Oregon-July 2017 (Days 6-7 and our last posting)

Bend/Sunriver is a major tourist destination area in Oregon, with skiing in the winter and lots of outdoor recreation in the summer. It also has great sightseeing.

Just to the south of Bend is Newberry National Volcanic Monument. We climbed to the top of one lava flow, passing through areas composed almost entirely of obsidian, the black rocks you see in the background. Interestingly, pumice, another common rock of the area, is just obsidian with lots of gas bubbles. Some of the pumice will float on water because of the bubbles. Not the obsidian.

The obsidian is sharp. No dogs on these trails, as they would cut their paws. The early Indians mined the area, as obsidian makes for great arrow heads.

A beautiful view can be had at the top Paulina Peak, also part of the Monument. On a clear day, you can see many snow covered peaks, including Mt. Adams in Washington State to the north, and Mt. Shasta in California to the south. Because of fires in the area, only Adams was visible. The peaks in the background of this picture are of The Three Sister, just west of Bend.

 

And then there is Bend which is a real tourist mecca. These people are floating down the Deschutes River; the temperature was in the 90's after all. In this high desert, hot weather in the summer is the norm, although it cools down into the 50s, or even 40s at night. We stumbled upon a quilt walk in the shopping center adjacent to where the picture was taken so Vera was in heaven.

Traveling home, there was the obligatory stop in Sisters, OR, another cute little tourist destination before climbing to the top of McKenzie Pass where these pictures were taken. Sisters is noted for a famous quilt show and is near some more famous fly fishing waters. Something for everybody. McKenzie Pass is traversed by yet another lava flow. There is a great little road stop at the top where you can walk around and see more spectacular views.

Now its on to Eugene, OR for the night, and then home to Mount Vernon.

Posted with Blogsy

Oregon-July 2017 (Days 4-5)

Starting at Day 4, our internet access became very limited and you are receiving these posts a few days late. We traveled through the North Cascades, staying at a small lodge and than a B&B on the other side.

 

 

Our journey took us up the North Umpqua River, famous for its fly fishing. The second picture shows just how clear the water is, with visibility over 10 or 20 feet if the sun is shining right. We stayed at the famous (or is it infamous) Steamboat Inn lodge. Quite nice except for the price and mosquitoes.

 

Crater Lake was our first stop after Steamboat. The Cascades had a lot of snow last year, and we saw a lot of it on the drive up. Crater Lake is a volcano that blew up about 7700 years ago. Much, much larger than the more recent Mount St. Helens event, the eruption left behind an enormous crater. The road follows the crater rim at an elevation between 7000 and 8000 feet. Unfortunately, there is a lot of road construction, some of the road is still closed for snow, and the tourists are out in droves taking advantage of the relatively cheap gas this summer.

 

The view is spectacular. It is hard to take a bad picture. The lake below is crystal clear, and is the deepest in the US.

 

We arrived at the lodge on the crater's rim, and took a short hike. That lodge would be a wonderful place to stay, but you need reservations almost a year in advance. It is well worth the trip, but try to go after Labor Day when the crowds have thinned, the construction is over, and the snow has been cleared from the roads. Next destination: La Pine, OR, near Sun River and Bend.

 

Posted with Blogsy

 

Oregon-July 2017 (Day 3)

Bandon, OR is probably our favorite town along the Oregon coast. It's all about the rock formations. The quaint little town isn't bad either.

A sculpture in "Washed Ashore", a small museum in Bandon showing artwork created from beach debris.

 

Our hotel was on the cliff overlooking the beach. This is one of the many stairways used for access.

 

View on the way down.

 

Birds everywhere.

 

Check out the people on the beach below.

 

"Face Rock" as seen from the beach.

Posted with Blogsy

Oregon-July 2017 (Day 3)

Bandon is probably our favorite town along the Oregon coast. It's all about the famous rock formations. The quaint little town isn't bad either.

 

Our hotel was on the cliffs overlooking the shoreline. This is one of many stairways leading down to the beach.

Birds everywhere!

 

Check out the people on the beach!

 

"Face Rock" as seen from the beach.

 

Another view from the cliffs.

A sculpture in "Washed Ashore", an interesting small museum in Bandom consisting of artwork made from beach debris.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Oregon-July 2017 (Days 1-2)

 

On the spur of the moment, we decided to take a quick driving vacation through Oregon. Luckily for us, Howard and Mary Talbitzer hosted us the first night at their lovely home in Camas, WA. Otherwise, we would have been faced with a very long drive to Bandon, OR, our first destination. Thank you, Howard and Mary!

The sand dunes south of Florence. These dunes go on for miles. Years ago, all of Oregon's coast line was made into state parks and recreational areas. It has been a boon for small businesses with the draw of tourists from all over the state and nation. What a treasure! We purchased a one year pass to all Oregon Parks for $30, and it is well worth it. One day passes are $5, but did not make sense in our situation.

 

The bridge at Coos Bay.

 

Just south of Coos Bay, and just before Bandon, is Shore Acres State Park. Well worth the small detour off of Highway 101. The rock formations are much different than what you normally expect along this rugged coast line.

Even more interesting is the botanical gardens adjacent to the coast.

 

The flowers and gardens are beautiful! Bandon is only a few miles away, and it will be in our next posting.

 

Posted with Blogsy