We ended up in Bend for a few days, not doing much of anything besides just generally enjoying the town and taking advantage of some downtime for ourselves.
Since we were enjoying some chill out time, I don't have very many photos to show from our days in Bend (well, except for the amazing hot air balloon festival). But what I lack in these iPhone pictures I make up for with enthusiasm for this town. We LOVED Bend. It always makes the list when people ask about our favorite stops of the trip.
So what makes Bend so cool? It is a bicycle and microbrewery haven. Which, as far as we're concerned, covers almost everything you need for a happy life. Taras even successfully completed the Bend Ale Trail! It doesn't hurt that the town is perfectly located on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range along the Deschutes River, meaning tons of easily accessible outdoor adventures like kayaking, hiking, fishing, and so much more. It's basically a dream town for all you cyclists, beer connoisseurs, and outdoorsy types out there.
Not to mention, Bend had some of the friendliest people we came across, and I gave the town bonus points for having a cute downtown with great restaurants!
