It may be a while before we see any more scenery such as in the past week, but there’s still much of interest to see in different areas.  Yesterday morning, I came up from California thru southern Oregon and found 2 huge lakes that are small parts of an older, much larger system.  Goose Lake, on the CA/OR border is many miles long but it’s quite distant from the highway, access is difficult and I knew of no reason to try.  Then, farther north, Lake Aberts (remember me chasing the Aberts Squirrels in New Mexico ??) is right beside the highway and a look down told me that this is a different kind of lake.  This one, too, is probably 20 or so miles long and is highly alkaline, as is Goose Lake……………..

It looks very much like Mono Lake in east-central California, near the Nevada border.  ( http://webpictures.homestead.com/return.html )  I could see a black band along the shoreline that looked much like the thick hordes of black flies at Mono Lake……………….

Yup, that’s just what they were.  It’s a strange feeling, walking along the beach and seeing the flies frantically trying to escape.  Like a TV documentary, you walk along in about a 5 foot diameter sphere with the flies parting in front of you and landing back behind and creating a hazy fog around you.  They don’t bite, don’t land on you - never touch you……….amazing, but there are billions of them………………

The algae that grows here stinks something awful, too.  Not much different from the hydrogen sulphide at Lassen Volcanic Park.  The only other thing that can live in this water are Brine Shrimp, same as Mono, again.  An attempt to walk out onto the nice “beach” quickly shows the error of your ways.  Remember me mentioning recently the fella who landed his plane on a dry lake that wasn’t so dry under the crust.  The top (north) end of Lake Aberts has miles of mudflats like this, as well as a rim of it all the way around and I couldn’t help thinking of that landing.  It’s very soft, very gooey when you break thru………..and it stinks……………….

Coming further north, I spent the night in Burns, OR, then started off at around 9:30 AM this morning.  This is quite an area and I wasn’t really prepared.  Very soon - still in city limits - I hit a Swallow - or rather, it flew into the camper while I was going 45 mph.  End of Swallow.  Then, within 5 miles, I saw 6 Deer grazing away like cattle near the road.  Didn’t get pics of them, either, but approaching the small settlement of Seneca there were more kinds of birds than I’ve seen in one place, including Vultures, Bald Eagles, several kinds of Hawks, and many smaller species.  A few miles farther on something moved on the hillside.  Pronghorns ??, I wondered ??  A little farther on, I made a U-turn and went back for another look.  Yup, Pronghorn Antelope they were and didn’t like my attention, even tho’ they were ¼ mile away.  These are the fastest land animals in North America, and I read recently where they were once almost as common as Bison, millions of them, before market hunters almost wiped them out over a century ago………………

Farther north, past the bustling little town of John Day, the highway climbs high into a huge volcanic caldera at Long Creek Summit.  Reminded me much of Valles Caldera near Santa Fe……………..

Coming down the north side, the country goes like this for many, many miles.  All volcanic, all 3,000 to 5,000 feet elevation……….up one side and down the other, all day. Very nice country, tho’, and there are ranches all along.  This is really isolated living.  Look carefully at this shot and you’ll see the roof of a ranch house just about in the center.  Long way from nowhere, lots of privacy.  Fine for us grouchy old farts, but I wonder how the kids like it, way out there……………..

Soon, in a valley, the North Fork of the John Day River.  Very pretty.  The very nice Ukiah/Dale campground is just downstream…………………

When I get to the Columbia River, about 50 miles north of here, I plan to go downstream and cross at the John Day Dam.  On the AAA map, I saw a small highway with the dotted lines showing a scenic byway………and going just my way.  This was marked as Hwy 53 and crossed to Heppner, OR, then north.  Heppner ??  Who’s ever heard of Heppner ??  I’ll betcha can’t even find it on a map.  Prob’ly a couple of ranch houses across from each other.  This turned into quite a drive………..about 75 miles, all told, and went for miles thru wilderness.  From time to time there’d be huge meadows……………….

Many, many mountains and lakes are passed.  Very nice country.  It was surprising.  This is the July 4th weekend and there was almost zero traffic on Hwy 395, a major north/south route.  Tiny little Hwy 53 was quite busy in comparison, with many families camped out for the weekend.  Neat, it looks great………………..

What about Heppner ??  Coming down out of the mountains along a long, narrow canyon, suddenly there was a reservoir and town in front of me……………..

The main town is behind that hill, but it turned out to be a major community hiding back here.  I was amazed, and sorry I didn’t stop at the top of the hill leading into town.  Traffic piled behind me, so I kept going.  Too bad, I was impressed.  Very nice community.  Here’s the town hall……………..

………..and I guess you’d call this the town square……………….

Agricultural town, yes, but much neater, tidier and cleaner than most.  Way back of nowhere.  Continue on to the breaks of the Columbia River…………volcanic all the way.  These hills are solid lava with only a thin skin of dirt.  The Columbia Gorge is famous for the wind that funnels up, and is popular with wind surfers as a result, but on a practical level, there are many wind turbines busily generating clean, quiet electricity, too………………..

Finally, the mighty Columbia River………..and end of the trail for today.  It was 102º coming down the final slope today and not even a thought of camping out.  (boondocking)  Tonight I’m in a scruffy little campground high on the bluffs above Arlington, OR.  9:00 PM and it’s still 94º out there.  Sheesh………..what have I gotten into here ??  Air conditioner is roaring and when it shuts off, the dog - one of those miserable, useless little yap-hounds - next door is barking.  Oh, mercy………………

Yup, I’ll be glad to get out of here in the morning.                 Lar.
–
Larry Bourne
Santa Fe, NM
www.gogittum.com
www.gogittum.com/blog

Posted: July 28th, 2009 under 09 Vacation, 09-7-4 Lake Aberts, OR.
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