Pendleton, Pert Near

There are few Cowboy Towns in the West more cowboy than Pendleton, OR. But when the Roundup and bull auction is over with, main street grows pretty quiet. To the casual traveler, Pendleton might seem like pass-through place when actually its a place you should stop and linger.

I love the light there, especially in the Spring. Take a drive out the canyon. Visit a saddlemaker Try the beer. See if the shoe guy's shop is still open.

Pendleton is not on your schedule. Its pace is that of the cattle and the seasons and the supercell building out over the Blues.

And then there's the wool blankets. To my eye, pert near 90% of everything Pendleton Woolen Mills produces is tacky, dorky, or just plain ugly. But once in a while they get it right. Successful blanket patterns fall in to two categories: Elegant Native American patterns and cross-cultural weaves that fall somewhere between Old West and Old Norsk. I prefer these...