Earlier in the trip while visiting Bend for a morning coffee before heading to Portland, we had taunted ourselves with stopping by Smith Rock. We ended up saving the park to visit with my college best friend and his partner. Justin “Baby J” DiRuscio and Sophia “Sofa” Lepore met up with us in the lot that had the large looming red rock as the backdrop. It was just as amazing as we had hoped it to be. It had been probably 4 years since I last saw the two and we kicked it off like no time had passed. Baby J rolled out the pickup in one of his classic big flannels and scruffy stubble and Sofia was as sweet and kind as she always. After some much needed hugs we kicked off the reunion tour with a 950 feet straight up climb to the top of misery ridge. The big rock. We got a stunning view of the river and the rest the park had to offer. Sofia and Justin made their best pitch for No and I to move to Bend when she wraps up nursing school, but I don’t think we need much convincing. With world class climbing, hiking, kayaking and friends this area seems like the place to me.
We made our way back down and cruised along the river, watching a bunch of people climbing up all of the surrounding sheer-faced rocks.
We had to say goodbye to Justin and Sophia. While bittersweet I know that we will have opportunity to be together again this summer in a potential river trip. No and I headed to Bend for a quick, well deserved lunch before hitting the road again.
We drove through the John Day Fossil Beds national monument after the advice from Sofia and we were treated to some spectacular desert scenes. We were met with yet again more rain and lightning while leaving Bend, but managed to draw up some sunshine for our quick detour. It was nothing like either of us had seen before, red and tan colored, rounded hills and smooth grooves and straight multi-colored lines. Definitely a place I would love to visit again.
We arrived in Boise after our long drive through eastern Oregon. After a untimely stop by one of Oregon’s finest… we made it to into town at about 11:30 local time. We hit the bed and our eyes were closed on impact with the pillow. Rest. After that long drive we needed it.