Thursday, July 30, 2009
Cruising!
Libby started standing herself up this weekend! Here she is after pulling herself up using Abby's table and chair, (and just before she crashed back down!)
Day 4: Burns to Home.
Route, (a long day!):
Miracle of miracles, Kricket and I woke up before the kids and headed in to the hot springs for an early morning dip.
With the exception of one other guest, and a family of ducks, we had the springs to ourselves.
We had spent the night in a couple cabins: Grammy and Abigail, (who got her own bed!) in one cabin, Kricket, baby and I in the other.
Back into Burns, where we filled up with diesel, cleaned off the windshield, grabbed some food to go, and headed north on 395. I rode in the back with the girls, and we had a good time. At Long Creek, we headed west toward Spray, eventually stopping at Service Creek for a break.
We dropped down 207 to Mitchell for burgers and shakes. Maybe it's me, but things are a hell of a lot more expensive in Mitchell than I remember. I'd say hold out for Prineville or John Day, depending on which way you're going.
We took a quick break in the park.
And then headed up to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which is always a treat!
We headed north back up 207, then on to Fossil, Antelope, Shaniko, and finally Biggs Junction, where we picked up I-84. We stopped in the Dalles for dinner, then pressed on into Portland. The fuel light came on at about East 181st, but we made it home just fine: glad to be sleeping in our own beds and plenty tired.
Miracle of miracles, Kricket and I woke up before the kids and headed in to the hot springs for an early morning dip.
With the exception of one other guest, and a family of ducks, we had the springs to ourselves.
We had spent the night in a couple cabins: Grammy and Abigail, (who got her own bed!) in one cabin, Kricket, baby and I in the other.
Back into Burns, where we filled up with diesel, cleaned off the windshield, grabbed some food to go, and headed north on 395. I rode in the back with the girls, and we had a good time. At Long Creek, we headed west toward Spray, eventually stopping at Service Creek for a break.
We dropped down 207 to Mitchell for burgers and shakes. Maybe it's me, but things are a hell of a lot more expensive in Mitchell than I remember. I'd say hold out for Prineville or John Day, depending on which way you're going.
We took a quick break in the park.
And then headed up to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which is always a treat!
We headed north back up 207, then on to Fossil, Antelope, Shaniko, and finally Biggs Junction, where we picked up I-84. We stopped in the Dalles for dinner, then pressed on into Portland. The fuel light came on at about East 181st, but we made it home just fine: glad to be sleeping in our own beds and plenty tired.
Day 3: Burns to Steens Mountain and back.
Route:
We got the girls up and sunblocked, then headed to breakfast.
Driving south on 78, we turned off on Anderson Valley Road, in an attempt to get to the Fields-Denio road. We ended up not finding it, (next time!,) but did find some really neat vistas.
We crossed this bridge on a road that led high up into some open range cattle country.
We stopped at the park in Frenchglen for lunch. It was 92F, but in the shade it wasn't so bad. Kricket made us sandwiches out of the back of the truck. You can see Steens Mountain, (still with some snow,) in the background.
Abby informed us that the purpose of summer was "to lay in the grass." When we asked where she had learned that, she said that "I figured it out by myself."
We headed east out of Frenchglen, up the Steens Mountain Loop. It was a nice drive, climbing to 9000' or so at the top of the mountain. We turned off to visit the Kiger Gorge when we were almost at the top. (Thank you BLM for the photo below!)
The Alvord Desert:
We followed the loop road back down to Hwy 205, about 10 miles south of Frenchglen. I'd suggest going up and back out of Frenchglen however, as the loop road on the south end of the mountain is really rough!
We headed back north to Burns and grabbed some dinner before heading to the Crystal Crane Hot Springs for the night. I read Abby chapter 5 of The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark." Libby was pretty amped up and didn't want to go to sleep, but finally dropped off.
We got the girls up and sunblocked, then headed to breakfast.
Driving south on 78, we turned off on Anderson Valley Road, in an attempt to get to the Fields-Denio road. We ended up not finding it, (next time!,) but did find some really neat vistas.
We crossed this bridge on a road that led high up into some open range cattle country.
We stopped at the park in Frenchglen for lunch. It was 92F, but in the shade it wasn't so bad. Kricket made us sandwiches out of the back of the truck. You can see Steens Mountain, (still with some snow,) in the background.
Abby informed us that the purpose of summer was "to lay in the grass." When we asked where she had learned that, she said that "I figured it out by myself."
We headed east out of Frenchglen, up the Steens Mountain Loop. It was a nice drive, climbing to 9000' or so at the top of the mountain. We turned off to visit the Kiger Gorge when we were almost at the top. (Thank you BLM for the photo below!)
The Alvord Desert:
We followed the loop road back down to Hwy 205, about 10 miles south of Frenchglen. I'd suggest going up and back out of Frenchglen however, as the loop road on the south end of the mountain is really rough!
We headed back north to Burns and grabbed some dinner before heading to the Crystal Crane Hot Springs for the night. I read Abby chapter 5 of The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark." Libby was pretty amped up and didn't want to go to sleep, but finally dropped off.
Day 2: Prineville to Burns.
Route:
After breakfast, we headed out to check out Uncle Chris' property near the Prineville Reservoir. The view there is great: Cascades on the west side,
Prineville Reservoir on the east.
Mama and Baby!
We headed east on the Paulina Highway and stopped at the Paulina Elementary School for a picnic lunch.
We took FS 41 from the Paulina Highway into Burns.
It was mostly gravel, but we did see a couple roads graveled with the red volcanic rock. Abby added a few rocks to her collection.
We got into Burns and checked into the Days Inn. This hotel must have had some bad experiences in the past because they left this card in each of their rooms:
After breakfast, we headed out to check out Uncle Chris' property near the Prineville Reservoir. The view there is great: Cascades on the west side,
Prineville Reservoir on the east.
Mama and Baby!
We headed east on the Paulina Highway and stopped at the Paulina Elementary School for a picnic lunch.
We took FS 41 from the Paulina Highway into Burns.
It was mostly gravel, but we did see a couple roads graveled with the red volcanic rock. Abby added a few rocks to her collection.
We got into Burns and checked into the Days Inn. This hotel must have had some bad experiences in the past because they left this card in each of their rooms:
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