June 25 - Waterfalls and windsurfers

We drove the length of the gorge to get to Portland. It is a busy city with traffic problems close to the city center. We drove up to Washington Park to get a good view of the city – no luck. We did however enjoy the rose garden. ‘Peace’ was one of the only roses not in bloom, and we could not find ‘Oklahoma’. ‘Black Magic’ was delightful. Michael loved ‘Oktober Fest’ and I thought ‘Hotel California’ was great.
We returned east along the old gorge highway and had some great views of the valley from way up high. We also saw many waterfalls. Latourell falls are really high, we skipped stopping at Multnomah falls because there were too many people. The best waterfall was Wahclella. The hike was long enough to discourage people so it was peaceful and isolated.The boys could not wait to get back to the library at Hood River. I restocked on food and found a bike stand for Ant’s bike. His had rattled loose and fallen off somewhere between Hells Canyon and the Fossil Beds. Everywhere you drive in the canyon you see surf boards strapped to cars. Windsurfing or sailsurfing is really popular here. The breeze up the gorge is pretty constant. I now know why there is a huge wind farm east of The Dalles. While I was driving around Hood River I got spectacular views of Mt Hood to the south and Mt Adams to the north. Some house are located to take in both views – what a great place to live.

June 24 - Mt Hood and Mt St Helens

Rob made us breakfast – bacon, eggs and toast. All perfectly cooked just like dad.
Upon looking at the maps we concluded that we were too far from Mt St Helens to approach it from the west, so we decided to drive in from the northeast. We crossed the Columbia on a toll bridge and drove west along the northern shore. From there we had a spectacular view of Mt Hood. There is still a lot of snow on it. We turned north and followed some forest roads towards Mt St Helens. We got spectacular views of the mountain as we got closer. We discovered that the road we had hoped to drive was closed due to damage and snow. As an alternative we headed for a lava tube. I did not think anything could compete with the ones we had seen at Craters of the Moon, but this was incredible. We descended into the tube and opted for the difficult route. A 1 ¼ mile hike up the tube – did not sound too long! It was windy and cold – we had forgotten our sweaters as the temperatures in the gorge were hitting 75 F. The temperature in the tube was 42 F, before adding in the effect of wind chill. The darkness was quite scary but the tube was really big. We had hired a lantern and flashlight so we were able to illuminate our walking area quite well. We had to scramble over many rock falls and climb a lava wall. Sometimes the tube narrowed to a couple of feet and the wind howled through the confined area. That was really cold! We walked and scrambled for almost 2 hours before we emerged into the warmth of the forest. The smell was delightful as there were many flowers on the forest floor. We were really proud of ourselves for enduring the cold and dark for so long.
We then explored a forest where a lava flow showed tree molds. This occurs when the lava flows into a forest and surrounds a tree. The tree is incinerated but by then the lava has cooled sufficiently forming a mold of the trunk. We could look down 5ft into the mould - the depth of the lava flow. We also saw a mold from a fallen tree – incredible that we could see this 12000 years after the event.
We headed back to the campground via the ice cream shop, where we also had some fish and chips.Once we were home we went down to the railway tracks to flatten a penny and explore the riverbank. We are all exhausted.

June 23 - Bonneville Dam and salmon

We ventured west along the gorge today. Hood River looks like a touristy town with nice shops. We pulled off at Cascade Locks to see the old lock system that was in use before the dams were built. We watched a paddleboat struggle up river against the strong current. On our way out of town I spotted a cluster of people at an ice cream shop. I concluded that it must be good ice cream if so many people are waiting in line. We pulled over to test the theory. It was real good! We continued west to the Bonneville Dam. We were able to see a fuel tanker pass through the lock, drive past the long line of generators and then explore the fish ladder. It is a sight to see – the salmon making their way up river to spawn. I really enjoyed the under water viewing windows. On our way back home we pulled in at the Hood River library. The boys played PC games while I updated the blog. Rob made great steaks for dinner.

June 22 - Fossils galore

The sun was out this morning so we took advantage and spent the time playing and reading the newspaper. I have not heard NPR since leaving SLC so I am feeling very isolated from the world. Our first stop was at the interpretive center of the John Day Fossil beds. It is quite a new building and the displays were incredible. There were lots of fossils to look at and wonderful paintings depicting the local environments over the past 55 miilion years. Rob did another Ranger Badge. We went off to explore the rocks and fossils in both the Sheep Rock and Clarno units. As we traveled towards Clarno the roads got narrower and more windy. I lost count of the number of passed we had to pass over. It was like being in the valley of a thousand hills. We were so remote and gas was hard to find. When we finally found some we had to pay 3.30 per gallon! We are accustomed to 2.80 per gallon. The plant fossils in the Clarno unit were really great. By the time we were finished exploring it was 6pm. We still had to climb out of more hills and valleys before we made it out to a state highway. We turned north towards the Columbia River. The basalts all around us are impressive. I was relieved when we got to the river and found our campground. I am disappointed that the park is sandwiched between the interstate, railway line and river. It is really noisy

June 21 - Central Oregon

I am amazed – Rob and Mike were up at 6am so that they could go fish with Leland. I have never seen Mike get up with such enthusiasm. Rocky and I took advantage of the free time and hiked up to the basalt cliffs above the campground. We got a good view of the Oxbox power plant. We made it back to the camper just before a rainstorm moved in. Ant was still in bed so we all climbed back into to bed and slept till 10. After a quick breakfast we managed to pack up before the next downpour. We turned west and climbed out of the canyon into Oregon. This is the land of Lewis and Clark, and the Oregon trail.
We restocked on food at Baker City and continued west into national forest. As we drove along a river valley we were surprised to see a lot of disturbed river rock. We also noticed the particular dredge patterns in the piles of rock. Next thing – we passed a sign to the Sumpter dredge museum. We were proud that we had identified the activity correctly. As we continued through more valleys and passes we saw the Strawberry Mountains to the south. They we covered in a dusting of new snow. Soon we were into the valley of the John Day River. When we reached Dayville I found a local map and identified the closest national forest campground. I was ready to drive into the hills but, by then, the boys had discovered tennis courts and a small private campground. They insisted we had to stay there instead! I got my laundry done and the boys found a tree house to play in. This part of Oregon is so remote. Lots of cattle farming and some agriculture near the river.

June 20 - Fishing Heaven

We have found fishing heaven – it is “Crappie”. Yesterday I watched people fishing from a bridge over the Snake. They were catching catfish but the most numerous were Crappie. Today we met Leland and Bonny. Leland was gutting fish so we went over to see his catch. He had a bucket full of the little guys. We were impressed that he had caught so many on his own. The gutting looked easy – but he was using an electric knife after all. He showed us how he had set up his rod and gave us some bait. Bonny gave us a bag full of fish to cook. We were quite excited at the prospect of doing our own fishing. We cycled 5 miles to buy some more bait, lures and a fishing license. We prepared our lines and off to the bridge we walked. Mike had the golden rod and caught many more than the rest of us. After an hour we had more than we needed and the prospect of gutting so many was daunting. We managed to butcher a few fish before we got the hang of it, but we soon had enough meat for two hearty meals. These fish are not particularly meaty. We cooked up Bonny’s supply for dinner and then joined Leland on the bridge for a round of evening fishing. Rob and Ant had real good luck this time. We gave all our catch to him – I had done enough gutting for one day! His bucket was so full they started flipping out of it onto the ground. I think he was pleased with our contribution. Rob made us another wonderful campfire and we reflected on the fact that today had been our first day without rain. Yeah!

June 19 - On the Snake River

We all had nightmares due to the heat overnight – what a change. The campground was gloriously quiet so we dozed and read books late into the morning. It will be busier now that the weekend has arrived. Mike and I walked to the post office to mail some postcards and give Rocky a walk. We left for the Hells Canyon Dam just before 1pm so that we would be on time for our jet boat tour down the Snake, below the wall. We passed many campers on our 22-mile drive along the reservoir. It is really narrow. We were told that the reservoir filled within 3 weeks after completion of the wall. We saw how fast the river was running but can that really be true? On our river ride we spotted some otters playing near the salmon catchment area at the dam wall. We also spotted both a bald eagle (pic) and golden eagle. We passed the site of an old homestead. We ran a class 4 rapid (pic) and watched another tour boat climb up-stream through another class 4. It was fun to see. On our return to the dam we stopped to see some Indian pictographs. We also learnt how the canyon had been flooded 12000 years ago when Lake Bonneville drained from the south. When we started the tour it was raining and the canyon was shrouded in mist, by the time we finished, things had dried up and the clouds lifted. The light was wonderful. We were all pleased that we did the tour. Mark was a wonderful tour guide.
Rob has been itching to make a campfire but the rain has had us stuck in the camper. This evening was dry so he finally got his wish. The s’mores he makes are really good!

June 18 - Into Hells Canyon

We followed a complicated route to get from The Sawtooth Range to Hells Canyon. The scenery was great until we got close to Boise. Farming along the Snake River valley dominates. We soon started traveling North back towards mountains. We dropped down into the gorge of the Snake River to find three reservoirs in close succession. (pic) People camp along the waters edge where ever there is a flat spot. We found a wonderful campground just below the Oxbow Dam. (pic) There are hots showers, and electricity and water at each site – our battery sure needs to re-charge. The solar panel could not keep pace while we had so much cloud cover. I manage to crack the upper glass cover of the panel and am now wondering if the panel will work as efficiently. Any advice? We left our site in Sawtooth at 45 F and by the time we got to Hells Canyon it was 75 F. The heat is wonderful! Rob and I went for a cycle and treated ourselves to a coke at the store a few miles up the road. Rocky and I then went to watch the fishermen on the bridge over the Snake River. He kept getting startled by the fish as they flopped around in buckets. Someone told me to make sure he never eats raw Salmon – poison to the dog.Radio reception is non existent and I am suffering from a lack of news. We have resorted to listening to a Keith Urban CD on continuous repeat.

June 17 - Gold at Bonanza and Custer

Ghosts towns were the allure of the day. We traveled north of Stanley following the Salmon River. The scenery is incredible. Due to the high humidity it was easy to see where the hot springs were – clouds of mist just rise up and out of the sides of the riverbanks. We turned up the Yankee Fork Creek to explore the old mining towns. The pristine river soon turned into an ugly tract of overturned river rock. We traveled 5 miles through this landscape before finding the huge dredge responsible for this sight. We had a wonderful tour through the monstrous piece of machinery. By the end, I had a new perspective on what had happened in the valley. We then moved on to the ghost town of Custer – named after the newly deceased General Custer. We met some lovely Forest Service people there – Jennifer taught us how to pan and we each found a fleck of gold in our pans. We were panning gravel that had been dug up from a section of the creek that the dredge missed. There is still a lot of gold there! When traveling back down the Creek we had a new appreciation for the “rock piles” and noticed their distinct pattern of deposit.
On our return to the campground we stopped in Stanley to call Dad and download to the blog. While sitting there a flurry moved through followed by another downpour.

June 16 - Out on the lake

The first business of the day was introducing Rocky to the lake. We tried to get him to plunge in after treats but even that was too much to ask for. He hates water! There is a lodge near our campground. It has a wonderful porch with comfortable chairs overlooking the lake and mountains. While I was trying to lock on to internet, with no success, the boys investigated the marina. We decided that a trip out on the lake in a paddleboat would be good fun. Once out in the middle of the lake it seemed like a swim was necessary. Mike was the first to plunge in – when he resurfaced his expression was one of shock – the water was freezing. Rob made the plunge in twice while Ant and I did not even attempt it. We had fun landing the paddleboat on a sandy beach on the other side of the lake.
Everywhere you look people are fishing. We started hankering after fish and chips, so we decided that we would eat at the lodge in the evening. Once seated, we discovered that they only serve chips at lunchtime. We had a lovely meal only to have it ruined by the over sized and over sweetened desserts they serve. Mike and I finished the laundry by 11pm and crawled into warm beds. This cold is so intense!

June 15 - Sawtooth splendor

The drive into the Sawtooth Range was lovely. We meandered up a valley, summited and dropped into the Salmon River Valley. We could see the small beginnings of the river high up the valley and by the time we got to Stanley it was flowing wide and fast. The mining history in the area is the typical story of rise to glory followed by the bust. Stories of large towns are told – but nothing can be seen anymore. We have settled into a campground that has an incredible view of the mountains – when the clouds lift! The scenery is unexpectedly gorgeous. I think we will stay here and skip Boise.

June 14 - Cinder Cones and lava flows

Got up early to cycle the park roads but rain dampened that idea so we played board games. Got cabin fever. Back up to the visitor Center for a distraction. The rain stopped and we rushed out to explore park. There are so many great things to see. Explored some real dark lava tubes which were cold and icy. Rob was not happy in the dark. Got back to the camp ground before the next storm. Lovely evening and the boys played on the rocks behind the camper. We are ready to move on.

June 13 - An erie landscape

Breakfasts are real lazy affairs and our mornings are slow. We gave Rocky a good walk to the visitor center but went back to bed till noon. We decided to bike to a 1 pm “cave tour” a few miles from the campsite. We loved the lava tubes and learnt a lot about the fauna, flora and lava flows. We re-emerged from underground to rain clouds on the horizon. The race to get home was on! We still got caught in the downpour. It is lovely to ride in the rain. The water just disappears into the porous rock. We did the evening program and the boys completed the Junior Ranger Badges.

June 12 - Nuclear Power Station

Boys were excited to pack up and the prospect to move away from this rain. We followed a river valley to Pocotello and onto the Snake River Valley. We crossed the Snake River at Sawtooth and were amazed at how small the river was. Traveling NW we traversed this great aquifer. We stumbled onto the NBR-1 Nuclear Breeder Reactor. The first place to harness the power of fission to produce electricity. The reactor used U235, and bred Plutonium 239 from U238. It seems a pity the USA no longer uses the Pu239 for further power generation. The visit was informative and our guide was great. The landscape has changed from farming to ranching and the sagebrush is becoming really pervasive.
The transition to the young black lavas of Craters of the Moon was sudden and spectacular. Our campsite has a great view to one of the cinder cones. No surprises – we had more rain by dinnertime. Climbing on the lava flows is forbidden and dogs are not allowed on the trails.

June 11 - A good area to visit

We woke up to rain and it continued all day. After breakfast we drove 20mi to explore Grace. We found the lava tube that early settlers used as a refrigerator. Its dimensions were impressive. We forgot flashlights so were unable to explore far into the tube. There were still ice patches on the floor. We discovered a pretty canyon that has cut deep into a lava flow. After following an irrigation canal we found where it emerged from a tunnel cut through a hill of solid basalt. This canal saved the farming community during the 1910’s.
We returned to Hot Lave Springs anticipating some fun rides on the slides, only to discover the outdoor pool was closed due to the weather. Mike and Rob took their chances at a spot along the rivers edge where a hot spring feeds into the water. The river is very full due to the vast amounts of rain and tubing has been banned. I opted for the more sedate hot spring pools and convinced the boys to join me there. The water is very hot (112F). Our campground is just across the street from the springs, so we went there at 10pm to warm up before jumping into bed. The town is really quiet late at night and it is wonderful to hear the river just outside the camper.

June 10 - Snug in the camper

The transition to digital TV has been giving Mom grey hairs! This morning I got technical support on the line – Richard – and we solved all her sound problems.

After morning tea Rob and I decided to hitch up the camper but every time we went outside it started raining. After three attempts we finally got organized and on the road. I have never been north of Salt Lake and found it to be really pretty. The drive to Hot Lava Springs, ID was short but we hit many rain showers.

We found a campsite and while I was checking in Mike and Rob set the camper up. What a joy to have such good helpers. Ant likes to watch Rocky while we do the hard labor. Once the bikes were off loaded we explored the town. We are looking forward to spending time in the hot springs tomorrow.

It is quite cold – where is summer?

The boys have just returned from racing around town on their bike course they devised. A lovely path parallels the stream from one end of town to the other. Now Rob, Mike and Rocky are going to climb the hill behind us. They should get a good view to the west. We are close to a railroad and are wondering how late the trains will run – they are pretty loud.

Mom supplied dinner - left overs from last night. Thanks. The sky is dark with heavy rain clouds and the roof is starting to "sing" with the rain hitting it. I am glad I am in a camper and not under canvas. Off to bed and a good book.

June 9 - Salt Lake City - our second home

A day of errands and R&R in Salt Lake City. The boys look so much better with haircuts – now they match my short hair. If you ever need bike rack supplies go to “Rack n Road” – great service. The boys loved seeing their cousins and Rocky played with Daniel until he was exhausted. Mom and I enjoyed spending time together. She spoiled us with a great dinner. It has rained on and off all day long.

June 8 - A long day on the road

What a relief – the trip through to Salt Lake City was uneventful. I really wondered how it was going to turn out because Rich only fixed the radiator and replaced the car’s dashboard on Wednesday evening. He was determined to solve the car over-heating issues. Thanks to him the car never got too hot as we crossed the Rockies. You are the best!

We traveled all day and experienced sun, rain, hail and snow. Rob was so pleased when we stopped for brunch at the Shake, Rattle and Roll diner near Grand Junction – he loves the place. It is a wonderful time to travel west because everything is so green. I wonder how long it will stay that way. Rocky had trouble settling down in the car. He could not get comfortable because he insisted on sleeping between Rob and I on the front seat.

Parking the camper on the road in front of Grannies house was not a good idea but we discovered that it fits real well in Grannies drive.

June 7 - Here we go again!

It is Sunday evening - I have survived one of the busiest weeks of my life. Work was a mad house and I had to leave tasks incomplete. Our annual fundraiser had me typing in auction items most evenings. Today we fed 800 people breakfast and auctioned off 130 items. It was worth it because we made about $7000. I hope the firefighters enjoy their new equipment.

Early this morning I had a good chuckle watching 7 chaps trying to erect our South African shade awning. It is not made to true American "easy button" standards, so it really floored them. They persevered and got it up in the end.

We have almost finished packing the trailer. We will get some sleep then leave on our next big adventure - to the northwest.

Enjoy the ride.