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| Mr. Hood |
Continuing east through the Columbia River Gorge, we had lunch at Hood River and then stopped off for treats at the Dalles. Approaching the Dalles, the Gorge changes from lush green to arid desert, very abruptly. The weather also changes from cool, windy, humid to hot, still, and dry, with the smell of Sage in the air. The Sage and Rabbit Brush are summoning our allergic reactions, so sneezing and sniffing are in vogue. It’s also prudent to watch out for Rattlesnakes.
We
called-it-a-day at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Campground (Lepage) ,
located at the confluence of the John Day and Columbia Rivers. This was an 1805
Lewis and Clark campsite and it’s named for John Baptiste Lepage, one of their
Corps of Discovery members. It’s a clear, cool, moon-lit night, with the Canada
Geese chatting along the river. The Fall Chinook Salmon run is going strong,
with the Native Americans camped nearby as they engage in their ancestral
fishing customs. Salmon fishing provides them with a food source that is also a
spiritual gift to them AND they sell to the public for cash. They sell Jacks
(Chinook Salmon that return from the ocean early (like two years old), and
weigh approximately 10 pounds. The best fillets are from the mature Chinook
Salmon that run twenty to thirty pounds. Cooking and eating fresh salmon on the
grill is inimitable and we will never again be satisfied with frozen fillets
from the markets.
The
Indians throw-up camps consisting of old camper trailers, tents, makeshift huts,
from cardboard, tin, and the infamous blue plastic tarps. They stay as long as
the Salmon run lasts, then they return to home and go about their usual
occupations. I talked to two different groups of Indian fisherman, from the
Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon and the Umatilla in Washington,
respectively. By treaty, the Indians can fish year-round, forever. (Unless the
Government decides to do something different!) This LePage Park campground
afforded a most impressive sunset and sunrise.
Saturday,
September 26, 2015
Yesterday
afternoon, we arrived at Hermiston, in Umatilla County, Oregon and made our
camp at Hat Rock State Park, located on the Columbia River. Hat Rock, a Devils
Tower-like basalt outcropping, looks like its name implies (just like a
top-hat). The rock was mentioned in the Lewis and Clarks Journals as a
significant landmark on the river. The State Park is an oasis with a
green-grass, irrigated picnic area and large Locust shade trees. We saw deer,
California Quail, hawks, Magpies, and turkeys.This area of Oregon is a desert
but with irrigation it has become a garden-spot, producing a wide variety of
produce and agricultural crops. This is an area that utilizes those
pivot-irrigation, round crop fields that look so strange from the air. Those
round fields are immediately bordered by desert, where the watering stops, and
along the edges is where you had better watch for Rattlesnakes. The
discriminating Rattlesnake is drawn to these borders in anticipation of a nice
rodent-smorgasbord.
We
had a nice visit with Terry’s folks here, including a tasty barbecue lunch, and
a walk in the park. This evening, it’s college football on television and rest
and relaxation.
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| Sunset at our camp on the John Day River. |
Sunday,
September 27, 2015
This
evening, we’re back on the John Day River, at a spot where we can enjoy the exceptional
“Blood Moon”. This is a remote, quiet park with cozy little sites and shade trees,
which provide pleasant, Comfortable shade for river-watching.
Monday
9-27
Last
night’s “Blood Moon” was impressive but we had trouble staying awake for the
entire event. With no phone or television, the quite of the hills and sounds of
nature and the river lulled us into a totally relaxed state.
This
morning, I walked Daisy down the river and came upon a small group of Native
Americans, camped under a large Cottonwood tree, fishing and drying Salmon. As
I watched them, each with their appointed activity, it occurred to me that this
is exactly the same scene that the Lewis and Clark Expedition encountered here
in October, 1805. The only thing different is the camp, with its Cabella’s free-standing
tents and the prevalent Wal-Mart “blue tarps”.
This
morning is windy and cold, ushering the definite feel of Fall that comes with
October. Today, we plan to travel down around Mitchell and spend a few days in
scrutiny of the John Day Fossil Beds, Painted Hills, and Smith Rock. Looks like
we’ll have some beautiful Fall weather around the area.
The John Day Fossil Beds and Painted Hills National
Monument are colorful evidence of volcanic activity, environmental changes, and
ancient plant and animal life in eastern Oregon. We enjoyed our visit and
picnic lunch at the site.
Yesterday afternoon, we visited Smith Rock, just
west of Prineville. Smith Rock is a sanctuary of majestic rock spires along
Crooked Rive, in central Oregon’s high desert. It’s an internationally renowned
destination for rock climbing, offering challenges for beginners to experts. It’s
a remote place but it was packed with people until dark.They also have fabulous
hiking, horse, and bicycle trails, with lots of wildlife to observe. We are
really glad that we went to see it.
Awoke this first day of October at the Expo Center
RV Park in Redmond, Oregon, on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains. We had
a beautiful sunset with the backlit mountains in the foreground, some with
snowcaps.
This morning we can see the “Sisters” mountains,
situated between here and Bend. We spent the morning in the Expo Complex and
toured the OSU Extension Service garden, enjoying the collection of native
wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and vegetable garden. Most of the vegetable garden
was showing the effects of the recent first-frost, but the fruits were still
there, stranded by the dying plants. Our dogs were happy to join us but had to
be on short-lease in the gardens.
Next, we headed west up the Santiam Pass towards
Eugene. Along the east slope we passed picturesque Sisters village and then
stunning views of Mount Washington and the “Sisters” mountains. On the west
slope, we followed McKenzie River down and stopped for a picnic lunch at a
scenic setting on the river. Oregon’s Cascade Mountains are minor compared to
Colorado’s “fourteeners”, but Oregon’s grades are steeper than most Colorado
Passes, so when puling a load, judiciousness is advised in choosing a route.
Going into Eugene, we got a “check engine” light on
the truck, so after shopping Fred Myer and dinner, we stopped at AutoZone to
read the truck computer codes. We took a camp at Coburg and installed new spark
plugs and plug-coils, so the truck is back to normal. My AutoZone guy was the
best at customer service. He went out of the way to make sure we got the parts
that we needed.
Friday 10-2
Today, we shopped the Mall, had lunch, and rested
back at camp. Over the weekend, we visit Terry’s folks and have a lunch date
with my high school classmate.
See ya!
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