Next week, I’m flying out for an interview with a company in Bend, OR. I’ve lived all my life in Texas, and so I’m a bit nervous about potentially moving out there. Any Dopers been there/live there?
First of all, it’s pretty secluded. No major cities nearby, but if you live in Texas, that might be run of the mill to you.
A few years back it was one of the fastest growing cities in the US, IIRC. I think it got a lot of Calfiornia overflow so it was a little yuppie/liberal. BUT, the people who lived there first were more rural/conservative (maybe logging, too). Probably the kind of mixture you might get in Texas.
It’s one of the most beautiful places in the country, IMHO. If you like hiking/biking/kayaking/skiing/mountains/golfing, you could do a lot worse.
I think Oregon probably makes the best beer in the country. That includes the Deschutes Brewery, which is in Bend. They make great beer.
You’re east of the Cascades, and I believe it’s classified as “high desert”. While west of the cascades is rainy, east of them is dry. A lot of the rain breaks up when it hits the cascades, but not all of it. Bend probably has “interesting” weather.
I imagine Bend would be acceptable to anyone who didn’t need to be in a big urban setting.
Bend is hip. I had a few friends come out to visit when I was living in Oregon who decided to stay in the state. They scattered pretty much all over, from Portland to Ashland, to Hood River, to Lagrande where I was, and one who went to Bend. Of all of them, the one who went to Bend is the only one still in the state.
There are a few downsides, such as you better buy a 4 wheel drive truck, and you better not mind missing the occasional X-mas back home, because you can get snowed in for a couple of days at a time in the winter, which can also lead to shortages of perishable items at the grocery sometimes too.
But as Trunk mentioned, the scenery, the wildlife, the skiing/snowboarding, the breweries can all make this one of the coolest places on earth to live. Plus being from Texas, you’d probably pick right up on the “Do what you will, just do it off my property” attitude that seems pervasive in Oregon. Good luck on your interview.
Wow - I love Bend. Lived there from about 1997 - 2000, before I ended up getting transferred back east. I will always have a soft spot for Bend. Trunk has it about covered, a few things to elaborate on:
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Only move there if you are a) young, b) have a job lined up, or c) absolutely love working retail/service industry. Tourism is Bend’s big industry. The best situation is to have a job, so you’re looking good on that one
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If you love the outdoors, it rocks. They have a really great skiing mountain (Mt. Bachelor). It’s not the Rockies, but it’s a 9,500 cone with lots of trails, and on a non-windy day they open up the summit, from which you can ski down 360 degrees. Everything else Trunk mentioned, plus great Fly Fishing and some decent whitewater rafting.
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If you love culture, Bend’s a bit lacking there. You’ll have to head to Portland/Eugene (3/2.5 hours) for decent theater, shows, art movies, museums (though the High Desert Museum is neat), etc.
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Great breakfasts. Not great dining otherwise (except for Cafe Rosemary), but several places do awesome breakfasts. To get you stocked up before your hiking/biking/skiing.
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Do not be fooled by the “it always rains in the Northwest”. Bend’s dry. Not too much rain or snow (at city level).
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As a general rule, I found the people there pleasant. Note that there is somewhat of a divide between “natives” and “newly located” (whether newly located = ski bums or the retired rich)
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Higher Education may be lacking. When I was there Bend only had a two-year community college. Lots of talk about getting a 4-year college there, not sure where it stands.
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Lower Education - not sure if you have kids, but the population explosion when I was there was causing a crisis in class size. Might want to see where they stand now.
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It’s beautiful there. Being able to walk almost anywhere and see the Cascades (which are a stunning mountain range IMHO) right there was great.
Enjoy your visit, let us know what you thought when you get back.
I live about twenty miles outside of Bend. Don’t have a lot to add to what’s already been said. The Bend climate is quite arid and elevation is about 3500 ft. This makes for relatively hot temperatures during the summer, but summer evenings can get quite cool, 90 F during the day and 40 F at night is not unusual.
The main source of recreation is outdoor activities and the main industry in the area is tourism. Golfing, hiking, boating and fishing are all popular in the summer. Winter has lots of skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiles.
Potential natural disasters include wildfires, blizzards and vulcanic eruptions. Last year we had both fires and blizzards, but no vulcanos.
The cost of living is also pretty high, so having a good job is important if you want to buy a house, raise kids, etc. It’s a nice place to live, if you can afford it.
Good luck.
I’ve never been anywhere near there, but I can tell you what I’ve learned through my work:
- It has its own DMA
- The paper is the Bend Bulletin
That’s really not much help, is it?
Can’t add much except some of the most beautiful country I have ever mountain biked in was about 10 minutes west of Bend. That trail went past 7 (or was it 9?) different waterfalls. WOW.
If I could make a living there, I would move there. ::: sigh::: maybe my lotto numbers will come in.
The downtown area has some neat little shops. There’s a decent enough record store, but it’s not like what you’ll find in any place that has a good music scene.
While you’re there, make sure to have a meal at the Alpenglow Cafe–it’s fantastic. Best eggs benedict I’ve ever had.
Approx 130 miles north of Bend in The Dalles, but many similarities, being on the Dry Side, just east of the Cascade Mountains. Being on the border gives many more recreational opportunities — head west and you’re in the forested mountains with all the hiking, fishing at mountain lakes, skiing (Mt. Bachelor is known for its dry powder snow) and such.
Head east (or north or south) to the high desert country, including a must see Smith Rock State Park
Also, since rexnervous’s time there, the Les Schwab Amphitheater has begun to bring name acts to Bend. The Pixies, ZZ Top, Jack Johnson and Crosby, Stills & Nash will all appear there this September, for example.
For a taste of another culture, the Warm Springs Indian Reservation (complete with a fabulous museum, a hot springs resort and, yes, a modest casino) is just 50 miles to the northwest.
Other Oregon peculiarities: No sales tax (though made up for with a fairly stiff state income tax) and you won’t be allowed to pump your own gas.
The Eastern Oregon negatives involve a stunning indifference on the part of the state legislature and most of the population of the state (80 percent of which lies in the Eugene-to-Portland axis running along the Willamette Valley), some occasionally stunningly bad weather, the aforementioned dearth of cultural opportunities (getting better), and the distance to an international airport.
Bend sounds great. I’m really looking forward to this trip- I don’t know about the job, yet, but it’s awfully tempting.
I’m assuming DSL is available? I don’t think I can live without my broadband connection. Also, how are gas prices out there?
Not sure about gas prices, but no worries on the broadband front. Believe it or not, but little ol’ Bend was an early adopter - I had cable modem back in 1998 there (RoadRunner).
Gas prices in Oregon are usually about the same as they are here in Washington, where it’s currently $1.99/gallon. But – factoid unknown to many not living in OR or WA – you can’t pump your own gas in Oregon. It’s all full-service. They think it creates jobs or something, I don’t know. As a person raised in a “self-service” world, I find it annoying, frankly. There’s not a surcharge for the service, though; the cost per gallon is the same.
I really like Bend. If you like high desert, you’ll like it. If I had to compare it to another town, it would be Flagstaff, Arizona, another town I really like. Bend is casual, the people are nice, and there’s lots to do outdoors. Great skiing, hiking, and biking. Sisters is a nearby touristy town with lots of galleries and twee eateries; it’s pretty fun to visit. Not a lot of culture in Bend, as others have said. If you like city life, you probably will not like it. Some of my Seattle friends think it’s boring as shit, but I’m from Montana and I like it.
Has Bend landed another Minor-League Baseball team since they lost the Bandits?
Who was the Bandit Pitcher who threw the no-hitter against the Mission Viejo
Vigilantes?
My parents moved there 12 years ago. It’s heaven except for the pine pollen in the spring. Bring sunscreen and water. High dessert means High.
Bend Cable (for high speed access) unacceptable. Dad went back to (horrors) AOL dial-up.
Even the geezers ski. My dad skis with 2 guys from the 10th Mountain Division. Do the math.
Four wheel drive is a very good idea. Get trained on “black ice” before the winter.
I think the only baseball in bend is the Elks. They play in the PIL (Pacific International League) which is a summer league for college players.
Now I want to move there, it sounds beautiful! Is there a site anywhere with pictures?
I’ve only been through Bend twice and I thought it was quite appealing. Both times we stopped at the Pilot’s Butte Drive-In (I may have that name wrong) for their bluecheese burger. Yum! I really wanted to spend more time there to check out the shops but we were on a tight schedule. We’ve been trying to make it back ever since.
It’s only a couple of hours from Crater Lake which is well worth the trip.