Heading back to California

Ron found us an obscure little camp ground in a town called Tionesta, just outside of the Lava Beds National Monument.  Another completely empty camp, owned by an older couple.  It was immaculate!  The sky opened up here, and for the first time on this trip we had some real weather, including thunder, lightning, and hail!  For the two nights we were there it rained more than on the entire trip.  Made for an interesting stay though.  The Lava Beds are part of a volcanic park in which there are hundreds of caves.  We physically could only see about three of them without having to stoop, bend or crawl...things we both can't do too well these days.  Anyway, it was an enjoyable drive.  We found a picnic area just then the rain poured!  Who else can say they ate their lunch in the rain on top of a volcano? 

 

 

This is our view for most of this trip - just wide open spaces dotted by farms

Klamath Lake

pretty painted ponies

the mother land

Looks like lava in the sky after the storm

 

Looks inviting

The first one was the only paved and lit cave

more path to the unknown



Ron has discovered something, oh its lava rock

This cave was a stand up cave but VERY dark, I wasn't having it...

storm coming up

Final cave was still a bit rough, didn't get too far

lunch in the rain on top of a volcano, happens every day

Crater Lake, OR

So the partial reason for the delay of posts comes from these remote places that are a must see.  Sets you back to a simpler time when you don't even get TV at the campground.  No worries, we have books and hand sewing to do and Tito is always up for play time.  The campground sits along a nice little creek, with lots of birds, in the middle of nowhere, near Klamath Lake. 

Crater Lake, despite its name, is believed to be formed from a huge volcanic eruption followed by the mountain caving in on itself over who knows how long.  The crater created filled with rain and snow over thousands of years making a lake that nothing but micro-organisms live in.  It is also the deepest lake in the US at 1,932 feet deep.  It is a blue that I can't describe.  We caught it in between rain, so the lake was a dark blue, but in the sun it is cobalt blue.  See I can't explain.  Anyway, we drove through it and were amazed how much snow was still there.

Oops, along the way there was this shop...how can we pass it up???

After shopping, we had to hit up this eatery, The Mohawk.  Signage reads food, taxidermy, bottles, and lounge with cocktails.  How can you not want to eat food among the hundreds of carcasses staring at you?  Was quite tasty!

 
 

See with clouds, dark blue

This island shows the turquoise blue of the water at its edge. 

Perspective of the size of the island

As you can see the weather changes in an instant

Awe that's my man

Tons of snow still

This is a pano shot from my cell phone, not bad huh?

 

 

Sisters, OR (known for their quilt show) !

Ok, so Sisters was definitely one stop I chose.  They are famous for their rodeo, their fall festival, and yes, their Quilt Show every July.  The Sisters mountains are three HUGE mountain peaks each well over ten thousand feet, and right next to another mountain, Broken Top at 9,100+ feet.  The views are simply majestic.  The photos do not do them justice, as you can imagine.

The town of Sisters reminded us a lot of our Old Town area of Clovis.  It has lots of cute shops and restaurants.  Since I needed my roots touched up and Ron needed a hair cut, we decided to do a day of beauty there, too.  We got a great referral from the salon owner of a restaurant we could walk to from the campground, so we indulged in a night out with our new dos. The camp was a city camp and another great place to stay with friendly people. 

The Sisters are behind us, photo got a little washed out

From Left to Right is Broken Top, South Sister, Middle Sister, and North Sister

Day of beauty a success!

Had to make my donation to the Stitchin Post, another great shop and super nice ladies!

Cascade Locks

From Pendleton, we head west on the 84 which parallels the Columbia River.  The river is the border of Washington and Oregon.  Areas of the river are more like a lake, with huge dams.  There were white caps!  We decided on a KOA campground in Cascade Locks for our stopping point to explore. 

There is an old Historic route of highway 30 that runs along the 84, but does not work for the RV, too narrow and windy.  The camp offered a waterfall map along the 30, and some points of interest, who could resist.  They also suggested the fish hatchery.  Who would of thunk fish be so amazing!  Plus the grounds of the hatchery were impeccable! 

Leaving Cascade Locks to Sisters OR we experienced the majesty of Mount Hood.  It looks fake!  But rising over 11,000 feet, there's no denying it is one bad ass mountain!

Rainbow Trout

A HUGES sturgeon, they grow to 10 plus feet

beautiful park-like setting at the hatchery

multiple viewing areas including one under ground where the fish swim right up to you

well kept

Horsetail Falls was just one of many we saw

Great old sign at the Bridle Vail falls

Multnomah Falls in two levels, highest over 500 feet



This was the view of the Columbia at the end of the highway at Crown Point vista, I must have been looking at something else? 

one of the huge dams called Bridge of Gods as you go into the town of Cascade Locks

Mt Hood, looks like it should be at Disneyland

Mount Hood

this was the next day, a gorge along the highway to Sisters called the Peter Skene Scenic View.  A sheer 300 foot drop if you slip

Back to Oregon we go...

(Sorry it had taken me a week to post more, by the way.  We didn't have good internet for a few stops and it's just too hard without high speed)

 

 

Anyway, we made it to Pendleton and stayed at the Wild Horse Casino and RV park.  Ron figured he should give me my slot machine fix.  We played just a little and it was just an overnighter.  The next day before heading out of town, we visited the Pendleton wool factory.  It was amazing to see the working factory with all it's history, still going strong. 

 

The colors are amazing

this was just the sale section

back room spying

wool by the yard

 

 

 

Heading east to Palouse WA...

Ron had heard about an area called the Palouse from a motorhome magazine, so we had to check it out.  The town of Palouse is near the Idaho border to the south of Spokane.  It was a quaint town and quite small.  We stayed at a city park which had ten full hook-up spots, pay on the honor system, and we were the only ones there!  The small towns around there are pretty much the same, with the exception of Pullman, the home of Washington State University.

 

Basically, the "Palouse" is rolling hills, mile after mile of farm land created from lava flow thousands of years ago.  (Don't get caught up in my highly scientific explanation, I know there's more to it!)  Anyway, it was once covered in forest and cleared by the people who were granted the land in the 1800's.  They primarily farm wheat, alfalfa and lentils.

 

We took a ride to the Steptoe Butte park and rode to the top to see for miles.  Paul, the only worker at the park that day, waived our entrance fee, and proceeded to give us all the history of the area and the Palouse.  It was a great find!

 

 

Love taking photos of old farm buildings along the way.

this is the typical road view of the Palouse, the wheat in various stages of growth

more rolling hills...

Really cool, old feed barn in the nearby town of Garfield on our way to the Butte

Also in Garfield, old station

Paul, our tour master of the Palouse and Butte, nicest young man

gives an idea of the vastness

Butte exhaustion leads to wine time...and no, both glasses were not mine

packed camp ground

and on to Walla Walla...