I found the Clarke homestead without too much trouble and it was great to see them again. They have a real nice place back in the pines... I could see they've been keeping busy getting the place all set up. It started as just an RV pad to use as a retreat but then they decided to start living there fulltime, so now there's a house and a barn and much more. Lucky for me, the original RV pad is still there so I had the comfort of hookups right in the backyard! The town of LaPine is one of those friendly little towns where everyone seems to know everyone else and the pace is a little slower than the big city. It was pleasant to just sit in the shade of the pines and enjoy some quiet conversation and the wonderful warm (and dry!) weather. While I was there, we took a sightseeing trip up into the Cascades and then over to the Newberry Caldera. The region is dominated by the many volcanic peaks, many still wearing their snowcaps. There was still a lot of snow up high, as you can see from that shot of Sue and I, in our shorts on the snow! It's a rugged and beautiful area with lots of scenic vistas, lakes rivers and craggy peaks.
The area around LaPine has a lot of unique volcanic features, including a huge flow of obsidian in the Newberry Caldera. Obsidian is formed from silica much like glass and this is one of the largest flows you will ever see! Huge black glass boulders are everywhere as you walk along the paths paved with pumice. It's an amazing sight! Also in the caldera are two crystal clear lakes and many other lava flows and features. The big obsidian flow is believed to be only 1300 years old, making it the youngest volcanic feature in the state and there are over 400 cinder cones on the flanks of the Newberry shield volcano. Pretty interesting, and a must-see if you are into all that volcanic stuff! Here are some pix taken up on the obsidian flow
The whole area is sculpted by volcanic forces and there are lots of neat features to see. I stopped by the Newberry National Volcanic Monument visitors center off Highway 97 and hiked the Lava Butte trail through the lava fields. An eruption about 7000 years ago created 500 foot high Lava Butte and covered more than 9 square miles with lava flows. Pretty neat! Take a look:
Another really unique lava related attraction is the nearby Lava River cave. This is a mile long lava tube that you can hike through. What makes it so unique is it's size (there are 30 foot ceilings in parts of the cave!) and the fact that there is no artificial light in the cave. You either bring a flashlight or rent a propane Coleman lantern at the entrance. I took just a flashlight and a jacket and headed in. It was a chilly 42 degrees in the cave and the air was absolutely still. There were several other groups in the cave and one of the pix below was illuminated by their lantern. There aren't many typical cave formations, but there are many of these tiny lava stalactites where the molten lava cooled while dripping from the roof. The flowing shapes and textures of the walls of the tube made it seem like being deep in the digestive system of some huge beast. I waited until I was alone then turned off my flashlight. It's a very eerie feeling! I was sure glad when I pressed the switch and had light again!
When I wasn't playing in the lava, so to speak, Sue and I played computers and Jim and I played pool. It was warm and nice and cooled off perfectly for a walk in the evening. Many thanks to Jim and Sue for the parking spot and their kind hospitality!
I said good-bye to Jim and Sue and headed north along highway 97. As I climbed slowly the land got more and more desolate. Pretty soon there was plain old desert all around me with some sage and tumbleweeds. Not what I expected to see in Oregon! It was a windy day and got worse as I approached the Columbia Gorge. In fact, it got to be a major chore just keeping the rig on the road! Around every turn through the canyons the wind seemed to gust every which way and it was really pushing me around. By the time I finally made it down to Interstate 84 I was ready to stop and I didn't care where! I originally planned to go on through to Hood river, but the first RV park I spotted, I stopped and heaved a sigh of relief. I was in the Dalles, right on the river and it was still very barren and desert-like around. Here are a couple shots taken along Highway 97.
The next morning, I continued along on I-84 through Hood River and on to Ainsworth state park, located right on the beginning of a stretch of the old scenic Highway 30. It's a wonderful park with big pullthroughs and very green and lush. Plus, it's location on the eastern end of the old scenic highway made it a perfect launching spot for exploration by small motorcycle! This road is the original highway 30, built in the early 1900s and has some wonderful waterfalls and scenic overlooks of the Columbia river along it. Definitely a drive you don't want to miss if you're ever in the area! I got all settled in and decided to drive back a few miles on 84 and take a look at Bonneville dam. I would have taken the bike, but it just isn't powerful enough to compete with the big trucks out on the highway.
Bonneville dam is one of several power generating and flood control
dams on the Columbia. The original facility was built in the 1930s and
a second power house was built in the late 1970s. There are navigational
locks and fish ladders incorporated into the dams and the whole thing is
quite impressive! Here's a look:
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