Bend, Oregon is awesome. (That opinion might have something to do with the multiplicity of breweries that we hit up today.)

I've been traveling since leaving Portland on the 17th with a Peace Corps colleague and her sister. One just worked as a tour director in Alaska, the other is a ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, so they're very good company. We poked around the Columbia River Gorge, saw the highest waterfall in the state and hiked the majestic Eagle Creek Trail before stocking up on apples and fresh cider at a beautiful roadside farm with a view of Mount Hood beyond the orchards. With apple products in the Jeep it was time to climb the flanks of Mt. Hood to see Timberline Lodge (The hotel featured in The Shining!) where we absorbed the ridiculous sunset from the top of a communications tower that probably shouldn't have climbed. The next day called for more driving south (once the sub-freezing temperatures overnight were allowed to thaw out). Since then, the days have been filled with volcanic cliffs, plunging gorges, whipping winds, vibrant fall leaves, and a secret Indian hot spring that we weren't allowed to go to. I'll see if I can update better tomorrow. Ciao. Lots going on, and lots more to think about.