Points East of Portland, OR - Aug 2010

August 3. 2010 (Journey started Sunday, Aug 1, 2010)

The only good part about getting old is that I am retired and my time and attention is pretty much my own. I say pretty much because I am currently sitting in our 5th wheel in the Sherman County Fairground and RV Parking, slot #12, Moro OR. It is blowing like we are at the ocean and that ocean is a good 300 miles from where I am presently sitting. The trailer next to us, which is approx 24’ long, had not one but two dogs in it this morning when we left at 9:30am for our excursion into Central Oregon…I know because they were barking…poor things.

We have learned that the majority of those parked here are working on installing and/or maintaining the “Windmill Farms” that are popping up like new housing-dotting the hillsides and harnessing wind energy in the form of gigantic 3-bladed white windmill generators. Thus my attention was diverted a bit today thinking about those two dogs shut inside all day-in a hot, closed window trailer…not a peaceful start for sure.




We are parked, as mentioned earlier, in Moro-next to the county fairgrounds that this year will only have a fair and not have the usual Fair & Rodeo. We have tried to discover why no rodeo this year, Mike maintains that there are not enough young people participating in the sport of rodeos, I assert that it’s because not one young female ran for Queen…apparently it’s expensive and involves going to other events around Oregon and Washington and the county is now too small to support it. ( note: after 5 days still do definitive answer that inquiring minds want to know)

We drove through some very small communities that once were bustling lamb ranches and timber mills and now contain business to support, and barely sustain the wheat and cattle ranches. Towns called Fossil, Spray, Kimberly, Condon, Mitchell, Antelope, Shaniko and Mayville. Shaniko is almost a ghost town on US 97…not much there. The espresso shop also served as the town’s gas station.

an

Antelope

Grass Valley-only bus. open on Sun.

Down the road from Moro is Grass Valley, OR...another small dot on US 97....right thru the middle of town drive the timber and grain trucks, horse haulers and vehicles from all over the country.  The man who is running this wacky shop filled with western artifacts (some with questionable origins) sang Mike an original tune on his guitar.

Finally arrival destination DONE day 3

Our original goal was to visit this area was to see the John Day National Monument Fossil Beds. However, in about 4 different locations within the boundaries of the National Park system we did manage to get this goal accomplished.

Just when we finished a site and then drive a few miles we would happen upon yet another mileage post sign telling us we were x# miles away from the JDNM fossil beds. So we drove on and got to see some pretty amazing Oregon country. Along the way we also toured the Painted Hills.

Outside the Fossil Public RR

Fossil H.S. Information Board

Fossil – named for the fossil beds currently located behind the high school was the attraction of the town, and for $5 you can go in search of some small artifact…the museum volunteer informed us that “pretty much anything of real substance had long ago been removed”`. I decided to pass on this opportunity to get dusty and grimy climbing a hill that edged the football field. Fossil has a lovely Senior Retirement Facility (ha-ha, fossil/seniors) and great public restrooms….photo….soap, hot water and hot air dryers. (We were impressed given our lack of devotion to public restrooms in general.)

Next stop, Condon – possible ranching community that boasts a True Value/Ace Hardware store that Mike found a reason to visit – but not buy a darn thing. What is with men and hardware stores?….it’s like the car is on auto-pilot and they just HAVE to STOP. We did have lunch at the Twist & Shake…memorable by the 30 min wait to get our meal….food wasn’t bad, just a very slow chef…augmented by the “rush” of having 5 tables ordering all within a few minutes. We left there only to find a lovely park just ½ block away where we could have eaten outside. Oh well, live and learn. Wish I had taken a photo of the Twist & Shake….retro only in the name, the appearance would have shocked visitors of the 1950’s and drive-in devotees.

best veggie sandwich ever!

Junipterguy.com - gorgeous custom
patio furniture, lamps, etc

Mitchell, OR...unless you have to eat or get gas, (IF it’s open) – there is no reason to take the 'by-pass' off Hwy 97.
There is a boarding school there ...of which is mostly foreign exchange students from Japan. We got an earful from the owner of the Bridge Creek Cafe while we were waiting on lunch on Wednesday. It was a charming little converted-home-to-cafe....however, the young woman running it as- owner/waitress/cook- had no qualms in letting us know exactly where she stood on how poorly "this administration" is treating the small business owers AND how she would really prefer to have a say in where her taxes were spent and it was definitely not on foreign exchange students subsidies, highway maintenance for the truckers hauling outside community grain instead of timber, etc. She talked non-stop to us "d.i.n.k.s" (double income no kids) not realizing we were them - (yes she used that term and spelled it out for us) however, my veggie sandwich was probably the best one I have had in YEARS! A grilled onions/peppers/mushrooms with fresh tomatoes on toasted whole wheat bread - delicious. Now if she had just had soup, ice cream or pie! (She ran out the day before, in a snit about those 8 Bend men who showed up and stayed forever .... she "just didn't feel like making soup or pie for today", thank you very much.) hahahahaha....I wanted pie or a milkshake the rest of the day.

Jupiterguy.com is right next door....an oversized chair sitting near the roadway caught my eye so we wandered over to investigate. He had lamps, tables, chairs, mantels made from wood he found on ranches...much of it twisted jupiter trees that he powered washed the bark off to reveal the beauty underneath.

More from the field tomorrow with a link to all of the photos we took along the way. Ciao~