So for our Plan B weekend (see previous post, "Rethinking the Weekend"), we headed to the Diamond Peaks Wilderness area, for a day ride up the Yoran/Trapper Trail. The trail's what Jack and our friend Bob call "Beginner," which is to say it's wide and well-marked. It's also well-traveled with hik
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08/25/2008
Today Jack and I were supposed to be enjoying a weekend horse camping trip in the Ochoco Mountains with some friends. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had something else in mind: Two weeks ago, lightning from a heavy batch of thunder showers started almost a dozen wildfires in Central Oregon, one of
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08/22/2008
What can we learn from the July 2008 real estate statistics for Sisters, Oregon? The summer in Sisters is shaping up to be an extremely strong buyer's market and a real challenge for many sellers. Here's a closer look at what's happening in the Sisters real estate market: InventorySince June, an
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08/18/2008
Lots of folks in Central Oregon spent the past two weekends driving around -- with a purpose. It was the annual COBA (Central Oregon Builders Association) Tour of Homes, when 74 noteworthy new homes scattered throughout the region were open to the public for their inspection (it's especially popu
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07/29/2008
In examining the June 2008 real estate statistics for Sisters, Oregon, several factors are noteworthy. InventoryPerhaps the most telling factor is the current inventory, which is quite high for Sisters: There are 134 Active Single Family Residence listings and 90 Active Residential With Acreage l
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07/21/2008
Yesterday morning I finally checked out the new Bella Tazza, which opened in Tumalo a few weeks ago. If I had been on top of my game, I would've been there the day it opened; landing a Bella Tazza in our neck of the woods is big news. The locally owned coffee café has been a popular downtown Ben
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07/16/2008
If you live in Central Oregon -- especially if you own a home on acreage -- you're probably familiar with cheatgrass (aka cheat, chess, downy brome, downy chess, Junegrass, bronco grass, 100-days grass and Mormon oats). It's one of the most common grasses around. (According to the Pacific Northwe
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07/11/2008
For the July 4th holiday, we headed to John Day, where a group of us gather each year for a weekend-long celebration at our friends' Herb and Diane's place. On Saturday, Diane treated us to a trail ride in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, a 68,700-acre range with elevations between 4,000 and 9
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07/08/2008
69025 Quail Tree Dr, Sisters, OR 97759Type: Residential with acreageLot size: 30 acresLocation: Sisters, ORPrice: $1,575,000MLS No.: 2807502Virtual tour: http://marketing.remaxdesigncenter.com/57741/642820/index.ipv Description:You won't ever want to leave this place: The spectacular hand-scrib
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06/30/2008
Yesterday we went trailriding in Central Oregon along the Metolius River past Camp Sherman (10 miles west of Sisters). The last time we rode out here, in the fall, when the turning leaves added a spectacular backdrop, we had the place to ourselves. Should've known it would have been more crowded
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06/29/2008