Try Something New

With the first official day of fall coming this week, we'd like to share a list of a few new hobbies for you to try during the new season. The sun will be going down earlier and you need activities that will keep you interested through the cooler months of the year. This list is arranged by "required effort" from greatest to least. 

Rock Climbing: If you don't already rock climb, which if you live in Bend you probably do, ask anyone to take you on their next rock climbing trip. They're probably going tonight. While it's a great sport during the cooler months (you actually stick to rocks better - it's science), you can also start climbing in the gym. This is an all-body workout that will not only get you in great shape, but also keep you occupied for hours and days and years. 

Off-Duty Wanderlust Guides at Smith

Trail Running (or Trail Walking): The point is to get outside. Fresh air and quiet spaces are some of the best ways to start feeling better. It's a major plus if you can get in a workout at the same time! Skip the gym this week and head outside. Your body and spirit will thank you for it later.

Bike Riding: Go farther faster and get all the same great benefits of trail running - plus a bit of an adrenaline rush! We'd recommend booking a tour with Cog Wild. They'll make sure you have an amazing time. Hopefully you love it so much that you want to ride your bike everyday. And then, you'll start replacing your drives with bike rides and we're one step closer to saving the planet. Dreaming big here. 

Pie Baking: For those of you looking to bring the magic of fall straight to your kitchen. I don't know about you, but cooking and baking have always seemed like daunting tasks. All the measuring and setting timers were hard 

Beer Drinking: What? Is that a hobby? If you're in Bend it certainly is. There are so many types of beer; you really do need to try them all so you know what you like. The best way to learn about all the beer Bend has to offer is by completing the Bend Ale Trail. If you haven't been to all of them (where have you been?) get going! We offer the Bend Brew Bus as a great way to see four different breweries in an afternoon. There are new breweries popping up all the time - don't miss any! Speaking of new breweries, Immersion Brewing will be throwing their grand opening party next month! Get the details on their website or Facebook page. 

The Bend Brew Bus 

When Summer Ends

What do you do when vacation is over? Seriously, how are you supposed to go back to work after the best vacation ever? We won't tell you it's easy, but we do have a few tips for returning back to reality without kicking and screaming. 

Unpack right away. The moment you pull into the driveway, your to-do list that has been so quietly benign during vacation will suddenly be staring you in the face. Our advice, unpack quickly and get your house back to normal as soon as possible. You're already going to be grouchy; you don't need to add more annoyances like living out of a suitcase for two more weeks. 

Print pictures. But not all of them. We know you're not actually going to scrapbook your treasures because seriously who has time for that?? So instead of printing pictures that you'll put in a box and forget about, print just a few of your favorites and display them for a while. Sites like Artifact Uprising (they did not pay us to plug them; we just really like their product) will allow you to choose 25 photos to print on luxe, matte square paper. They come out looking amazing and it's just the right amount to share when people want to see. Can you find Sparks, Broken Top, Mirror Pond and Cascade Lakes Highway below? 

Have a Bend themed day. This may be my favorite suggestion. What does a Bend-themed day look like? It's totally up to you. Find a Bend beer distributing in your city (like 10 Barrel or Deschutes) and start enjoying. Then, be nice to everyone you see and be sure to do something outdoors! The more adventurous and off-the-beaten-path the better. Relive the best moments of your vacation and call it "BENDsday."

Plan your next vacation. And whether you choose summer, fall, spring, or winter, you aren't making a bad choice. We may all be a little sad that the long hot fun-filled days of summer are over... but look at what comes next!! 

If you joined us for a tour this summer, we were so lucky to have you. Thank you for bringing your excitement, your adventurous spirit, and your willingness to learn. We love doing what we do and hope that you had a wonderful time with us! Until next time,

CHEERS!

Animal of the Month: Ducks

If you were asked to name different ducks, how would you answer? If you said Daffy, Donald, or Darkwing, get ready to learn about the real-life ducks that inhabit central Oregon. (But also about Donald) Since there are so many varieties, we've picked a few of our favorites to feature this week.**

The male Wood Ducks are some of the most colorful in central Oregon donning green, orange blue, yellow, tan, and shiny black in their feathers. The female duck is much more subtle. These guys are mostly found building their nests in trees. 

Wood Duck. Photo from animalspot.net // click the picture to follow the link. 

Hooded Merganser. Photo from animalspot.net // click the picture to follow the link. 

Have you seen a Hooded Merganser? You can start looking next month! This is a "fish duck" that has some major diving skills. They have beaks that help them catch fish as well as special lenses on their eyes that help them see underwater. You can find them around Bend October through May. 

The Mallard is probably the most commonly known duck. Both males and females have white tails (a good hint to separate them from other ducks). Did you know that a group of mallards is called a sord? 

Bufflehead. Photo from birdnote.org // click the picture to follow the link. 

A very small duck with a very large head?? A Bufflehead! Find them in slower-moving or shallow water, these guys are tiny and adorable. The most interesting thing about buffleheads besides the name? They are some of the only ducks that return to their same mate year after year. We're talking to you, mallards. 

The bird everybody loves to hate: Canadian Geese. They slow traffic, they poop on your lawn, and they always travel in groups (which makes the first two characteristics even more offensive). You can find them and their long black necks by the river, crossing roads, or stumbling through golf courses throughout Bend. 

Canadian Goose honking and soaring.

And finally, Oregon's favorite duck: Donald. Also known as "The Duck" or "The Fighting Duck." Through a special licensing agreement with Disney, the mascot for the Oregon Ducks is the cartoon himself: Donald Duck. History, and rumor has it that when a group of fisherman from Massachusetts nicknamed webfoots migrated to Oregon, the name stuck. Oregon teams were known as Webfoots from the late 1800s until about 1940. Ducks had long been associated with Oregon teams teams (because of their webbed feet) but Donald wasn't chosen as the official mascot until 1940. 

Walt Disney (right) wearing an Oregon Ducks jacket with Athletic Director Leo Harris. 

**All of the information from this post has been learned from LeeAnn Kriegh's The Nature of Bend. You can buy your own copy in our office!