BEND - CENTRAL OREGON'S URBAN OASIS
by Janet & Stuart Wilson
The view from atop Pilot Butte affords a revealing portrait. A community of homes, shops, streets, schools, and trees spreads below. Beyond to the west rise the distinctive, snow-capped volcanic peaks of the Cascade Range. The vast horizon of the high desert stretches to the east. From up here the city seems smaller than official statistics would suggest. It looks more like a town of 20,000 people than a city of 80,000.
Our visits to Bend, Oregon confirm the area’s reputation as an outdoor Mecca, calling rock climbers, hikers, fisher-folk, mountain bikers, rafters, golfers and winter sports enthusiasts of all sorts. What we hadn’t anticipated was a comfortable and cultured small city offering theater, music, art,
cuisine and commerce typical of a larger metropolis. We’ve come to think of Bend as the in-between city: situated between mountains and desert; and, somewhere between a rural, small town and a large urban center in size and sophistication. It’s no wonder that Bend attracts both travelers and new residents drawn by the quality of life.
The High Desert Museum, a few miles south of town, provides a great introduction to the area. The museum’s well-crafted exhibits depict both the region’s natural and human history in a 50,000-square-foot, modern facility. On one visit we met William, a resident rehabilitated Western Screech Owl no longer able to fly, but who demonstrated his species’ remarkable ability to rotate its head 270 degrees!...
The complete article can be found in the current issue of RV Journal, available at quality campgrounds, RV dealers, parts, and service suppliers. Subscriptions are also available for this quarterly publication.
Home | Table of Contents | Out & About | Features | Departments | Free Camping | Subscribe Now | About Us | Questions/Comments | Site Map