During the last week of February I had a business meeting in Denver and decided to fly from Denver to Portland to visit my old college pal Bill Benson and his wife Laurey. Empty nesters like us, they’ve settled in Bend in central Oregon where she works for a small ad agency and Bill works with ESL kids at the local high schools.

The route from Portland to Bend took us right past Mt. Hood and it was a clear day, so the view was spectacular. Bend is in the high desert, just east of the Cascades, you have very interesting diversity in climate and landscape.

They got lots of snow this year and access to some of the steams was just about impossible for a gimp like me.

I saw gorgeous gorges and amazing vistas. As well as some dangerous terrain, can you find the bike in the picture below?

And some not very good places to play frisbee with fido. This gorge is amazing, photos don’t do justice to the sense of space you get when you’re standing above it. Although the bike does give you a little perspective. I’ve been pretty much a flatlander all my life except for the summer I spent in Idaho, right after college, where I fell in love with the west and the mountains. Looking back, I wish I’d spent more time in the mountains when I was younger. It makes it a little harder to enjoy when you’re as lame as I am. I’m determined to get back my legs so I can get out in the woods again, Something I really miss. I’ll be posting a few more pics over the next few days. If you want to see more of my Oregon pics go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eisengrim/sets/72157604159343435