Oh Bend. We do love you so. After falling hard for the area during our visit in May to celebrate my birthday, we couldn’t resist the pull to go back to Bend when considering where to celebrate Cameron’s 26th birthday. Just as before, we rivaled in the enchanting downtown streets, breathtaking vistas, effortless accessibility to nature, gregarious townies, and – of course – the plethora of breweries. Again we settled into a lovely pattern of hiking in the morning and getting our fill of succulent eats and chill Bend culture in the evenings. A hike around Sparks Lake on Mount Bachelor was a lovely was to spend a morning and I can highly recommend the Deschutes Trail that leaves departs from the Old Mill District. We enjoyed that trail in the late spring and again this fall and couldn’t have enjoyed it more. I would also highly recommend Crux Fermentation Project and 10 Barrels while Drakes and McMenamin’s would get average ratings.
Between the gorgeous hikes and mouthwatering food, there was a myriad of small, beautiful moments. I’m still remembering the peacefulness that engulfed me when we let Sampson out after dinner the first night to run in the dark, expansive fields next to the river; the crisp fall air sweetly stinging my cheeks and the smell of hops reminding me that I was in the craft brewery mecca. The drive, there and back, with the endless expanses of evergreens, haphazardly dotted with the vivid yellows and oranges of fall was nature shamelessly showing off for is. We again thoroughly enjoyed our escape to Bend. I hope you enjoy the video and photos from our weekend – the exhibition of fall leaves throughout the trip were breathtaking and oh-so-fantastic!
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Love your blogs Jena – well done!!???