zabreznik.com

We have officially been on the road for one month!  It hasn’t seemed that long AND it feels like forever all at the same time.  We spent the last 3 nights in Bend, Oregon – gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  I’d heard about the beauty of the Bend area for a long time but it’s an understatement.  I’ve never seen more bike trails, hiking trails, mountains, forests, lakes and rivers  than here.  It’s really what I was waiting to get to – the Pacific Northwest.  And snow!  We stayed with Joe’s Aunt Ramona and Uncle Pat who are just the nicest people you could ever meet.  They fed us like kings!  The first day they took us up on Mount Bachelor and Zoey got to see snow for the first time ever, and go sledding!  The ski season had just ended but the mountains around Bend are still covered with snow.  Zoey had a blast, her and her Daddy, sliding down the hills on the little saucer sled and making snow angels.  They were soaked, but happy.



We also got to do some great hiking out by a 100 foot falls, Tumalo Falls.  Joe and Zoey spent a long time playing in the creek, which in Texas would be considered a raging river, upstream from the falls and we hit snow on our hike up the canyon above Tumalo creek which eventually turned us back because the trail was covered in icy packed snow.  Can you believe it!  Any direction you go out of Bend you hit hiking and bike trails in the forest – it’s the outdoor recreation capital of the US I think.



It was a really nice visit.  And we’re all officially well again which is a relief, knock on wood.  It was sad to say goodbye but we’re headed up to Hermiston Oregon, close to Joe’s Mom’s hometown, to see more Aunts and Uncles and cousins.  I think this is the best part of traveling, spending time with family.