Parilla is also a huge supporter of the community, as they host multiple events throughout the year. The summer time also brings an outdoor concert series which is also part of the commute options program. What better than cruising on your bike and checking out the music on a warm summer night in Bend. With summer right around the corner it wont be long until we are enjoying the hot summer days. But as it is still winter, although a mild one, you can keep warm and full with great eats at Parilla Grill.

     Skjersaa’s Sports Shop, established in 1958, has all the best and hottest ski and snowboard gear and apparel at the best prices around. The first thing you’ll notice about Skjersaa’s is the unique building. And upon entering the Chalet Style building you will find a roaring fire place that just makes you feel at home. The best customer service in the business will assist you in finding everything from a new snowboard, bindings, pants, helmets and anything else you can think of. As well as a full tune and repair shop, you can rent or demo what you need if you haven’t decided what to get or your just visiting for the weekend.

     Also Skjersaa’s is a proud sponsor of Mt. Bachelor and is known for putting on some of the best rail jams around the town of Bend. So if your looking for a friendly atmosphere to check out some gear on your way to Mt. Bachelor then stop into Skjersaa’s and find what you need.

     So next time you want a healthy lunch with not much time to spare. Check out Croutons , one of the newer restaurants on Bend’s West Side.

     So If your looking to get some days on Mt Bachelor and you are a resident or a second home owner that frequents the area. Then a season pass might be a great deal for you, especially since Mt Bachelor has recently extended its preseason pass prices through Friday Oct 9. Even if you planning a short trip for the winter already, there are some multi day passes at awesome prices. And for those of you who just plane miss the early season deals, Mt Bachelor is also doing a kind of sliding scale day pass pricing depending of weather and open lifts.

     The season at Mt Bachelor usually begins around Thanksgiving weekend and goes through the end of May. So with almost 7 months of skiing and snowboarding you have plenty of opportunity to catch some great days on the mountain. Offering all types of terrain that will keep any level rider looking forward to that next epic run. Start over on the West Village side of the mountain where the main lodge is located for some green terrain for the kids and the best bar on the mountain for the adults. Or cruise to the top of the mountain up the Summit lift for and epic view and some steeper terrain. The North West side of the resort for the best powder and tree runs with all kinds of wind lips and drops for the advanced rider. If you have the family with you and your looking to take it easy where the weather is usually a little more mild. Then head over to the east side of the hill to the Sunrise Lodge for food, beer, and a family atmosphere with a bunch of easier terrainfor the whole family. There is ample parking on this side of the mountain with two large parking lots or free shuttle buss service from the West Village side. The entire mountain can be assessed from either lodge as Mt Bachelor is a unique volcanic cone shaped mountain.

    So even though we are more than a month to go before opening day, don’t forget to get geared up and grab those early season deals on the passes. Cause looking good on the mountain in all your new gear only matters if your actually rinding the mountain. Get your passes and come shred the volcano this winter!

     I recently went on a short hike at the First Street Rapids along the Deschutes River. This nice little section of river near the downtown Bend area is a great place for just a long enough hike to stretch your legs and see the beauty the out town has. Parking is the main problem with the small park, but you can usually find a spot along the 1st st on your way to the park. Ounce parked you can check out the class 1 and 2 rapids at the park and chill for a few. Then just follow the trail down river as it is a great walking path. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and you pick up their piles. So as you hike the trail you may see some wild life along the way. I saw a pair of Swans and there young as well as a Osprey fighting with a Red Tail Hawk. That was probably a rare siting, but it was totally awesome! After a little bit the trail will go up hill along side of the Rivers Edge golf course and stop at the road. You may want to continue from here and explore although I decided to stop and turn around.  I did the hike in about 45 min at a very leisurely pace. At the end when I got back to the park I hung out by the rapids for a bit and then I was on my way back home.

     So if you don’t have much time or you want to hike somewhere close in town. Even if you have family or friends in town this is the perfect short hike to show off what Bend, OR has to offer. Check out the First Street Rapids park and hiking trail for a great break from the day.

Classy!

So if your going out on the town and your not sure what your up to or where to go, then you have to check out one of downtown Bend’s newest coolest nooks. Located by the corner of Wall St. and Franklin is Velvet. Now this place is not as big as it seems, due to the optical illusion produced by the fully mirrored wall. But size isn’t everything. I like the atmosphere that you get at Velvet. With a crew of employees that run the show, which all have been in the downtown work seen for awhile, your sure to get what you want just the way you want it. So weather your looking for a Jack and Coke or a PBR 40oz in a paper bag they got what you need. The bar is in the upstairs area which can make it a challenge to get your order in, but what better way to mingle than actually squeezing through the crowd.

When your looking for a good time and not sure where to go, give Velvet a try, I think of it as a stepping stone to the rest of the evening. Being in the mix of the downtown area its a chill scene with some great people watching. I hope you can have as much fun here as I have.

     This site will serve as a guide to the locals and all of our visitors to this great place. I will be telling you all about my adventures and outings on the town as well as info I gather from other locals and friends of mine as to how they like to spend their days here in Bend. A locals perspective on what to do rather than what u see in the biggest advertisments. For instance, what is the best margritia in town, whats the music seen looking like or where is the pow stash on Mt Bachelor?

     I encourge people to let me know what you think of my suggestions. Did you have fun, would you go back or did you go somewhere cool and have a good time. After living here for the past nine years I’ve meet thousands of people through the outdoor industry I work in. Over the years I’ve shared my stories and suggestions with people and now we’ve opend it to a new venue for all to share. So have a great day and we will see where the evelotion of the new site goes.