At the end of May, Marcus and I drove to Central Oregon to spend my birthday weekend at The Lodge at Suttle Lake. The resort has a beautiful main lodge and boathouse restaurant, with private cabins scattered around the premises. We rented a small cabin a short walk from the lake and dined the first evening at the restaurant. Due to a mixup, our reservation was lost, so the manager opened the second floor and gave us a private meal with a view over the lake. The ambiance was amazing, complemented by delicious food and a bottle of wine. After our meal, we headed back to sit around the fire and roast birthday s'mores. The next day, my parents joined us for a hike around the lake, although the water was too cold for a swim. In the evening, we cooked a meal of chili, cheese sandwiches, and roasted kale over the fire. With s'mores for dessert, of course. On Sunday, we headed to the nearby town of Sisters, an Old West style town with a mountain range for a backdrop. We visited a few antique shops, enjoyed lunch on a sunny terrace, and grabbed coffee at the legendary Sisters Coffee Company. And then, we headed over the mountain and back to Portland.
Over the Mountainpass
During the holiday to Oregon, Marcus and I headed across the mountains to visit some friends in Bend, a small town located in central Oregon. Getting there requires a crossing through the Cascade Mountain Range and, as nervous as I was to drive through snow for the first time in many years, I was excited to show Marcus the beautiful mountains of Oregon in the wintertime. Our route took us past the Detroit Dam and Reservoir (pictured above), up the Santiam pass (first picture below), past Suttle Lake (second picture), and through the town of Sisters (third picture). Ridiculously beautiful, isn't it?