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Published: August 12th 2007
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Northern California: OK, the first gray day was serene and restful, the second day was a bit dreary, and the third day, at Elk Prairie State Park, was downright damp, dank and gloomy. We still had great evenings around the camp fire, and saw not only shooting stars, but scary critters while lying back in the sand in the middle of the nighttime dunes, but the constant fog and gray during the day was getting me down. I hadn’t know that this was the given for summer weather on the northern coast. I was more than ready to head inland on the 7th in order to get back my summer groove. So we drove from the Redwoods to the Oregon Caves National Monument.
Here, I satisfied my sun craving enough to spend 90 minutes deep underground. I had never been in caves or caverns and was fascinated by the formations, caused when carbon dioxide mixes with water to form carbonic acid, which then eats away at the rock. The minerals carried by the water then deposit themselves where and how the water flows, forming flow rock, stalactites, stalagmites, columns and ‘soda straws’. The glistening rock looks as though it must be
soft or slimy, but a ‘no touch’ policy, to keep growth-stopping oils off the rock, prevents us from checking it out. It’s so tempting, but we keep our hands to ourselves. Before this place was declared a National Monument, visitors were encouraged to break off stalactites for souvenirs, thinking that they would grow back like plants. It turns out that they grow at the rate of about one inch every 10,000 years. Yikes!
Although today’s driving goal was Crater Lake, we decide to stop in Grants Pass for a little civilization break. We even rent a copy of Nation Lampoon’s Vacation. Those of you who remember this movie will know just how perfectly appropriate it is for a family road trip. It’s twenty years old, but the family dynamics are still right on target!
Day 34, 8/8 Mile 5279
An early start gets us to Crater Lake before noon. The legendary color of this lake seems to vibrate the optic nerves. This blue is the most pure intense color of any kind I have ever seen. Each time you look away and look back, you’re startled all over again at the brilliance of this impossibly vibrant and luscious color.
Paul Bunyan & Babe
At 'Trees of Mystery', the mother of all tourist traps! I took endless photos, knowing none would do it justice.
Though we had planned a hike, we all lost our ambition for anything more than a stroll. The lazy late afternoon was a perfect prelude to our grilled steak dinner. I think we all savored our last campfire, the last of many fine evenings spent reading Trivial Pursuit cards, telling stories and stargazing. We marveled at both how long and short five weeks can be.
Day 35, 8/9 Mile 5325
In order to counteract the homing tractor beam, we planned what we hoped would be a fun last night. Bill came across the Wilson Ranch B&B on one of his rides in Oregon. This is a working ranch just outside of Fossil. It’s fabulous! The B&B, separate from the ranch house, sits in a lovely valley. Our rooms are great, complete with horseshoe clothes hangers, a variety of antler furniture, and cowboy hats ready to be worn on the horse rides, sweat stains no extra charge. The owners, Phil & Nancy Wilson, are as friendly and welcoming as can be. They treat their guests as family - not the dysfunctional kind.
Once we arrive in Fossil, we see that
Oregon Caves 1
The lodge, in the sun! the Wheeler County Fair is in progress, so we spend some time at this tiny, dear fair. (I just had to sample some of the chocolate cake being judged - great frosting!) We even got a glimpse of the rodeo queen - quite attractive - (though Bowen didn’t notice at all Alli). This is a real working small town, not a western tourist trap. The prize buckles on display at the Fossil Mercantile demonstrate just how serious the competition is.
After seeing the fair and getting settled in the B&B, we await our trail ride, but when our wrangler arrives, it turns out there are too many guests and not enough horses. We elect to go after the first group, but when they don’t show up back at the ranch by 7pm, I start to worry that we’ll be disappointed again as we were in Yellowstone: unable to take our long anticipated last ride. I think of the movie last night, Vacation, and Clark Griswold’s reaction when they arrive at Wally World only to find it closed and suggest to Bill that maybe it’s time he headed for the sporting goods store to buy a BB gun. We give each
other the rolling eyeball - Bo is afraid we’ll get mad and embarrass him, but we keep our cool, letting the spirit of a great vacation keep our patience afloat. We are soon rewarded by the appearance of the other riders. Appropriately enough, we saddle up and ride off into the sunset - really we do! We all climb the hills above the ranch and watch the sun set on Mt. Hood. These are not trail nags, but ranch horses, and we have a perfect ride in the twilight beauty of Oregon cattle country.
Day 36, 8/10 Mile 5558
In the morning, Phil and Nancy cook up a fabulous ranch breakfast and we sit down with them and all the guests for a family style feast. When Nancy learns that Bowen will see his girlfriend today after five long weeks, she asks to see her photo and gives him a big hug for all he’s had to wait for. Then it’s hugs all around and we’re off - headed for home!
The tractor beam is strong now and Lurch never moved so fast. It’s 70 mph most of the way: as many an RV bumper sticker put it -
“burnin’ gas and haulin’ ass. We make few stops, everyone intent on our goal, but at Snoqualmie Pass, while in the restroom, Kate asks “What will we do when we get home, mom?” From another stall and another mom comes the answer, “Unload the car!” Exactly!
At 3:15, we leave Bowen in the arms of his smiling mother and the three of us finish the journey to our fair city. As we roll down 76th Street, Bill feels it’s finally safe to say that Lurch has made it - we could push the van from here if it stopped. But it doesn’t and we are at last, mile 5865,…. Home.
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