Bend / Crater Lake

For my birthday, Jamie and I packed our bags (and pets) and took a short road trip to Bend, Oregon. We drove a scenic route from Portland, driving over Mt. Hood and then down the back of it which becomes high desert all the way to Bend. Bend is known for its skiing and other winter activities, but summer is a favorite time of year for west coasters to visit. There is so much to do here! We went tubing down the Deschutes River, hiked, chased colorful sunsets, listened to live reggae music, ate amazing food, drank local beer, and drove an hour and a half to Crater Lake, one of Oregon’s seven wonders. To get home, we drove a different route through Sisters and Salem. Along the way, we found a camping site along a big lake that we had to stop at because it was so pretty. It was full of drift wood and hundreds of tree stumps. My favorite part of this trip though, was the sweetest birthday gift my husband gave me, he wrote me a song and sang it to me while playing his guitar as soon as the clock striked 12. He’s a keeper.