We started out our morning with a good old hearty breakfast from Cracker Barrel. Thanks Mom and Dad! I was a little depressed getting up knowing we were suppose to be in San Fransisco today picking Donita up from the airport around noonish. After that it would have been off to the Golden Gate Bridge for our C2C launch this afternoon. Instead here I was in the Boise, ID, and Donita was in the hospital facing the hardest journey of her life.

Bend, Oregon… the name of this town was very fitting for me, that I had to laugh. It was a town where I finally bent and let go of the year and a half of planning I had done for this bike trip. It took me 5 days of constant mind chatter, but I did it. I finally made a plan:

1. Throw out my c2c spreadsheet and plan

2. Wander back east until July 4.

Was it coincidence we named our website wandering project? Was it coincidence that when I didn’t feel I could let go of our plans I missed my turn and ended up in Bend, OR only to be reminded of my late mother-in-laws words of wisdom about being flexible when life “Bend”s you so you don’t break? I think not. It was a lot of work mentally to get me to this state of mind, but now I am ready for the new challenge.

I pulled up Google Maps as we entered OR to see what we could see that wasn’t too far out of the way of our way heading to the coast. I have wanted to come to OR for many years to take photos of the Painted Hills. To my delight it was only an hour away. They did not disappoint at all. They were just beautiful. The layers of colors of (red, black, yellow and gold) paints the soil so delicately. Where we on Mars? We could see why this place known as one of the 7 wonders in Oregon. It’s located in the John Day fossil bed. Deep stained terra-cotta red rounded hills rose in every direction. The cracked dry surface was like looking at intricate black lace draped over the hills. Sheer barren beauty! We ended our day at the Days Inn in Bend. It was very clean and cozy and nice staff.

Tomorrow we will be in CA on the Pacific Coast! Enjoy the many photos.
night y’all!