"The Way West"...Day 41...Monday, July 23, 2012

I could really grow to like this whole "bed thing". The bed in my room at the Day's Inn is very comfortable. And...I don't have to walk two hundred yards to the bathroom.
My plan for today is to just walk around the town of Bend...see the city, meet the people, grab some lunch.
I like this town of Bend. There's about 90,000 people here...separated from coastal Oregon...out in the high desert. People have a good thing going here, and they know it. Talk to people, and many will tell you that they moved here to raise a family...friendly people, good schools, lots of things to do. The town is so named because the Deschutes river through town makes a large "bend" here.
So I just walk around the city...lots of little shops...bars...restaurants. There are many nice little parks scattered throughout the town. Last night, a number of people recommended "Spork" as a great place to eat. It's an old Airstream trailer that's been converted to a kitchen...it's about a three-mile hike from my hotel. The food at Spork is great...and cheap. I get two great carnitas tacos and the crispy chicken...four meaty thighs marinated and fried crisp then tossed with a sweet and spicy sauce. That comes with a kimchi salad and a huge portion of rice. Through in a Mexican Coke, and the bill is only $14.00.
Now I'm really stuffed so I hike around Drake Park and back through town. My favorite "dive", the M & J Tavern includes a laundromat next store...what a concept. So...I do three loads of laundry while enjoying several cold beers. After that, it's back to the Day's Inn for some blog posting, email cleanup, a short nap and a shower.
Around 7:00PM, I head out to the Blacksmnith for dinner. It's a steakhouse with a very extensive "bar menu". After my big lunch, I want to be able to sample some "small plates", not a huge meal. The bartender is friendly, and I meet a great local guy, Mark, who knows the history of the area well and has some really good ideas on different routes that I can take down to Crater Lake and, then, over to the coast. I drink a lot of wine...and get a "wedge salad", some beef carpaccio, and the parmesan/truffle fries with aioli...then I drink a lot of beer...chatting away the evening with nice people.
It's late when I leave Blacksmith, and I'm tired...too tired even to make a last stop at the M & J. Back to the Day's Inn...to sleep in a real bed.