This summer, intrepid explorers can add one more environment to their local bucket list: Bend’s underground. Wanderlust Tours is offering lava tube cave tours, taking visitors deep beneath the high desert to explore a cavernous world. Tourists can visit Skeleton Cave or Boyd Cave, two distinct caverns that exemplify the common features of lava caves. […]
Russ Axon
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Bend’s Dog Parks
By Bella the Dog | As Told to Russ Axon
Hi! My name is Bella. I am a dog! A miniature Australian shepherd dog to be specific. I am 56 years old! (Russ: That’s eight in human years.) I have lived in Bend my whole life, and I love it here! The blue sky, the gray grass, the nice people at the toy store who […]
Posted inOutside
Go Here 7/20-7/27
Prineville Bike Park Kick up the dirt in Prineville! After a combined three years of planning and construction, Prineville Bike Park officially opened this past Saturday, July 16. The bike park is the first of its kind in Central Oregon and was designed to be versatile for all types of bikes and all skill levels. […]
Posted inOutside
Go Here 7/13-7/20
Mt. Bachelor Bike Park The Mt. Bachelor Bike Park is now open for the summer. Mountain bikers can explore trails from the top of Pine Marten, including Lava Flow, Cone Run and lower Rattle Snake. Chairlifts open daily at 11am, closing at 5pm on weekdays and 7pm on weekends. Lift ticket prices vary based on […]
Posted inOutside
Let’s Pokémon Go for a Walk
Exploring Bend through new mobile game
I made my first important life decision when I was six years old: I choose Squirtle as my starter. This decision was made on a brand new GameBoy Color, and motivated by a desire to be competitive against my brother’s Charmander. A lot of people will comprehend those statements, but for the confused and uninitiated, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
The Bike Guys’ Bikes
Riding in Bend is serious business: a quick Google search of “Bend bike shops” brings up 20 different locations. Even with so much competition, these shops thrive thanks to the efforts of their knowledgeable and passionate staff members. These gearheads keep the chains running smoothly for Bend’s cyclists, but what turns their wheels? We asked […]
Posted inOutside
Go Here 7/6-7/13
Lavender In Bloom Central Oregon’s high desert environment allows for the cultivation of some of the most beautiful and unique floral life in the world. Budding and seasoned florists can get a dose of that wildlife at Tumalo Lavender Farm. The farm grows the calming, purple flower, which reaches full bloom in mid-July. Visitors can […]
Posted inOutside
Enduring the High Cascades
Riders compete to finish 100-mile bike race
With its mix of mountainous terrain and high desert flatlands, Bend is a mountain biker’s paradise. The trails here offer a variety of challenges and sights, and their abundance makes it easy for riders to spend at least a week exploring all of them. Or, they can compete in The High Cascades 100 and see […]
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Go Here 6/29-7/6
Bend Kayak School Learn the skills necessary to navigate the whitewater rapids of Central Oregon! The Bend Kayak School is offering beginner classes this summer. These immersion classes will teach amateur kayakers how to safely and expertly maneuver kayaks downriver. The class will be spread across two days, and attendees can expect personal instruction that […]
Posted inOutside
Dining on the Waterfront
Wanderlust tour explores taste buds and lake life
For Dave Nissen, founder of Wanderlust Tours, coming up with new ideas is a group effort. “We at Wanderlust often find ourselves hanging out, sipping on suds at the end of the day, and brainstorming what would knock people’s socks off,” he said. After 23 years in business, Nissen and his team of guides and […]
