Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Day 3.

The family welcomed us with open arms and a delicious dinner. Greg and Cindy's home is even more beautiful than I imagined. The view, the stars, the lizards in the garden of lavender. On Monday, we decided to hike with Greg and explore one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon, Smith Rocks. 4.5 miles round trip, Misery Ridge trail. When we reached the top my eyes filled with tears with the beauty of Oregon. My heart was filled, exhausted but happy. We all took it in, reached Monkey Face rock a frequent climbing area, and then proceeded with our decent. The scenery with the Three Sisters, Black Butte, Three Finger Jack, Mt Jefferson, Mt Bachelor, and Mt Hood were just incredible, it felt like the top of the world. We drove into the town of Bend, to Deschutes Brewery, sampled and toured the facility. Did you know that local artists compete annually for label art of Central Oregon for seasonal winter ale Jubelale? Also, Deschutes is opening a new location in Virginia. And soon will also start a canning line. (Good news for river folk!) Next, we drove into Sisters, Or. Chris and I figured out that we had visited this same area on a road trip exactly 19 years prior, after dating for only 3 months. Even then we spoke of our love for this region and retiring here. This time, we walked the shops, found local fudge of course, and took in the local scene. The annual Quilt festival had just taken place and Rodeo happens every June. After much great conversation with Greg and Cindy we found out about the Sisters folk festival every September. Chris and I agreed to make that a priority. Spaghetti dinner, ice cream, and the most comfortable beds made our evening. A Great visit with family, you will always be near and dear to our heart. Thank you Greg and Cindy, Alan and Elizabeth. "In the end, only kindness matters." -Jewel

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