Meissner Luminaria

As first year residents in Bend, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the activities and events to try to keep up with.  It seems like there is something EVERY week and it is almost a full time job trying to keep up with all the great options for getting out into the community.

The Virginia Meisnner Sno Park hosted the Luminaria starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday.  We pulled into the parking lot and managed to get the 2nd to last official parking spot before cars started to get parked along the road and entrance.  As we went over to the hut, we started to see what Luminaria was all about.  The Sno Park hosts this event every year in an effort to try to raise money to fund their grooming efforts.  The complex is pretty much fully funded by the community via volunteer work and donations.  It is an amazing system of trails for the skate skiers/cross country skier/snow shoer.

The Luminaria is another effort at fundraising (albeit subtle since they just leave a 'tip' jar where we enter and there is no pressure to contribute if you choose not to).  Considering all the hours of fun that they have given us, we made our donation and felt great about it as we put our skate skis on and make sense of all the activity.

There were candles along the way from the parking lot all the way to the Meissner warming hut.  The candles were on either side of the trail for the 1 1/2 miles out to the warming hut.  Over 600 people were at the event so you had to weave your way through the hoards (in the candlelight).  Next year we don't plan on taking the skate skis as they made it less than ideal to snake through the people (especially going up hill or downhill).  We made it to the warming hut where everyone was gathering around the fire pit where a big toasty blaze provided heat and a conversational topic.

I was surprised by how many families were out.  There were people cooking hot dogs on the fire, there were others in the warming hut hanging, eating, drinking, chilling...There moms/dads trying to keep track of their kids in the dark...all in all, it was great fun.  I hope to be a little better prepared next year and will take snow shoes and pack some food / drink in a backpack.

It was amazing to see so many people out and enjoying one of the many fun activities this town has to offer - I am constantly getting pleasantly surprised but the depth and width of choices in this little place. Very Cool!