4/19/2023: Forest service roads.

This morning, I was able to sleep in, and when I looked outside, I saw that more snow had fallen. The snow seemed to fall randomly throughout the day and would melt right away, but at night, it would stick. There was roughly half an inch of snow on the ground.

Today, we decided to do some exploring, and Andy was hoping to take some pictures of deer and elk in the area. We went for a ride and looked at Google Earth to find some forest service roads that we could explore. Driving down the old, dirt, snow-covered roads made Andy's day! It felt like we were the only people on Earth.

As we drove randomly, we stumbled upon a concrete road and decided to follow it to see where it would take us. We didn't see any other tire tracks in the snow. After driving for about 20 minutes, we got to a closed road gate. We'll have to come back one day to see where it goes.

On our way back down the hill, we took more forest service roads and came across the Paulina Prairie Cemetery, which was a total surprise. There isn't a lot of information about it, and there are a few different names for it: Rease Cemetery, Paulina Prairie Cemetery, and Breese Cemetery. If you get bored, you can look them up.

Andy was able to fly his drone a few times today, and he got some great pictures and videos. He was thrilled to finally see a live animal while flying. A coyote was running across a field, and although we'd make excellent friends, I didn't want to bother it because I'm sure it was trying to catch a roadrunner.

As for Bend, Oregon, where we'll be until at least 4/30, here are three fun facts:

1. Bend is known as the "outdoor playground of the West" due to its abundance of recreational activities. It's located near the Cascade Mountains, which provide plenty of opportunities for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. The city also sits along the Deschutes River, which is popular for fishing, kayaking, and rafting.
2. Bend has a thriving craft beer scene, with over 30 breweries in the area. The city is home to the Bend Ale Trail, which is a self-guided tour of the local breweries. Bend also hosts the Bend Brewfest, which is a four-day festival featuring over 200 craft beers from around the Pacific Northwest.
3. Bend is situated on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range and is in the high desert of Central Oregon, which means it has a semi-arid climate with an average of 300 days of sunshine per year. This makes it a great place for outdoor enthusiasts who want to enjoy the sun and fresh air.

Happy Wednesday!