Northwest Seen

Time for a break

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:49:00 +0000

In order to concentrate on my art, I'm taking a break from blogging here at Northwest Seen. Thanks for your support...I'll be back soon.

If you're interested in following my art blog, check it out at www.artfoundango.blogspot.com

Thanks,
Randy

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:29:00 +0000

The weather forcast for this weekend is great and will make the 2008 Mt. Angel, Oregon Oktoberfest that much more enjoyable. Plenty of people watching, food, crafts and fun will be on hand. I'll be there. Don't miss it. The festival runs from September 11 through September 14 this year.

Wallowa Lake Tramway - Eastern Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:36:00 +0000

With the opening of the gondola in 1970, Wallowa County added one of it's most popular attractions. The 3700' vertical foot ascent to the summit of Mt. Howard is a memorable experience. The exciting trip to the top of the mountain allows one to enjoy the view as the gondola rises above the Wallowa Lake Village and the blue waters of Wallowa Lake.

During this spectacular ride, guests get a view of the Eagle Cap Wilderness area and its rugged peaks. Upon arriving at the upper terminal, guests can explore the summit area enjoying the extensive variety of alpine plants and vegetation along any of the many trails. Interpretive signs and information are provided to make the most of your walk. If you prefer, just relax and take in the breathtaking views as you enjoy a meal, snack, or your favorite beverage at the Summit Grill and Alpine Patio. Mt. Howard is a popular site for a variety of activities, including picnics, weddings, reunions, hang-gliding, model glider flying, and walking the alpine trails. Many guests choose to hike to the mountain lakes and high basins in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area.

The quiet peacefulness at the summit area and dynamic scenery is why Wallowa Lake Tramway was designated "Best View in Oregon" and is truly a place to remember.

International Pinot Noir Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:27:00 +0000

July 25, 2008 - July 27, 2008
Linnfield College - Riley Hall
900 SE Baker Street
McMinnville, Oregon 97128

The 22nd Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration will dedicate the 2008 headline seminar to the topic of sustainability. Viewing the subject through the lens of the legendary wines of Dominique Lafon, as well as six additional world-class producers, attendees will learn how the world's top winemakers are proactively working to protect the environment as they craft wines of truly unsurpassed quality.

Mt. Angel Abbey Library - Mt. Angel, Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:48:00 +0000

In the early 1960s, library director Fr. Barnabas Reasoner approached the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto to design a new library building for the abbey. A report of that meeting was published in the March 1966 issue of the Mount Angel Abbey Library Bulletin. Because of his love of libraries and the special qualities of the Mount Angel Abbey site, Aalto agreed to design the library for a nominal fee. The building was completely funded through the generosity of Howard and Jean Vollum, who also contributed to the library's endowment.

The architecture of the Abbey Library reflects and shapes its spirit and purpose. The building's natural light illumines the multi-color bindings of the books which are offered on open stacks against a disciplined black and white background, softened by undulating curves and light colored wood. The structure, including three stories and a mezzanine, was completed in 1970. The entire library, with the exception of the bottom floor, is awash in natural light.

The library seats 200 patrons in 30 closed and 40 open carrels. It accommodates a comfortable reading room with current issues of 600 periodicals, a music listening and group study room, large study tables on the ground floor, and sunlit study areas around the staircases. The library collection numbers over 250,000 volumes while the building could hold up to 350,000 volumes.

Old Wheeler Hotel, Wheeler, Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:01:00 +0000

On a weekend when the traffic begins to be too much for me and the coast starts calling my name, you will more than likely find my wife and I at the Old Wheeler Inn in Wheeler, Oregon than at home.

I've stayed in many bed and breakfasts over the years and the Old Wheeler Inn is my favorite. The owners have truly created one of the top B&B's in the Pacific Northwest in my opinion.

Every detail has been paid attention to, and the payoff is big.

For more info go to www.oldwheelerhotel.com

Clear Lake Resort, Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Sat, 31 May 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Well, it's great to be back online again with Northwest Seen. I had to take a break from the blog and decide if it was really filling a need. Apparently it is.

I just got back from a great trip to the mountains and more specifically, Clear Lake Resort in the Cascade mountain range of Oregon.

There was a little more snow on the ground than I was originally led to believe, but we had a great time nonetheless.

Clear Lake is really clear. Really clear. It's so clear that you can see the many-thousand year old trees on the bottom of the lake leftover from the volcanic eruption that created the lake, back when.

You can rent a rowboat by the hour or a full day for only $25.

There is a small diner next to the lake with decent food and a great view.

Note that the "rustic cabins" are really rustic. No bathrooms and no running water. It was a pain to trek to the shower/bathrooms down the trail from the cabin. Next time we'll be in one of the "modern" cabins.

It's a great place to get away from it all; you are surrounded by beauty. Really, what more could you want?

Don't miss Sahalie Falls just down the road. Absolutely stunning view and plenty of trails to hike.
Photo copyright 2008 Randy Hill Creative

Seattle's Underground City.

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 05:38:00 +0000

By the end of 1889, Seattle had become the largest city in with 40,000 residents. That same year, the Great Seattle Fire resulted in the complete destruction of Pioneer Square.

Fortunately for the neighborhood the economy was strong at the time, so Pioneer Square was quickly rebuilt. The new buildings followed a Romanesque Revival architectural style. Because of drainage problems new development was built at a higher level literally burying the remains of old Pioneer Square. Anticipating the planned regrade, many buildings were built with two entrances, one at the old, low level, and another higher up.

Visitors can take the Seattle Underground Tour to see what remains of the old storefronts.

Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:35:00 +0000

I found this resource on the web this morning. http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/ lists most, if not all of the waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest.

Here in Oregon there are a number of beautiful falls within a short driving distance. My favorites: Multnomah Falls, just east of Portland, Oregon. Absolutely beautiful!

Johnston Ridge Observatory - Mt. St. Helens, Washington

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 16:21:00 +0000

The Johnston Ridge Observatory (JRO) is located at the terminus of the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Southwest Washington State. This vantage point brings visitors within five miles of the north side of the volcano and offers spectacular views of the still-steaming lava dome, crater, pumice plain and landslide deposit.

JRO is located on Johnston Ridge which was named in honor of U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) volcanologist David A. Johnston who was on duty at the USGS, Coldwater II observation post during the May 18, 1980, eruption. David Johnston was one of 57 people who lost their lives in the eruption. JRO is the third visitor center to be constructed by the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and it's completion marks the end of a 12-year $100 million capital investment program.

The one-story, 16,000 square-foot concrete and glass structure is set back into the ridge and has special, non-refective glass to blend into the surrounding blast zone terrain. The building was constructed at a cost of $8.9 million with $1.65 million of interpretive exhibits for a total cost of $10.5 million. Of this amount, $5 million was contributed by the State of Washington. The observatory will house seismic, deformation, and other monitoring equipment that will be relayed to the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver for analysis.

Johnston Ridge Observatory features:

280-seat theater
10,000 square-foot exhibit hall
terminals to access volcano info on the world wide web and video disk
staffed information desk
interpretive sales area
restrooms, public phones, and administrative offices
parking for 350 cars, 50 RV's and 20 buses
viewing plaza
trailhead access to the Boundary Trail #1 leading east and west
interpretive staff will offer a variety of formal talks and guided walks.

How to get there:

From Interstate 5 -- take Exit 49 (Highway 504 Exit)
Travel east on Highway 504 (Spirit Lake Memorial Highway) to end of road, approximately 50 miles. Park where appropriate. (Elevation approximately 4,300 feet.)
The Johnston Ridge Observatory will be open daily, including holidays, during Summer. Winter hours and schedules are to be determined. Contact the National Monument (link available at bottom of this page) if you have any questions.

-- Excerpts from: U.S. Forest Service, Johnston Ridge Observatory Fact Sheet: April, 1997.

Big Hole National Battlefield - Montana

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:28:00 +0000

On August 9, 1877 gun shots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of Nez Perce. Colonel John Gibbon and 163 men of the 7th Infantry and 34 Bitterroot Volunteers had orders to stop the non-treaty Nez Perce and return them to Idaho. The nearly 800 Nez Perce men, women, and children had fled their native lands when being forced onto a smaller reservation.

Big Hole National Battlefield is part of Nez Perce National Historical Park that has thirty-eight sites spread over four states (Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) that touch on many of the threads that make up the Nez Perce story.

Big Hole National Battlefield is located ten miles west of Wisdom, Montana on state highway 43.

From I-15 at Dillon, Montana take highway 278 northwest to Wisdom, then highway 43, ten miles west.

From I-15 at Divide, take route 43 west through Wisdom to Battlefield.

From Missoula, Montana, take state route 93 south through the Bitterroot Valley to Lost Trail Pass. Turn east on highway 43 and drive 17 miles to the battlefield.

Mount Rainier, Washington

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:34:00 +0000

Mount Rainier is an active Cascade volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and glacial ice. The 14,410’ mountain is surrounded by lush old growth forests, spectacular subalpine meadows and a National Historic Landmark District that showcases the "NPS Rustic" style architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.

Mount Rainier has five developed areas: Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, Sunrise, and Carbon/Mowich. Although the level of development in these areas ranges from basic -little more than a campground and picnic area- to extensive -hotel, restaurant, visitor center, campgrounds and picnic areas- each can serve as a base for exploring the rest of the park. Learn more about each of these areas:

Longmire
Paradise
Ohanapecosh
Sunrise
Carbon and Mowich

Be Prepared for the Weather
July and August are generally sunny and mild, with the chance of showers. The rest of the year is usually quite rainy, with heavy snowfall from November through April. Raingear is recommended year round. Trails are steep and well maintained in summer and snow covered and difficult to follow in winter. Check the weather for current conditions.

For more information about Mount Rainier, visit : http://www.nps.gov/mora/

Oregon Caves National Monument

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:19:00 +0000

Information provided by the National Park Service and Oregon.com

Oregon Caves National Monument is small in size, 480 acres, but rich in diversity. Above ground, the monument encompasses a remnant old-growth coniferous forest including a Douglas-fir tree with the widest known girth in Oregon. Three hiking trails access this forest. Below ground is a marble cave created by natural forces over hundreds of thousands of years in one of the world's most diverse geologic realms.

Oregon Caves National Monument is a collection of chambers and passages that experts estimate are 3 to 5 million years old. This is a geologic wonderland for countless visitors between March and Thanksgiving each year.

Oregon Caves National Monument is one of five national parks or monuments in the state. The others are Crater Lake National Park, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and Fort Clatsop National Memorial.

Take the unique tour through the Oregon Caves, a trek along an asphalt trail complete with low ceilings, narrow passages and an occasional tight squeeze.

Some quick rules to keep in mind:

Visitors must be 42 inches (3 feet, 6 inches) tall to join the tour.

Flash cameras are prohibited.

No backpacks - you don't have room to wear them in tight quarters.

Visitors are cautioned to avoid contact with the cave walls whenever possible to reduce environmental damage. Oils from your skin can introduce bacteria to the walls as well as add a dirty, darkened tint to the wall color, officials say.

The tour was a captivating half-mile walk through a myriad of chambers and rooms with fascinating formations. And, of course, there are plenty of names - the Imagination Room, soda straw stalagmites, the Petrified Forest room, the Banana Grove, the River Stix, Paradise Lost, the massive Ghost Room and more.

Tour interpretor Julie Anderson says the caves are 3 million to 5 million years old. Each person who visit finds something special.

"People are fascinated by it," Julie says. "It's human interest. A cave can tell us about ecology. It brings a tells us all so much about the underground world and it's all knew to most people.".

Facts and Figures

The 480-acre Oregon Caves National Monument was created in 1909.

The caves are located in the Siskiyou Mountains at elevations from 3,800 to 5,460 feet.

Temperatures typically range from 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and from the 50 to 90 during the summer.

The cave temperature is 42 degrees Fahrenheit year round.

The caves are home to one of the largest exposures of ultramafic rock in North America and one of the largest, most pristine, and most complete segment of old oceanic crust in Western America.

It contains one of the most biologically and geologically diverse caves in the world.

Oregon Cave Chateau - It's actually called the Chateau at Oregon Caves.

There's a difference: It's "Oregon Caves National Monument." There is no Oregon Cave National Park.

The MAiZE at The Pumpkin Patch - The Corn MAiZE

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:23:00 +0000

The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island has been the site of Portland's original cornfield maze for the past eight years. Over 250,000 visitors have attended the annual event at
the farm.

EVENT DAY(S):
09/01/07 - 10/31/07

LOCATION:
The Maize at The Pumpkin Patch
16525 NW Gillihan Rd.
Portland, OR 97231

Japan Envisions the West: 16th-19th Century Japanese Art from Kobe City Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:12:00 +0000

Japan Envisions the West:
16th-19th Century Japanese Art from Kobe City Museum
October 11, 2007–January 6, 2008
SAM Simonyi Special Exhibition Galleries

Organized by the Seattle Art Museum in collaboration with Kobe City Museum, this international exhibition explores how the Japanese saw Westerners and how Japanese artists responded to and interpreted Western art and culture from the 16th to the 19th century. Japan Envisions the West features 140 objects from Kobe City Museum, including paintings, prints, maps, ceramics, lacquerware, metalware, glassware and textiles, along with 20 objects from SAM's collection. This exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Kobe and Seattle.

Chowder, Blues and Brews!

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:31:00 +0000

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 12th Annual Fall Festival with award winning chowder offered from all along the coast of Oregon, the finest blues music that Oregon has to offer and microbrews from some of the best breweries in the northwest! The festival is set for September 21, 22, & 23, a time of the year where we can expect the most beautiful weather one can imagine on the Central Oregon Coast. Each year, Chowder, Blues & Brews has drawn visitors from the south and central coastal area as well as from the Willamette Valley.

Beginning on Friday afternoon, the Florence Events Center will be rocking with "musical delights" performed by the great blues artists of the Western Oregon area.

VIP tickets are $20 good for all three days of the festival and you get a collector pint glass. Friday only is $7.00, Saturday only is $10.00 and Sunday only is $6.00.

Saturday will highlight the seventh year of the Oregon Coast Professional Chowder Cook-Off where festival goers will have a chance to taste the best chowder the Oregon Coast has to offer from communities extending from Astoria to Brookings. The event will also have delicacies from some 20 food vendors and microbrews from 5 of Oregon's best microbreweries.

The Oregon Coast Professional Chowder Cook-Off People’s Choice tasting starts at 1:00 pm on Saturday and goes until the chowder is gone. For more information contact the Florence Area Chamber at 541-997-3128 or the Event Center at 997-1994.

Mark this weekend as a must, for along with the Chowder, Blues & Brews, Florence will feature its annual Tour of Homes sponsored by the Florence Home Builders Association on Saturday and Sunday. The Habitat for Humanity's annual beach walk will also be on Saturday, September 22nd.

For more information visit the website.

A Remarkable Rock in Montana

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:01:00 +0000

Along the entire Lewis & Clark Trail there is just one spot where you don't have to imagine the famed explorers having been there. That location is Montana's Pompeys Pillar, 28 miles east of Billings, just off of I-94. What makes this Lewis & Clark spot unique from all the others? Let's let Captain William Clark explain. Here is his journal entry from July 25, 1806.

"…arrived at a remarkable rock situated in an extensive bottom… this rock I ascended and from it's top had a most extensive view in every direction. This rock which I shall call Pompy's Tower is 200 feet high and 400 paces in secumpherance and only accessible on one Side … The natives have engraved on the face of this rock the figures of animals & near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year."

Clark's signature, the day and date remain visible on the towering pillar's rock face. Protected by a see-through covering, the signature can be viewed any time of year. The federal Bureau of Land Management operates Pompeys Pillar as a year-round visitor facility with staffed services available between Memorial Day and September 30. Walk-in access and self guided tours are allowed the rest of the year.

One of the popular events here is the annual Clark Day celebration. On the Sunday nearest the July 25 anniversary date, the public is invited to canoe the Yellowstone River in a re-enactment of the Corps of Discovery's approach. Numerous interpretive stations are set up to help explain the natural and human history of the area. Buffalo burgers and other concessions are available along with blue grass music.

Leavenworth, Washinton - Bavaria of the Pacific Northwest

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:38:00 +0000

Leavenworth’s history does not begin with the alpine tradition it knows today, but with the proud heritage of the Yakima, Chinook and Wenatchi tribes. The Native American tribes lived by hunting the land for deer and elk, as well as fishing Icicle Creek for salmon. Surrounded by some of the most beautiful and bountiful lands in North America, the three tribes co-existed from Lake Wenatchee to the Icicle and beyond.

The area was eventually settled by pioneers in search of gold, furs and fertile farmland. Stakes were claimed, land was tracked, and the Leavenworth area was soon bustling with settlers. By 1890, the original town was built on the Icicle Flats.

It was the end of the century when the town began to blossom with the arrival of the rail line. The Great Northern Railway Company’s tracks through Leavenworth brought with them opportunities for work, commerce and a new economy.

A sawmill and a healthy logging industry eventually fell apart, however, when the Great Northern Railway Company pulled out of Leavenworth. The re-routing of the railroad and the subsequent closure of the sawmill, sadly converted the town from a bustling, thriving hub of commerce into a hollow, empty community. For more than thirty years, Leavenworth lived on the brink of extinction.

But in the early 1960’s, everything changed. In a last-chance effort to turn their precarious situation around, the leaders of the community decided to change Leavenworth’s appearance, hoping to bring tourism into the area. Using the beautiful backdrop of the surrounding Alpine hills to their advantage, the town agreed to remodel their hamlet in the form of a Bavarian village.

Hoping to create more than a mere facelift, the entire community rallied to create the illusion of Bavaria in the middle of Washington state. Besides the complete renovation of the downtown area, community members worked to begin a series of festivals. The Autumn Leaf Festival, Maifest and the extremely popular Christmas Lighting Ceremony were the first of many attractions Leavenworth offered to passers-by.

It worked. Since the change to a Bavarian motif, Leavenworth has become a pillar of the tourism industry in the Pacific Northwest. Today, close to two million tourists come to Leavenworth each year, each visitor finding their own individual love affair with the community.

Photo by: Peggy Daczewitz-Hamlin

The Sunshine Health Mine, Boulder Montana

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:33:00 +0000

In my search for weird and out of the way places to visit in the Pacific Northwest, I came across The Sunshine Health Mine in Boulder, Montana. It is one of several “health mines’ in the area where you can bathe in radon rays which are claimed to cure everything from colon cancer to gout. Although doctors once thought that there were therapeutic uses for exposure to radon, it’s never been scientifically proven. Who am I to call it a bunch of baloney?

Check it out for yourself. Apparently, a small exposure at one of the radon “spas” won’t harm you, but I can’t guarantee it!

The Sunshine Health Mine is located 33 miles southwest of Helena in Boulder, Montana.

To visit the Mine, take Interstate 15, exit on 160 High Ore Road. Follow the signs leading one mile up Galena Gulch to the Sunshine Health Mine.

Alaska: Chena River State Recreation Area

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:07:00 +0000

Chena River State Recreation Area, on the Chena Hot Springs Road, is less than an hour's drive from Fairbanks.

It offers a full range of recreation, including fishing, boating, and camping. Canoeing on the Chena River and hiking to prominent granite formations in the alpine country are popular summer activities.

Winter adds snow machining, cross-country skiing and dog sledding. Beavers, moose and bears are numerous and often spotted by visitors to the park.

Sumpter Valley Dredge - State Heritage Area

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:48:00 +0000

The Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area and the town of Sumpter are about 30 miles west of the little town of Baker City in eastern Oregon.

Sumpter lies at the foot of the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains and got its start as a gold mining camp in 1862. Today Sumpter has approximately 192 people who live there year round.

The Sumpter Valley Dredge is a mechanical marvel and is one of the nation's oldest surviving gold-digging types of dredges.

All photos copright 2007, Randy Hill.

Granite, Oregon...Rebirth of a ghost town

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 03:37:00 +0000

On the road through eastern Oregon...

Next stop was the former ghost town of Granite. Granite was first settled on July 4, 1862. It was then only natural the settlers would name the town “Independence.” Not so said the postal authorities for there was already a town by that name in Oregon. The next choice was “Granite” for the prevailing rock in the region.

All of the buildings that were formerly empty and falling down, are being repaired and used as cabins and residences. There's even a small gift shop/cafe at the entrance to the little town.

Locals told me that the snow gets pretty deep up there in the winter. I was hoping for an honest to goodness "Gunsmoke" style ghost town, but it's a nice spot and worth finding your way there.

Pictured at top: The old Granite general store. Picture by Randy Hill, copyright 2007.

Greenhorn City - Ghost town of Eastern Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:44:00 +0000

Next stop on our road trip into eastern Oregon: Greenhorn City. Greenhorn was a ghost town up until recent years. Upwards of 15 people now own lots in Greenville and are in the process of building cabins. A number of the cabins use existing historic [falling down] buildings and incorporate the structures into their cabin design.

It's not an easy place to get to, especially in a van like the one we made the trip in. The small, gravel roads are more suitable for a truck or four wheeler. Still, it was well worth the trip to see this little bit of Oregon history high in the mountains.

A brief history form Wikipedia:

Greenhorn was first populated in the 1860s as miners prospected for gold in the area. The mining district was composed first of placer mines, but soon many lode gold mines developed. The city was incorporated in 1903. It continued as a viable community until 1942 when gold mining was made illegal by Federal Public Law 208 during World War II.

In later years, the old Greenhorn Jail (dating to 1910) was removed to Canyon City, Oregon under suspicious circumstances. A court case ensued for its return, but because the city straddles the Blue Mountain ridge, the district attorneys of Baker County and Grant County could not even agree in which court house it should be held. The case was eventually heard by the Circuit Court for Grant County in Canyon City. The jail remains in Canyon City.

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Next stop, Painted Hills

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:01:00 +0000

We took off from Prairie City and made our way to the Painted Hills in the cool of the morning. The Painted Hills, is 50 miles east of Prineville on a spur road off U.S. 26. Turn left at the sign outside Mitchell and go six miles along Bridge Creek to the site.

I've been wanting to see the "Painted Hills" located in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument for some time now and when we got there, I wasn't disappointed. It is just flat out amazing. The colors are so vivid that it is almost surreal.

Photo copyright 2007, Randy Hill, All Rights Reserved

Eastern Oregon Road Trip: Next stop, Prairie City

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Hill) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:02:00 +0000

Leaving Sisters, we headed off into the central Oregon desert. Funny, most folks don't think of Oregon having a desert, but it does and it's there. And it can be hot.

We spent two nights at the Strawberry Mountain Inn bed and breakfast situated in Prairie City and positioned dead center with Strawberry Mountain itself.

Prairie City is an old west town with a population of 1,100 and built during the gold rush. It is surrounded by some really beautiful countryside and quite a bit of history. It is also within driving distance of the John Day fossil beds and painted hills as well as a number of ghost towns.