Chris & John's Travel Log: OREGON 2

First stop in Eugene was the market to get some supplies and check out the local sports store. It is still a novelty for us to see the guns, camo gear etc that is sold so prolifically over here. The market too is very different to our supermarkets - much bigger and much more variety.

The market at Eugene.

Then it was off to the laundromat and then to Steve and Lisa’s house, which is a lovely little timber cottage on the side of a hill.

John, Lisa and Steve

Baxter, who thinks he runs the house.

Sherman - who DOES run the house!

The Jerry Seinfeld show started at 7 so we had dinner out and then headed to the Hult Centre, a beautiful theatre complex. Apparently they flew into Portland and had to drive down to Eugene so they would have encountered the same conditions as John and I had. Anyway they were a bit late starting but it was really a great show. We had some doubts as to whether we would relate to his humour but we laughed right through.

Before the show

Inside the main theatre at the Hult Centre, Eugene

Next morning we packed up and headed east to McKenzie Bridge where Steve and Lisa have a part share in a very rustic little cabin in the woods beside Horse Creek. The cabin is basic but very cosy. It took a while to thaw out the water pipes etc but Steve got the fire going straight away and it was lovely and cosy, with plenty of room. We took a short walk up to the bridge (Baxter got as far as the neighbouring cabin and declined to go any further – he prefers to lounge in front of the fire) and then spent the evening tasting some of the local and Aussie wines and playing cribbage.

McKenzie River on the way to McKenzie Bridge

Two snow ploughs in action

Covered bridge - McKenzie Bridge

We're there!

Don't use the toilet yet!

View from the back door overlooking Horse Creek

Horse Creek meets the McKenzie River at top of picture.

Are the drinks cold yet?

Next morning it was off up to Santiam Pass and Hoodoo Ski Area to try out some snow shoeing. Steve and Lisa had their cross country skis and so after we got rigged up we drove to the trail head to set off. There had been a lot of snow overnight and it was almost up to the top of our legs so the going was very tough. The snow on the eastern side of the range is very wet so if you don’t have water-proof pants forget it. After about 100 metres trudging I decided it was not fun, so we headed back to the “warming cabin” where there was NO fire to warm us. I managed to fall over on the way and could not for the life of me get up. Snow shoes are not easy to manipulate in 3 feet of snow. Anyway I felt like a turtle on its back and John had to come to the rescue. Suffice to say the best part of the venture was the beautiful Irish coffee Lisa bought me when we got back to the ski lodge.

Anyone seen my car?

We found ours!

Sorry that was NOT fun!

We had another lovely night back at the cabin with Steve entertaining us on guitar. It was a sad farewell next morning as Steve and Lisa headed back to Eugene and John and I crossed over Santiam Pass for the third time, back through Sisters and turned south toward Crater Lake. We spent the next night at La Pine. Here we got an e-mail from Steve with a photo of the tree we had been parked under at their house. It had snapped off with the weight of the snow while we had been away.

Steve & Lisa returned home to this scene.
Our car was parked at left, right under the tree.

The weather at Santiam was much nicer next morning.

Main street of Sisters.

Next day we travelled on to Union Creek. On the way we visited the High Desert Museum just east of Bend. It is a privately run museum which showcases the natural and human history of the area and was well worth the visit. We were given a history tour covering the Indians and the coming of the white population, then saw some beautiful birds and animals.

Lynx

We learned that beaver were hunted extensively in this region in the earliest years of white habitation so that their pelts could be used to make felt beaver hats. The process of making the felt involved the use of mercury, and hence the term "as mad as a hatter".

Golden eagle.

Gyrfalcon - the largest falcon in the world.

She is distinguished from other falcons not just by her size
but by the second "barb" on the upper beak.

Great horned owl - this photo of the stuffed one turned
out better than the ones of the real one outside.

Bald eagle

Tarantula

Bobcat

Rattle snake

Snow covered lava fields just east of Bend.

Union Creek is a lovely tiny little resort which was apparently popular with the likes of Zane Grey as a lodging place to explore the Crater Lake area. It is situated right on Rogue Gorge, which is part of the Rogue River and the scenery is quite spectacular. We had a nice dinner at Beckie’s, a little restaurant where we had stopped for coffee on our ‘08 trip.

Rogue Gorge - Rogue River, Union Creek, Oregon

Union Creek Resort - our cabin and car are at rear left

We drove up to Crater Lake next morning, hoping to see the beautiful lake we had visited in the summer of '08. Alas the weather was not on our side and we saw very little through the heavy mist that hung over the area. The scenery on the way up was spectacular though and the sight of the visitor centre almost buried in snow was interesting.

Crater Lake - summer '08

Winter - The lake is down there!

The scenery through to Chiloquin continued to change and by the time we got to Lakeview, it was more high desert plains than forest. There were some interesting sights along the way though.

We stopped for a quick lunch here in Bly, Oregon

At Lakeview we turned north past Abert and Alkali Lakes. The country is rugged and arid despite the snow but still interesting. The lakes are salt lakes and reminded us a lot of Lake Alexandrina in South Australia.

The road runs between this escarpment and the lake. The upper parts of this escarpment are covered in bright green and yellow mosses or lichens? which are clearly seen from the road although a bit hard to make out in the photo.

Abert Lake

We thought this might be good bighorn sheep country and we were really stoked to see these guys roaming across the road as they were one of the few species of native fauna that we had not seen in '08.

This young male hasn't developed the really big horns yet
butt he's working on them!

We found a reasonable motel at Burns and settled in to do the ever essential laundry. Next morning before we headed north again we visited a couple of the local second hand shops - at the first, John found a spittoon which he had to have and although we didn't find anything to buy at the second, Joe's, we met a lovely old guy of 85 who was peddling away on a fairly ancient exercise bike. As with any old folks, it was great to have a conversation with him.

Joe's place seemed to be a drop off point for
all the locals to deposit their pre-loved treasures.

We also visited the local Ford dealer where we discovered that a brand new F350 pickup was only $US52 000. They also had a small collection of old Fords which our mate Neil would have loved. These pics are just for you Drogs!

Old Studebaker

This collection included a Model A and Model T Ford

Next it as off to Vale through an amazing landscape which the locals told us was "just desert" but to us it was amazing. It looked just like the Hamersley Ranges but with lots of snow.