Saturday, August 11th
Like many other mornings on this trip, we started out today with breakfast sandwiches; this time from the Great Harvest Bread Company in downtown Bend. (Tomato and spinach were only a dollar extra, but well worth it.) After breakfast we made our way to the Deschutes Brewery, hoping to enjoy the visitor center and a tour. Surprisingly, we arrived 45 minutes before they opened. That gave us time to talk to the bartenders, who gave us a Bend Ale Trail map and sent us on our way. We had no idea that Bend had nine breweries!
We first went to 10 Barrel Brewing Company, where we started off the day with a sampler flight of ten of their beers. We really enjoyed the beer, though we were disappointed that the flight wasn’t actually arranged from light to dark, in the order that they should be sampled. Our favorites were the Northwest Red and the S1nist0r Black ale, which was uniquely refreshing for a beer that dark. We then rushed to Cascade Lakes Brewing Company to sample their Blonde Bomb Shell and their IRA (India Red Ale).
Finally, it was time to return to Deschutes for our much anticipated brewery tour and samples. Between the two of us, we tried the Chainbreaker WIPA, Twilight Summer Ale, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Zymerge, and Black Butte XXIV. We also joined a 45-minute tour of the brewing facility, where they make all the beer that they distribute to all the western states and provinces. We enjoyed perusing the label gallery at the end of the tour, specifically the labels for the seasonal Jubelale which Deschutes commissions from a different local Northwest artist each winter. On our way out of town we stumbled upon Silver Moon Brewing to sample the Life Guard Blonde (“A blonde for a blonde,” according to the bartender) and Hopnob IPA, as well some well deserved lunch.
After a quick gas fill-up, we were on our way out of town heading east on Highway 20. We once again entered the crazy high desert terrain from yesterday. We agreed that we never imagined this kind of topography would exist in Oregon, as it instead conjures ideas of the Southwest. Another gas top off in Burns (because you never know where the next station will be in the desert) and we were heading south on Highway 78. Our friend Chris, from Talkeetna, had told us to be on the lookout for hot springs in this area, and we quickly came to Crystal Crane Hot Springs. We were looking for something natural, not commercial, but we soon changed our mind on hot springs entirely; when the air temperature is this hot, 101 degree water just doesn’t feel pleasant.
Pulling away from Crystal Crane the sky acquired a pink hue and the sun began to turn red. Apparently there is a forest fire burning in Fields, and the smoke from the fire is creating a haze throughout the eastern reaches of the state. As the haze caused dusk to come earlier than normal, we pulled off the road and found a great spot to camp on top of a butte overlooking the Steens Mountains. Once again from the top of our butte we were able to enjoy some amazing stargazing and watch the Perseid meteor show.
In other news, we finally found the most elusive license plate for our license plate game: Hawaii! It was on a car just sitting there in downtown Bend. (Click here to see how the game is progressing.) Coincidentally, before we even said anything about it, the gas station attendant in Burns also mentioned that he had seen a Hawaii license plate pull through today for the first time in a long while. Maybe there are some Hawaiians out there doing the same drive we are, at least from Portland to Las Vegas. If you see the silver Honda Pilot with the Alaska tag and the bike on the back, honk your horn!
In other news, we finally found the most elusive license plate for our license plate game: Hawaii! It was on a car just sitting there in downtown Bend. (Click here to see how the game is progressing.) Coincidentally, before we even said anything about it, the gas station attendant in Burns also mentioned that he had seen a Hawaii license plate pull through today for the first time in a long while. Maybe there are some Hawaiians out there doing the same drive we are, at least from Portland to Las Vegas. If you see the silver Honda Pilot with the Alaska tag and the bike on the back, honk your horn!
Note: While touring the Bend Ale Trail, we shared small size samples over the course of several hours and with two meals. Please enjoy the Ale Trail responsibly and don't drink and drive!
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