Bright rays of sunshine and clear blue skies greeted me when I awoke this morning at the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge. I packed up my gear quickly, and headed for the breakfast room for a quick bite and a cup of hot coffee. And of course I had to make one last visit to my friends the llamas with a bowl of llama treats. General Manager Paul Haggerty greeted me to talk about the Sisters area, and I made him tell me all about the llamas. They live on about 4 acres of the 14-acre property. Several of the animals were actually born and raised right on site. The Lodge has even taken in an abused llama, and nursed him back to health. The herd has slowly accepted the new guy, though he is low man on the totem pole for now. The llamas have a big mound of dirt in their enclosure, and Haggerty told me that they often play “King of the Hill” on it, having great fun pushing each other off of the high point. I’ll have to return to see that.

I checked the forecast, and it looked as if the break in the weather was only going to be temporary. I really wanted to see the Head of the Metolius, where the Metolius River emerges from the ground in a bubbling froth. It’s just 20 minutes or so from Sisters, but in the opposite direction that I needed to travel today. My friend Leonard Gross, a writer who lives in Bend, had offered to give me a tour of the city, and I would not be able to do both without getting soaked at some point during the day. So, in addition to the llamas, I have another reason to return to Sisters. As if the llamas weren’t enough.

I jumped on the Electra Glide, and rode south into Bend. I met Leonard at his home in the hills, and he took me on a great car tour of his town. Downtown is set up for walking, with great shops and restaurants. Beautiful parkland and riverfront paths loop through the area, and the vibe is extremely relaxed and peaceful. The Deschutes River runs through town, and the former mill district has been turned into elegant shopping. The whole town radiates serenity and harmony with nature, with lovely examples of Craftsman style architecture cropping up even in new developments.

We took a short ride along the river to the Deschutes National Forest. Leonard showed me Benham Falls, a beautiful spot on the Deschutes River. The air beside the rapids was the freshest, cleanest air I’ve breathed in years. I can see why Leonard loves Bend so much.

I had lingered in Bend for a little too long — the weather was upon me, and it began to drizzle. I saddled up, bid Leonard and Bend farewell, and rode out of town.

By the time I got to Prineville, about 45 minutes away, the light drizzle had turned into sheets of rain. I needed fuel for the Electra Glide, and fuel for myself. I gassed up, and asked the station attendant for a recommendation. He pointed me toward Brothers, a good old-fashioned diner a mile away. Nothing goes with a rainy day like a good omelet, a pot of coffee and the local newspaper. I sat out the rain for an hour or so, until the sheets of rain diminished into a light mist (pillowcases of rain?).

Back on the bike, I headed east on Route 26. I had about 120 miles to go to reach John Day.

I like riding in the rain, especially when I’m properly geared up. The only bummer is that I can’t stop and take pictures when I see something beautiful. And this ride was beautiful. The road was gorgeous, snaking through pine forests, green pastures and alongside the John Day River, changing elevation and traversing passes as high as 4,800 feet. It was a great ride, and I pulled in to the parking lot at the Best Western John Day Inn at about 6:00 pm.

I checked in to my room, and when I came out, four guys rode up on their Harleys. They were on an annual vacation ride, which had originated near Yakima in Washington State. We exchanged road tales, comparing notes on the weather and road conditions. Conversation was easy, and I was able to tell them about Best Western Ride Rewards® program, and Rider-Friendly® hotels. The guys hadn’t heard of the programs before, so I scored some points by letting them know how they could save some dough.

I walked down Main Street to the Outpost Restaurant, and had a delicious steak dinner. Why does steak taste so much better after you’ve been riding past beautiful pastureland dotted with relaxed cows? I’m not going to examine that one too closely, because I love steak so much.

I’m back in my comfortable room now, using the free wireless internet to plan the day ahead. The weather forecast calls for cloudy skies. Hope I can avoid the rain!