Salem, Oregon to Klamath Falls, Oregon
What? A whole day of travel and you're not even out of Oregon yet???
You really
aren't in a hurry.
(Yeah... I'm totally envious.)
Early Risers often find the sweetest rewards.
Like... going back to sleep for a few more hours?
We were determined to savor each and every delicious sunrise,
Not me. I would prefer to savour more sleep.
take us over 5,000 miles and through 12 states.
Wait... you said 13 States. So which is it?
I'll come back to this.
Good and Plenty's found themselves consumed here
I had to Google what those were.
Yuck. No thank you.
We'd stick to little known, off-the-beaten-path places
Very nice. I'd love to do that.
Usually, I'm pressed for time.
that would keep us off of the major interstates, slowing us down, of course, but with 16 days to explore, this was not a concern.
Yeah... 16 days.
Much better.
I usually have to cross half the country in 3 days.
So... how exactly does one set this map on "Start"??? Hmmmm???
we began what I’d hoped to be a gorgeous meandering along the bright and crystal-clear Umpqua River
That sounds really nice. Shame you couldn't see it from the smoke.
we endured endless swathes of blackened and scarred landscape
Yup. Familiar with those landscapes.
Our eyes burned and our throats felt dry – the taste of smoke was not unnoticed and water was inadequate in washing it away
Ugh. Sounds awful.
And... been there, too.
Dozens of fire crew trucks passed us coming the opposite way, were pulled over here or there, coming out of hot shot camps- aside from us they were the only ones on this road over the Cascade Range.
Maybe that's a hint that you shouldn't be there??
Yeah. Looks familiar... and not at all appealing.
We made our turn to see “the Dynamite Hole”, but after only 2 short miles, perhaps less, of the 6 we needed to go off the highway, we were met with what we’d thought we might see: "Road Closed Due to Fire Activity".
Well, poop.
Here is a little article about this little spot along Steamboat Creek that some of you may find interesting.
Thanks for that. Was interesting.
I wouldn’t know. I’d never been. It’s pretty likely I’ll never be back. It’s not on the well-beaten path and takes a bit of effort to get to.
Ah.
Was wondering why you'd never been.
"You're right there! Go!"
Like that shot.
I can thank our Oblivious Captain for that pass hack but little did I know, after hemming and hawing a great deal, just how much money I'd saved myself in deciding to pony up for the AP.
I remember that advice (on his TR).
Glad you were able to take advantage.
For 5 or 10 minutes this monster circled above providing speculation and wrong guesses as to its purpose. Her identity would be explained later.
"Monster"
Not
that big, especially compared to your C17 Globemaster or even larger C5 Galaxy.
One does not simply make use of the Facilitrees in a National Monument.
Then again... why not? Bet they've been used that way for centuries.
(However, the haze and smoke was so bad along the Umpqua I deemed it safe to make a roadside pitstop.)
So... did you use a roadside facilitree? Or wait for the washroom at the gift shop?
Relieved, we decided to take a look around the gift shop
I see what you did there.
What a great shot!!! Seriously!
While not “breathtaking”, it was a surreal topography that held more than enough interest for this old gal’s college Earth Science Minor.
It's interesting for sure.