One of our favorite places in the state of Oregon is Bend. Located about three hours South of Portland, it is the perfect place for a weekend getaway in both summer and winter!
Luckily, my +1 has a number of clients there, so we make frequent trips. This past Thursday, we headed down for a long weekend. The main objective, besides client meetings, was a 12 hour adventure race!
For those of you not familiar with Bend, let me give you a quick run down. It is located on the Deschutes River in central Oregon. Mt. Bachelor is less than a 30 minute drive from the town center, and the great outdoors are right in your backyard. Hiking, alpine and x-country skiing, paddle boarding, river rafting, mountain and road biking and countless other activities are just minutes away.
It's really a beautiful place!
Given that my +1 was in meetings all day Thursday and Friday and was racing on Saturday, the Mini Fashionista and I had a lot of stroller and park time! She also got to go for her very first horseback ride. It was pretty awesome!
One of the other great things about Bend is that they have a barre3! So I was able to get in my workout while the Mini played in child care. The highlight of my Friday morning was being recognized by a C&C reader, Amanda, who had recently moved to Bend from Colorado. Amanda, if you are reading this, it was so great to meet you, and thank you for being a C&C follower! You truly made my day!
Now back to the activities...Wherever we go, we have our favorite dining spots. Bend has no shortage of awesome eateries. Jackson's Corner, Spork, Backporch Coffee, and Sparrow Bakery are a few of our favorites. This trip, thanks to the recommendation of barre3 owner Darcy, I discovered Sarah's Raw and Vegan Cafe. They make the most amazing smoothies that they sell in mason jars. While I was there I tried the coconut chocolate dream, strawberry banana and pineapple coconut bliss. They were all so tasty! I can't wait to go back.
And no trip to Bend is complete without at least one stop at Backporch coffee for a latte and an Ocean Roll (from Sparrow Bakery). So, what is an Ocean Roll? It starts with a traditional croissant dough, then they add a layer of cardamom, sugar, and vanilla, roll it up, add a splash of egg wash, and bake it to golden perfection. These are without a doubt the best pastry I have ever eaten. PERIOD!
The Mini did her share of eating as well. And you can't truly enjoy good food without good friends, so we made sure to dine with some of our favorite people, like her Uncle Chris and our friend Heather.
So while I had my own 12 hour adventure of trying to entertain a two year old (without a nap), my +1 was off adventuring through the rivers and mountains on foot, bike and kayak. He and his teammate finished the "12 hour", 75 kilometer race in just over 8 hours and in 1st place. Go Team!
Don't they look tired? It makes me tired just thinking about how far they went!
So, if you are looking for a fantastic weekend, or week long getaway with great food, scenery and access to the outdoors, check out Bend!
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