Tuesday, July 13, 2010

More of Bend

And so I'm back in Bend Oregon. Have I mentioned that traffic in the unincorporated areas is managed by round-abouts?

Each rotary has it's own land-
scaping and each one has its own sculpture. All sculptures change in perspective; if you have the passenger advantage you can catch it.
This is one of the rotaries on our way to the river walk. I think it beats the heck out of a stoplight. We're headed to a little hiking and a little throwing stones in the river.

This rounder is adorned with a bronze sculpture of a soldier. I think what saddens me is that at home I have traffic signals by light and here it's managed by art that is ignored.
My grandsons know this rounder as the "flaming chicken." I'd have to say they are tough critics. That they even know this rounder is an "applause all around" for the artist.


I realized when I snagged this shot that it 's time for me to get a new purse camera. I drove onto the rounder by the time the shutter closed. There's a lot of technology between my four-year-old camera and now. The other photos I took as passenger with a DSLR.

Why I drove seven hours to Bend - four grand-
children - and why it was worth the seven-hour one day drive.

7 comments:

Benita said...

We are starting to get roundabouts here, too, and I have to admit I don't like them one bit. They make me nervous.

But I do like the art there. Bend sounds like a very nice place.

Laura said...

I like round-abouts too, but they're a hard sell in Eugene! You got a few days of good weather, though - now it's heating up again - ARGH.

I don't think I'll get over there before I have surgery, even though I'd like too.

Enjoy your visit - it's really beautiful there!

Valerie said...

What a great way to make round-abouts more palatable! Of course, if the driver were on the right hand side, as in England, the passenger could enjoy the art work even more.

We are having more round-abouts installed here as well. That and cameras at intersections with lights. Too many distracted drivers and red light runners.

For more info on the why's of round abouts check here: http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/Transpo/roundabouts.aspx

Enjoy those lovely grandkids!

Anonymous said...

I really like roundabouts as well. No stopping, idling and wasting gas. No doubt a few frustrations as people get used to them.
The sculptures are great. Grandchildren always worth the drive!

Michelle said...

To me roundabouts make such good sense - no electricity, therefore no snarls when electricity fails; no idling at a light or misinterpreting the other driver's intentions at a stop sign; supporting the arts AND the environment with more "green stuff" giving off oxygen; plus I think they're FUN to drive! Of course, that could be because I have an affinity for small cars that drive like go-carts.... :-)

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

I love the eye candy of roundabouts, but I hate the things themselves. I'm not usually easily confused but I've never met a roundabout that didn't throw me off :)

m said...

I love your roundabouts, their planting and their art. Having lived with roundabouts all my life, they are fun to see elsewhere.