Bend Pt2:

Bend, Oregon

December, 2024

We woke up, cleaned the Airbnb, packed up, and made sure to forget something important—body soap or shampoo, probably both. The day was ours. We’d heard whispers of a few good hikes, maybe even a cave or two to explore. Our only real deadline was a chocolate-making class at Seahorse Chocolate later that evening.

View from the room at Tetherow in Bend, Oregon

After that, we were supposed to check into a riverside cottage about thirty miles away, near some hot springs. The itinerary looked ideal. So of course, everything went sideways.

Leg Day:

The plan was to reach Tumalo Falls. The road up past Skyliner Sno-Park, however, had other ideas—namely, three solid inches of ice. We parked and tried our luck on foot. Just two miles to the falls. Simple.

One is a hiking path going up. The other is a cross-country skiing Hill going down. Choose wisely.

Except it wasn’t. What followed was a slippery, slow-motion trudge up a snow-covered hill—one that felt steeper with every step.

At one point, we reached a sign. A glimmer of hope.

“Sweet. Maybe directions!”

Nope. Trail Closed.

We also realized we were hiking up a cross-country ski trail. That explained the eerie smoothness and total lack of footprints. On the way back down, the trail didn’t feel any easier. Some Gal took a couple of spills. I took more. I haven’t fallen that much while sober since I learned how to walk.

Boyd Cave:

We shook off the snow and drove 41 miles south toward the high desert. Some Gal had a thing for caves, and I wasn’t opposed to a little subterranean curiosity myself.

Finding Boyd Cave wasn’t instant. We parked, wandered, doubled back, wandered again—and finally found it. Honestly, the surrounding hike was worth the effort alone.

Some Gal darting down into the dark abyss of Boyd Cave just outside Bend, Oregon

Our gear? One working cell phone, a GoPro, and an assortment of mysterious trunk items. Some Gal’s phone was dead, and apparently, flashlights have gone out of fashion. We descended into the cave with a phone flashlight leading the way—like Rudolph on Christmas Eve.

The cold hits your lungs hard. Stale and sharp, the kind of cold only found in Earth’s basement. Some Gal darted forward like she’d lived down there in a past life. I prefer wide-open spaces that fit my six-foot-something frame. Still, the cave was long and oddly beautiful—silent, cold, and alive in its own way.

We ventured deep, but turned back when the battery bar dropped to a dangerous low. I wasn’t about to get trapped in total darkness. On the way out, I trusted the wrong footing and rolled my ankle. A solid sprain. I limped out like an idiot. Totally earned it.

Weather Pivot / Tetherow

Back at the car, we realized Mother Nature had been plotting behind our backs. While the weather had been decent in our immediate bubble, the surrounding region wasn’t as lucky.

Our riverside cottage? Flooded.

The hot springs? Underwater.

And Eureka, California? Just hit by a solid earthquake—while we were in a cave, no less.

The area around Boyd Cave is nice for a little hike.

So we pivoted.

Tetherow came to mind—a high-end golf resort and spa. With snow blanketing the course and it being midweek in December, I figured we might catch a break. We did.

It still cost $200, but the place was phenomenal. Our room had a balcony overlooking the snow-covered fairways, a fireplace, plush seating, a king-size bed, and a walk-in shower that felt like a car wash for humans. In peak season, it’s probably double that.

The course itself? Links-style. Waist-high fescue. Rolling fairways. Total Euro-vibe. I’d heard some European pros train here before the PGA season kicks off. I believe it. The fitness center alone was world-class—built right over the cart barn and open to overnight guests. I had an excuse to feel pampered. My ankle was toast.

Seahorse Chocolate

We didn’t linger long—had to make it downtown in time for chocolate school.

Seahorse Chocolate sits on 2nd Street in Bend. It’s a single-source, small-batch chocolate operation—and damn good at what they do.

The chocolate is simply amazing at Seahorse Chocolate

The usual instructor wasn’t there, but the co-founder R.C. was, and I’m glad he was. Dry humor. Fast talker. Coffee-roaster-turned-chocolate-maker. He bounced from topic to topic like a pinball, but everything he said had purpose. He knew his beans—and he knew business.

We learned how the chocolate’s sourced, roasted, tempered, and tasted. I expected to get bored. Two hours later, I didn’t want to leave.

We took home the chocolate we made—and bought way too much more.

The Little Victories

Back at Tetherow, we ended the night with dinner at their clubhouse. Some Gal sipped on a local NA drink. I went with a couple local brews. The food was flawless. The vibe: low-key, perfect.

Parking area at Boyd Cave

The day had started with a busted hike, a failed waterfall attempt, a cave injury, and a weather crisis. But somehow, it all landed right where it should’ve.

Our next stop wasn’t even an hour away.

And sometimes, those are the moments I savor the most.