After Crater Lake we drove up to Bend and our favorite lodging at Inn of the Seventh Mountain. Since there was no snow, I don't believe we even made the drive out to Mt. Bachelor. We explored the neighboring countryside instead.
We took a day to explore the high desert northeast of Bend toward Prineville. I can't tell you exactly where this picture was taken, but the river may be the Crooked River.
One day we drove to Sisters, northwest of Bend.
Along the way we stopped at Cline Falls, on the Deschutes River. At the time it was the site of a hydro-electric facility. The power plant has been shut down and the dams removed since then.
OR126 bridge in the background.
Cline Falls.
Jim overlooking the Deschutes River.
Sisters was a pretty town. We had lunch at a local tavern. My primary memory, oddly, was watching a jump-rope competition on the television! It was a long way from "Teddy bear, teddy bear, go upstairs."
I think it was also on this trip that we visited Sunriver, south of Bend. It is the alternate location for lodging "close" to Mt. Bachelor and many people had recommended it. We weren't impressed and decided we would continue to visit Bend.
Lava Butte is between Sunriver and Bend. We had hiked to the top on an earlier visit. The interpretive center is closed in winter, snow or no snow, although access is still allowed.
The view west from the base of Lava Butte shows Mt. Bachelor to the left and the Three Sisters to the right. There is a promise of snow to come, but not enough to ski yet.
After our time in Bend, we were headed to the Willamette Valley for wine tasting. We decided to visit Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge on the way.
This beautiful bridge over the Crooked River is outside Terrebonne, OR. It is now closed to vehicular traffic, but at the time carried US97, The Dalles-California Highway.
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