Oregon Day 5: Over the Mountains, Through the Woods & Across the Desert

How can you make a three-and-a-half hour car trip to central Oregon with an almost one-year-old enjoyable? Add Melissa and Justin into the mix! That's right, today we drove from Kristin's mother's house down to Sunriver, just south of Bend, for a few days with Jeff and Company.

This was my first trip over the Cascade Mountains and into the high deserts that cover most of central Oregon. Our route took us up over 5000' alongside Mount Hood, through beautiful conifer forests recently dusted with snow, and across sage brush-scrubbed plains. We hadn't seen Melissa and Justin since last April and a few big things happened in the interim. Let's just say that Melissa put on a few pounds near her left hand, more specifically her fourth finger. Click the links to check it out.

Our ride really was a delight as we had a chance to catch-up with Melissa and Justin. They are contemplating a move, planning a wedding, and doing a fair amount of traveling. We stopped for a break in Madras, home of some baseball player that everyone was freaking out about, (Kristin jumps in with Red Sox player), then continued on our way.

Sunriver sits at an elevation of 4500'. The house we stayed in backed up to a golf course and had views of Mount Bachelor and Three Sisters on a clear day. Here's a picture of the front of the house.
We quickly settled in, picking the room farthest away from everyone as we anticipated a few mid-night cries. Our group consisted of Kristin, Clara, and I; Melissa and Justin; Jeff and Sabrina; Alana and Delaney, Sabrina's daughters; and Megan, Alana's friend. The girls broken in the pool table while we went upstairs to feed Clara.
The layout of the house was perfect for a large group. Four of the five bedrooms and the family room with a pool table were on the first floor. The second floor held the master bedroom and living room, dining room, and kitchen that flowed into each other. We strapped Clara into her booster seat - covering the nice chair with a towel to protect it - and attempted to find a space where she couldn't reach anything. She looks a little sad sitting all alone. I couldn't resist the picture.
By the time bedtime came, we all fell into bed tired and content.