the meantime, turn the page!

Cheryl Parton, Editor in Chief

“IT’S SAID A SIGN OF CHARACTER IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING…QUALITY IS DEFINED BY THE SMALL THINGS NO ONE MAY SEE.”

Introducing our May + June 2024 issue of Bend Magazine.

Sitting in the cockpit of the world’s first flying car* and scanning the control panel, my imagination took flight.  Would there be a highway in the sky someday? I was about to take off into the future, only this scene was set in Central Oregon just a quarter mile off Highway 20.

My conversation with the vehicle’s inventor, Sam Bousfield (see pg. 69), kept me on solid ground. While he’s an idea-architect with almost a dozen patents to his name, the word he used to attribute his success resonated: persistence. It’s what I’ve tried to emulate myself, teach my kids over the years and remind my youngest child who is about to graduate from high school this June—it’s not always about your successes, it’s about what you learn along the way and your fortitude to stick to what you believe in. We’ve all had an injury, a broken relationship or business, or simply taken a wrong turn. The ability to make a thoughtful decision about what you do afterward defines where you go next.

In this issue, as we head toward summer together, let’s ask ourselves, “What decisions will we make to connect to the best of Central Oregon?” How about gathering in Drake Park to celebrate community while honoring Juneteenth (pg. 45)? Or hiking or biking with intention to learn about the environment along the way (pgs. 31-37)? We can think more about the food we eat and the clothes we wear (pgs. 63 and 78). The first open-air concerts signal the start of the summer season in my book, so I’m hoping to grab a paddleboard and listen to music while looking up at the stars.

On the subject of paddleboarding, Annie Fast wrote about pups on SUPs in her feature (page 84). It reminded me of another example of persistence. Our wire-haired griffon Buzz loved the water—he seemed to hold his breath as he took deep dives for sticks, stones (and detritus) at the bottom of Elk Lake. But when I attempted to bring him on a board, he’d have none of it. Over and over again, we’d try. Each time, it ended in utter chaos and a huge splash for both of us.

Persistence doesn’t always mean success, but in failure, we find lessons, invention or at least a laugh or two. Enjoy the season ahead—music, Central Oregon’s rivers and trails, and our diverse community. Allow your imagination to take flight. After all, life’s a splash!

Cheryl Parton, Editor in Chief

“IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOUR SUCCESSES, IT’S ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARN ALONG THE WAY AND YOUR FORTITUDE TO STICK TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.”

Introducing our March + April 2024 issue of Bend Magazine.

River runner Bonnie Olin describes the water as it bumps her raft against boulders along S-turns and forces the choice of a route. The descriptions are exhilarating and take us along for the ride. Oh, the joy of language. Words can deliver a shock to the senses, a map to new places or wisdom to help us lead our lives. And with so many words and possible paths in life come so many choices.

Commitment takes optimism, desire for the best possible outcome, and in the end, a leap of faith. Each issue of Bend Magazine has twists and turns. We start with 114 blank pages and then wade through a maze and flow of ideas. We play matchmaker with writers, editors, photographers and graphic designers, then the team works together to bring those ideas to fruition. There’s never just one “right” way—whether in selecting stories or images—but be sure, when we land on a cover photo, there’s a collective breathlessness and even a few goose bumps. Much like a coupe de foudre, or love at first sight, if you believe in that kind of thing: You know it when you see it.

In this issue, we brought together stories about people who visualized their goals and stayed focused on the pathways to reach them. Cyclist and writer Carl Decker introduces us to Phil Meglasson (and friends) who blazed paths and rode them until they were imprinted for the community in the form of the Phil’s Trail Complex.

Joe Potoczak shares stories of the Owyhee River as it flows with early spring snow melt through gradients of ombre geological striation, and the view from the seat on a boat is divine. Then, if you enjoy how a word can transport us to a moment in time, read Sean Stiny’s story “Chasing Rainbows” to discover the whole universe reflected on the flank of a fish. Ever the wordsmith, Maisie Smith writes about a “gastronomical flirtation” that happens when pinot noir meets its savory soul mate.

We hope you’ll enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. There are so many stories to tell, what’s yours? As with pages and life, we recognize there’s no one right way, only the way you choose, and your discipline and commitment to follow through. So as you navigate your journey— pick a path, paddle hard, find joy and as always…read on!

Let’s enjoy this adventure together,

Cheryl Parton, Editor in Chief

“AS YOU NAVIGATE YOUR JOURNEY— PICK A PATH, PADDLE HARD, FIND JOY AND AS ALWAYS…READ ON! LET’S ENJOY THIS ADVENTURE TOGETHER.”

Life can be messy: from dusty trails to muddy thinking before morning coffee clarity; piles of laundry and to-do lists. Wait, maybe that’s just me. In an editor’s world, you’d think everything had a place, like a pair of carefully placed punctuation marks. The reality though is that we’re a group of folks notorious for collecting multitudes of random information, in our heads and on index cards of notes tucked in pockets and sprinkled around the house. Again, maybe that’s just me. I could use a coach.

When we started to plan for our feature on coaches, the short list was filled with some obvious heroes: In Central Oregon, we have Olympians coaching aspiring Olympians, people who have spent more than half of their lives teaching children to swim, or running plays on high school courts for decades. But what about the coaches of our daily lives? They’re the friends who encourage us to be better, prompt us to look at all sides of a challenging situation, or call us out on bad choices. They help us reach our goals, or summit a mountain (see page 31 for a few ideas on peaks to climb). Sometimes, a coach can be as simple as the person who just stands by your side while you move through transitions or tragedies.

How could we possibly choose coaches to fill only eight pages? We did our best, and in this month’s issue of Bend Magazine, you’ll meet just a handful of dedicated citizens (page 72) who are building a better Bend, by leaps and bounds, a volley or by helping us hit vocal high notes.

As we move toward being better versions of ourselves, hopefully, we’re not skipping over the present and some of the most glorious, colorful days of the year. As fall approaches, Mother Nature is on display and hard at work preparing for the seasons ahead. While we’re out biking trails, and skimming across lakes on boats or boards, the trees are busy. They’re preparing their roots and missives­ as blueprints for future incarnations in the form of blooms next spring. This, all before taking a long pause for winter. We learned about the process for our story on fall leaves (page 39). See, nature is a coach, too.

September means back to school for some, remaining an eternal student for others. So, what did I learn from the trees and on the trails? That I’m lucky to have “Life Coaches” help me imprint healthy daily habits while preparing for the next season of life. For them, I’m grateful.

Let’s coach each other to be better, as individuals and as a community. As a reminder, I even wrote it on a card: “Bless this mess.” Because after the dust settles, and you’ve put in the work step by step, the view from the top might just take your breath away.

Onward!

Cheryl Parton, Editor in Chief

Introducing our July + August issue of Bend Magazine! In this issue of Bend Magazine, we take a look at what not only the summer season brings, but what routes the future might hold. Take a dip in hot springs, or bathe in the forest (it’s not what you think); learn what’s envisioned for Bend’s Central District (it’s also not what you think). Meet outrigger athletes paddling on the Deschutes River, and come with us to the Sisters Rodeo. Find out more about Alan Watts and his work to map Smith Rock. Find the issue all over Central Oregon through August 2023 or click here to find our past issues.