Dear Travel Journal,

We have just returned from a motor trip to Oregon state. Our destination... the "Inn of the Seventh Mountain" in Bend, situated on the Deshutes River and boasting sunshine 300 days a year.

Newly renovated, the inn is the closest accomodation to Mt. Bachelor for all your winter sports. Having said that Bend is not just about snow. This is high desert country formed by volcanic action and we enjoyed two weeks of 70 degree weather in October.

Once we caught on to the "round-a-bouts" in their street system, we were off! We checked out Old Mill Town, High Desert Museum, drove the Cascade Highway, spent time at Sun River (another RCI destination). A day spent visiting Crater Lake was awesome.

Mt. Bachelor, Oregon

North to Redmond at Ship Rock for rock climbing, the ghost town of Shaniko and a tour at Antelope of a 6500 acre ranch donated to "Young Life", a christian association for young people to enjoy camp life.

So... if you like to bike, hike, ski, raft, canoe, climb, shop or enjoy history, galleries, restaurants, book some time in Wilcamette County.

- Sonia Cyr