kolbykirk.com

Nov

Bend, Oregon Weekend Trip

For a joint birthday present (mine and my Mom’s), I got to fly up to Bend, Oregon to spend the weekend with my parents. With the wildfires burning up hundreds of homes in Southern California, causing the air quality to drop to levels normally found in coal mines, I could not have chosen a better weekend to escape to the high desert of Central Oregon.

I had a fantastic time with my parents, where we went for hikes, watched the sunrises and sunsets, and relaxed in their nice house. I even was able to see my 92-year old grandmother, who has lived in Bend since my father was born. Although many strokes have slowed her down physically, she’s as mentally spry and clear-eyed as someone half her age. She is a wonderful storyteller and it seems like I hear a new story from her younger days – when she was a painter, alpine hiker, actress, balsa-wood plane maker, waitress, and renowned Native American weaver – every time I see her. I wish I could see her more often.

I came home to Los Angeles on a Monday, where I learned that the air was so bad, they had to cancel the Pasadena Marathon. My friends and co-workers tried to spend as little as possible outside, where the smoke from the fires lingered in the air like tulle fog.

Here are a few photos of the fire I took from the air flying north on Saturday.