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Sisters and a look back
My wife and I celebrated our seventh year of marriage during our stay in Oregon. After much consideration we chose to take the two hour drive up to Sisters. Having driven through on our way to Springfield we definitely thought it was worth a day or two of our time, so when the time came we packed an overnight bag and headed up into the mountains.
Sisters is named for the three mountains that take up most of the skyline to the west of the town. Now it was damn dreary our first day, so you really couldn’t even see the mountains at all. But the town itself is pretty cool. Every building looks as if it were designed by the same person, very uniform and old timey feeling. Little shops and restaurants lining both sides of the main drag. A lot of antique shops, they have something for everyone. So it’s not your grandmothers antiquing per se. What’s this up ahead? Well it’s a pizza joint called Martolli’s. We popped in for a slice. I suggest you try the Samoan (Ham, sausage, pepperoni and pineapple). It was good, but the service was not very efficient and I don’t recommend their cheese bread, also the cheese bread sauce was served to us cold. But the fact remains the Za’ itself was great for my fix.
Next we stumbled upon the gallery for a local family of artists. Drawn in by massive metal sculptures outside, some of which featured a boar breathing fire (thanks to a local propane source), the Ken Scott Imagination Gallery features some cool stuff. Anyone could walk in and find something they like. Maybe not afford mind you, but like! He was cool with photos being taken of all works as long as you slipped a buck in the tip box which I more than fair. If I ever hit it big I would defiantly make a purchase or three there.
It was chilly out so we ducked into Gallery & Restaurant Bar right on the strip. It was packed with people but we found two empty stools and ordered two drinks, both of which were STRONG but good. We didn’t eat here due to how busy it was and my gut full of cold marinara regret. But it’s a good place to grab a cocktail or two.
Upon our inquiry the desk clerk at the Ponderosa Lodge (our place of residence for the evening) recommended Takoda’s for dinner. Both for price and selection I too recommend it. We even returned for breakfast the following morning. With the rain and fog gone we could actually see the snowy mountains that surrounded us. It was a rather awesome sight first thing in the morning. Almost as welcome as the sight of the hot tub and rain fall shower in out suite.
On our way back down to Springfield we pulled off at Sahalie Falls which is about a 100 foot walk from the parking lot and well worth it to see the powerful & loud Koosah Falls. Then on down the road a ways to Bellknap Hot Springs. For $7 you get an hour in the lower hot springs pool, $12 for an all-day go. Or you can stay at the hotel and it’s included, as well as access to an upper spring that I didn’t get to see or use. It was worth it though; the hour in the hot mineral pool did a fantastic job of soothing aches and pains from the car ride and hiking. I would definitely go back and recommend it if you’re in the area.
Not a bad way to spend my anniversary weekend at all. As my time here in Oregon draws to a close I offer this retrospective point of view – If you like to hike, bike, boat, or legally smoke (which I don’t) then you would probably like Oregon. It’s all in what you do with your time. Breweries, bars, and day hikes; camping and rafting at your back door. I have enjoyed most of my time here. I don’t want to make it my home, but I would visit again for sure and I recommend you give it a shot.
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Kyle “Captain” Isaacs is the author of the former recurring series, Captain’s Log, and now the author of Ahoy Abroad. Keep up with his travels on Instagram, @captain_damnit.
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