Yeah I know that as soon as you sw "Central Oregon", you were overcome with jealousy, but keep in mind that this side of the state does get about 60-80 cloudy days a year, so it's not perfect, just real close
I'm a homeowner that's got a house that starting to show it's age. I started replacing windows about 1-1/2 years ago and am now working on the last couple that are left. I've got two sliding glass doors to replace as well. This summer is going to be the "summer of siding". We're replacing the cruddy T-111 siding with HardiePlank sheets (I'll be asking for advice on that little project very soon).