Bend and Back

Bend and back - 11-14 - 11-17
This is the latest step in our return to the Bay Area. Winter's coming (this happens very early in Central Oregon, we discovered), and we needed to bring some crucial household items down, so we watched the weather and waited for an "ok" weekend, which was this past one. The drive began on Thursday, after work. As is usually the case, getting out of the Bay Area was the slowest part of the trip. As we were heading out at the peak of rush hour (a term they don't understand in Bend), we decided to stop for dinner at Joe's of Westlake. Unfortunately, the restaurant I've been frequenting for over 40 years was packed, and an hour+ wait just wasn't in the cards. So we opted for a quick meal at the new Boulevard Cafe, which previously was a Lyon's Restaurant and another spot I frequented a few hundred times, as I grew up about a mile from there.

Thursday night was spent at LaQuinta in Redding, then onward to Bend on Friday morning. I've grown to genuinely like the ride to Bend (and back), unless it's snowing, which it does consistently from November through May, and sometimes longer. The Siskiyou's in the snow, and Central Oregon in the ice, are two of my least favorite driving conditions. If I don't have to do it ... I won't. Hence, the "timing" of a good weather forecast and the trip on this particular weekend.