Post by Chris on Oct 9, 2017 17:26:23 GMT -8
The wife and I took a trip into Central and Eastern Oregon a few weeks ago. It was originally planned as a 6 day trip, but we had to cut 2 days. The first 2 1/2 days were great, and we had a lot of fun. In the late afternoon of day 3 though, we got nailed by a big storm that wasn't on the forecast I looked at before we left.
Day 1 was at a spot that a couple of army buddies and I went to the summer after our return from Iraq. I have since dubbed it "Smith's Camp" after the guy who took us there, because it's much easier than saying "that camping spot south of Prineville Reservoir." This is the first time I've been back since then. There's an old mineshaft nearby, maybe 3/4 of a mile away.
Day 2 was at Glass Buttes, named for all the obsidian in the area. BLM allows you to take up to 250 lbs per year. We gathered probably about 20 lbs or so. It's everywhere out there, even in the roads. Good tires and caution are required. Most of the little stuff isn't a problem, but there are occasionally larger sharp pieces lying about that will kill a tire. I also took the opportunity to try my hand at astrophotography in the wee morning hours of day 3.
Day 3 was at Mann Lake, at the eastern base of Steens Mountain. It was a little windy when we got there, but pleasant. At around 1630 or so (about half an hour after I took the photo below), it started to rain. We hung out in the tent, thinking it would probably stop soon. It didn't. The wind and rain picked up significantly. I estimated the wind at about 50 mph, maybe more, and the rain was nearly horizontal. It destroyed the tent, and some of our gear got wet. We packed up in the middle of all this, then headed back to Burns and stayed at a motel before heading for home. Unfortunately, we weren't prepared for the destruction of our shelter and had no alternate, so we never made it to the rest of the places we had planned to go. But we'll return next year.
This is what the sky looked like by the time we got packed up and about 12 miles down the road.
If we hadn't been evicted by Mother Nature, the plan was to continue south to the Alvord desert. I wanted to get out on the flats, and The Wifey wanted to hit the Alvord Hot Springs. After that, south again to the town of Fields, where I have been told the restaurant has great breakfasts. Then we would have cut east over to Highway 95, then back north to the Pillars of Rome. We would have stayed at the Rome campground that night. Day 5 would have been the final leg, heading east and north to Jordan Craters, a large lava flow. We would have stayed the night at Coffeepot Crater, then headed back home on day 6.
Day 1 was at a spot that a couple of army buddies and I went to the summer after our return from Iraq. I have since dubbed it "Smith's Camp" after the guy who took us there, because it's much easier than saying "that camping spot south of Prineville Reservoir." This is the first time I've been back since then. There's an old mineshaft nearby, maybe 3/4 of a mile away.
Day 2 was at Glass Buttes, named for all the obsidian in the area. BLM allows you to take up to 250 lbs per year. We gathered probably about 20 lbs or so. It's everywhere out there, even in the roads. Good tires and caution are required. Most of the little stuff isn't a problem, but there are occasionally larger sharp pieces lying about that will kill a tire. I also took the opportunity to try my hand at astrophotography in the wee morning hours of day 3.
Day 3 was at Mann Lake, at the eastern base of Steens Mountain. It was a little windy when we got there, but pleasant. At around 1630 or so (about half an hour after I took the photo below), it started to rain. We hung out in the tent, thinking it would probably stop soon. It didn't. The wind and rain picked up significantly. I estimated the wind at about 50 mph, maybe more, and the rain was nearly horizontal. It destroyed the tent, and some of our gear got wet. We packed up in the middle of all this, then headed back to Burns and stayed at a motel before heading for home. Unfortunately, we weren't prepared for the destruction of our shelter and had no alternate, so we never made it to the rest of the places we had planned to go. But we'll return next year.
This is what the sky looked like by the time we got packed up and about 12 miles down the road.
If we hadn't been evicted by Mother Nature, the plan was to continue south to the Alvord desert. I wanted to get out on the flats, and The Wifey wanted to hit the Alvord Hot Springs. After that, south again to the town of Fields, where I have been told the restaurant has great breakfasts. Then we would have cut east over to Highway 95, then back north to the Pillars of Rome. We would have stayed at the Rome campground that night. Day 5 would have been the final leg, heading east and north to Jordan Craters, a large lava flow. We would have stayed the night at Coffeepot Crater, then headed back home on day 6.
