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the area. Last October, she launched a vacation
planning service for central Oregon.
Although she makes arrangements for every
one who calls on her, she hopes to have many
gay and lesbian clients. “People don’t realize all
the options that are out here,” she says.
By the time tourists figure out what they
want to do while visiting the Bend area,
Lee says, it is too late— everything is
booked. Playtime Vacations can save
people time and money and make their
travels to central Oregon especially
rewarding.
At the time she arrived in Bend, her
new friend Bonnie A shenbrenner
already had lived there for six years.
The Portland-area native bought a
small cabin in Camp Sherman in 1978
as a first step in her migration to the
state’s center, where she started learning
the art of fly-fishing.
She says she spent as much time as
possible at her weekend retreat. A few
years later she started fly-fishing clinics;
she was the areas first fly-fisherwoman
at the time. Today, her small business is
called O n the Rocks.
Ashenbrenner had grown tired of
her job at Tektronix, where she had
worked for 21 years. She decided to sell
her W illam ette Valley home, pack
everything up and head east.
“Something deep in your soul dictates where
you live,” she says. “And this is it.”
Lee adds, “It’s an uncluttered life compared
to Portland.” People who
move here need to be pre
pared for a limited social
life. “You can’t call up Bon
nie and say, ‘Hey, let’s go to
Hobo’s for dinner.’ ” If you
are looking for a fast life, she
says, this isn’t it.
Both women say their
sexual orientation hasn’t
been an issue in their new
home. Ashenbrenner says
she expected some opposi
tion when she moved to the area; she knew
there were “redneck” pockets.
But she says once people get to know her as
a person, life is as comfort
able as ever. She considers
her co-workers “just like
family” and loves her neigh
bors. “We’d do anything for
each other."
Lee agrees. Even though
her next-door neighbor is as
stereotypically “country” as a
person can be, she says he is
supportive and friendly. “We
get a bail of straw' and have a
couple of beers together.”
"Something deep in
your soul dictates
where you live.
And this is it."
— Bonnie Ashenbrenner
Sure, Bend has few cultural events. But
Ashenbrenner says she and her friends periodi
cally head to the city for those activities. “If we
had those things we’d never leave.”
Besides, Lee and Ashenbrenner will be busy
this summer teaching “Hy-Fishing 101” classes
to female urbanites Aug. 12 through 14 and
Sept. 21 through 23. The $225 tuition includes
lodging, meals and beginning instruction, not to
mention socialization with other women.
The business partners say they got together
and decided they wanted to do something espe
cially for the gay community. The event is for
women only, but future events likely will
include men.
Although only six anglers can participate,
nonfishing partners are welcome as well. The
course includes videos, lectures, dry land casting
and one-on-one instruction.
For more information about PLAYTIME
V a c a t io n s call 866-752-9822 or
541-598-3054, send e-mail to
cee@playtimevacations.com or visit the Internet site
wivw.playtimevacations.com. For more informa-
tion about O n th e R o c k s call 541 -389-8040 or
send e-mail to bashen@coinet.com.
Where's the party?
here might not be any bars in Bend exclu
sively for gay men and lesbians, but these
communities are organized. “We party a lot,”
Bonnie Ashenbrenner says.
The communities are diverse but close-knit.
Even though gay men and lesbians are doctors,
lawyers and construction workers, locals say
everyone comes together. Most gatherings are at
private homes.
Cecilia Lee says women come together dur-
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