Is Bend going to accept us? (Portland, Eugene: appointed, ski resort, real estate)

[jkyork]

My partner and I have recently moved to Portland from Vermont and we are missing the small town and full four seasons aspect of our previous home. We are looking to settle down in a place that has snow for at least part of the year, a colorful autumn, tons of year-round outdoor activity options close by (ski resort, swimming holes, hiking, rivers, etc.), a nice little downtown, but not a big city.

All of those things seem available in Bend (right?), but we are still unsure because we are both in the legal field (she has a law degree and I am a paralegal) and we don't need high-paying jobs, but we don't want to be struggling either. We are also vegan lesbians with two dogs and two cats, so we need to live in a pet friendly area that won't shun us for being gay and/or vegan.

Bend area seems great for us, but I just want to be sure that we can make ends meet and make friends.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[BendLocal]

Bend doesn't have four full seasons. Not even close! Check the weather threads for more information. Long winters, a sunny but short summer, very short spring and fall.

One of my lawyer friends left Bend because he couldn't find a good job. We have friends that are vegans and I've never heard of an issue there. Very pet friendly area. On the gay question I haven't heard of an issue.

[jkyork]

If you'd like to elaborate on your comment, that would be helpful.

[BendLocal]

See this thread and the links therein.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/bend/...nd-oregon.html

This article may help with part of your question on the gay community.

Is Central Oregon Warming To Gay Culture? » News » OPB

[delta07]

The 4 seasons you get in the Northeast are vastly different from the 4 seasons Bend has. I'd argue that Portland actually has more of the full 4 seasons, save snow, than Bend. We do have seasons here in Bend, but they are much shorter than anything in the NE. Some years are better than others, in terms of the 4 season type climate. If you are really just missing snow, you might be disappointed in Bend too. We do get snow, and sometimes quite a bit, but it usually doesn't stick around for long. Winter, I imagine, is much more mild than what you experienced in VT. Spring can be long and cold too, and feel more like winter, with overcast skies, some rain and/or snow, and temperatures in the 40s. Then all of a sudden summer will just hit and it gets hot. Summers are very much like what you experience in Portland, warm and dry. Autumn could be really warm and nice, or it can be cool, overcast and chilly. This year we've had quite a few cool, overcast and rainy days. I've had a fire going in the woodstove for a few weeks now. The only color change you will see are with city planted trees and a few pockets of native vegetation along the rivers/creeks. Nothing compared with back east.

I have a friend who was a paralegal here in Bend for a few years, but she had trouble keeping a job when the economy tanked. She's since moved to WA. I'm really not sure what the market is like for that line of work, other than her experience. I do know many lawyers that practice in Bend also practice in Portland, Salem, Eugene or elsewhere. They live here part time.

There are good options for vegans here, although probably not as many at Portland. I don't think your sexual orientation will be a problem either. My sister-in-law is good friends with a lesbian couple here and they are perfectly happy in Bend.

[BendLocal]

I don't recall any autumn in the years I've been here that I'd describe as "really warm and nice". Some are milder than others but warm is not a word I associate with autumn in Bend, except for a few days here and there. Like this week which is looking wonderful. And Delta is right on the money with regards to fall colors. The Bend foliage is mainly evergreen like pines and juniper. Not much that changes color except along the river.

[Snownut]

Originally Posted by BendLocal

I don't recall any autumn in the years I've been here that I'd describe as "really warm and nice". Some are milder than others but warm is not a word I associate with autumn in Bend, except for a few days here and there. Like this week which is looking wonderful. And Delta is right on the money with regards to fall colors. The Bend foliage is mainly evergreen like pines and juniper. Not much that changes color except along the river.

What would you describe as a warm autumn? 70's ?

Bend has a chilly climate, I do not know why anyone would expect lots of 70's in the spring or fall there?

For me 50's and 60's are awesome, perfect fall weather. Bend has plenty of 50's in the spring and fall along with a snowy 40 degree day in May or a random 80 degree day in April, it is quickly changeable but on average chilly for much of the year. Someone expecting something besides that will be disappointed there.

The OP is from VT where there are long (colder) winters and lots of snow. I doubt if Bends cold would be too hard for them to handle being from VT?

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Snownut

What would you describe as a warm autumn? 70's ?

60s.

Originally Posted by Snownut

For me 50's and 60's are awesome, perfect fall weather. Bend has plenty of 50's in the spring and fall...

That is sorta true but isn't the full story because the highs on most gray days are fleeting. A spring or fall day with a high of 50 spends much more time near 40 than 50.

Originally Posted by Snownut

The OP is from VT where there are long (colder) winters and lots of snow. I doubt if Bends cold would be too hard for them to handle being from VT?

Yes the winters are similar length but Vermont is colder in the dead of winter and Bend may be colder from late April - June.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Bend only has 2 seasons: winter and August.

Snow is mostly to drive to, although there will be some snow inside the city limits for short time periods. The snow line seems to start right at Baker Road and south of there. If you want snow and want to live in Bend, I suggest Deschutes River Woods.

We get some beautiful fall color and I've seen it last as long as 48 hours before the wind blows it all off the trees. There is some little bright red shrub all over the place right now. I've got to find out what that is, so I can plant some at my place.

Vegan, pets, and lesbian won't cause you any issues at all, unless the dogs are pitbulls and then you might have a problem finding a rental.

1/2 the employed people in Bend are real estate agents and the other half are lawyers. That is a slight exaggeration, but not by much. There are more than enough lawyers to serve the population. If you need a law related job, get one lined up before you move.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by jkyork

My partner and I have recently moved to Portland from Vermont and we are missing the small town and full four seasons aspect of our previous home. We are looking to settle down in a place that has snow for at least part of the year, a colorful autumn, tons of year-round outdoor activity options close by (ski resort, swimming holes, hiking, rivers, etc.), a nice little downtown, but not a big city.

I'm from the east coast and during my search Vermont was at the top of my relocation list. It's still my favorite state, but it is just too cold and scarcely populated for me. Personally, I think Bend would be a good choice for just about every one of your criteria:

-Bend gets snow for sure. Less in town than most would guess and nothing along the lines of Vermont, but we definitely have snow on the ground during winters. If there isn't, you can drive 20 mins up the road to feet and feet of it, too!

-Bend has more than a tons of year-round outdoor activity options. This is probably the towns biggest selling point besides not having to shovel much for a 'mountain town'. We have 5 9-10k mountains 15-20miles away. The road up to these mountains is called Cascade Lakes Highway because there is lake after lake after lake as you drive up though a Deschutes National Forrest and the Three Sisters Wilderness. Also, that same road takes you to Mt. Bachelor where you can lift serve ski for 6months.

-Bend has an almost too cute downtown. It's not assssssss cute of Burlington (we haven't shut down the major thoroughfare to cars like you all yet), but it's still extremely cute. One of the first things visitors mention is how cute and quant our old downtown is.

-A colorful autumn is really your only sticking point. Like others have pointed out, Bend has mostly evergreens. The only true deciduous trees are within town. This was one of the starkest changes for me. Though, now that I've lived here for 3+ years all the in town deciduous trees realllllly seem to stand out. There are a bunch, but if you're out and about in the National Forrest or Wilderness you're not going to get any save for a few planted Aspen groves.

Also, a plus to the lack of color in autumn is the forests and trees are green throughout winter. Doesn't sound that great, but it has been a welcomed change for me not to have to look out to what looks like a dead forrest for 6 months of the year.

Bendlocal has a point. We have short springs and falls with a long winter (about as long as Vermont) and an amazing summer....summer that I think is even better than, dare I say, New Englands :0. Our falls last about a 2-6weeks depending how you define it. What I can say, for sure, is Vermont is MUCH colder in the winter. There isn't much if any humidity in Bend year round which makes our winters MUCH more tolerable, imho.

Originally Posted by jkyork

All of those things seem available in Bend (right?), but we are still unsure because we are both in the legal field (she has a law degree and I am a paralegal) and we don't need high-paying jobs, but we don't want to be struggling either. We are also vegan lesbians with two dogs and two cats, so we need to live in a pet friendly area that won't shun us for being gay and/or vegan.

Bend area seems great for us, but I just want to be sure that we can make ends meet and make friends.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Jobs will be the most difficult, but I don't know your field well.

You won't have any problem being vegan lesbians with dogs and cats. Owning a dog is practically a merit badge in Bend.

We have a vegan restaurant or two and a few restaurants have vegan options on their menu. I have a few gay and lesbian friends, none seem to have a problem, though, there doesn't seem to be a large gay community here. I would suggest moving to the westside of town. It's a bit more liberal. That said, even portions of Bend that are considered conservative are more of the live and let live type rather than the bible thumping southern variety.

Food links:
Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants Bend, OR, Healthy, Organic, Oregon -HappyCow

Central Oregon Locavore

Hope this helps!