Talking Behind Our Backs

Back in September, we talked about how Bend was named top dog among the nation’s dog-friendliest cities by Dog Fancy magazine. That’s pretty cool. But the fact is, we have so much more to brag about.

For instance, National Geographic recently included Bend in their list of the World’s 25 Best Ski Towns, right next to Chamonix, France and Whistler in British Columbia. The article cites Bend as “best for multisport junkies with a taste for microbrews.” Can’t argue with that.

On the microbrew side of things, a little newspaper called The New York Times published an article in April entitled, “Bend, Ore., a Brewer’s Town.” The newly expanded Deschutes Brewery downtown was the inspiration for the article, as it has become the fifth largest craft brewer in the nation and has contributed to one of the highest brewery-to-resident ratios in the country.

Bend is certainly not lacking in the “multisport junkie” department either. In a May 2011 edition of Outdoor Life magazine, Bend came in at number one on their list of America’s Top 200 Towns for Sportsmen for its “embarrassment of sporting riches.” What’s more, in a 2009 article in Mountain Bike Action magazine, Bend was named America’s Top Mountain Biking Town that “seems like it was founded just for mountain bikers.”

We were even awarded best tasting drinking water in the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade to Coast section of the American Water Works Association for its “clean, crisp and grassy” flavor with a “nice aftertaste.” Grassy? Whatever.

The latest writer to wax fondly about us is Nathan Borchelt who began his article in The Washington Post in last month by stating, “I hate Bend, Ore.” But that’s only because he says, “No place should have it this good.” Truly, the man had nothing but positive things to say about our humble abode.

See for yourself what all the fuss is about at Visit Bend. Then don’t be surprised if you start bragging about it yourself.