Bend.
Bend Bend Bend.
COCC's Redmond campus has a great metal working program, however I feel the automotive program is severily lacking. I took 6 months of the metal classes and it couldn't have gone better. I stopped that run though because my field of interest had shifted.
4068 lakes with 458000 trails to hike, mountain bike, or drive on. Well, maybe that's an exaguration, but Bend is the place for all things outdoors.
72000 in town, 100000 total within the extra 3 miles around the borders of town. Good shopping, and our main shopping area, The Old Mill District, is getting nice and big. Bend downtown is probably the best downtown I've ever been to. It's very open, beautiful, and not too busy.
IMHO, choosing what weather you want is going to be a huge factor. Those towns are rain towns. If you love the rain, those are the places to go. If you can handle snow and the desert, then I highly recommend Bend. The more I travel, the more I realize, it's one of the nicest places I've ever been, and I couldn't be happier that I get to enjoy the experience of living here.
Go Beavs! :cheers: