tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11043593120612409482024-03-14T02:11:15.485-05:00Adventures of Kim and SamKim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-53329848710876551362014-06-29T12:54:00.000-05:002014-07-01T13:07:29.008-05:00Processing Fish–Continued<p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I still had another bag of fish to process, so I decided to devote the day to fixing the smoker problems and doing the fish.  After running to the library for an internet signal, and researching my smoker and controller, I went back to “camp” (a roadside stop on the Richardson Hwy (#4) about 4 miles south of Glennallen) to set up for the work!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">After three of hours of experimenting with insulating the smoker, and tuning the PID controller, I was able to get the high temp enough to finish the smoking process.  It’s done in 3 stages, 120deg for an hour and a half, 140 for two and 1/2, and 170 for 2hrs.  A long process which put me several chapters ahead on “Black Sand and Gold” a book about the Alaska Klondike gold rush.  I’m particularly proud of my improvised insulation blanket for the smoker.  In true Alaska fashion, the cardboard came out of the dumpster at the rest stop!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Gftd9PUVpAQ/U7L4xfPY1VI/AAAAAAAAaNw/paheUWd_O6E/s1600-h/P1040655%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="P1040655" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="P1040655" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-reThuFBFORg/U7L4zAzww8I/AAAAAAAAaN4/EO5aarBnP2I/P1040655_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="980" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">It also had the effect of reducing the number of beers in the frig (funny, the smoking instructions online didn’t mention that). Oh, and yes, the fish are delicious!</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Oes9NC5fIqM/U7L40ciTn0I/AAAAAAAAaOA/i1NEFX_168A/s1600-h/P1040657%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="P1040657" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="P1040657" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o5qxSuZCA8Y/U7L43tcsiqI/AAAAAAAAaOI/Q9nrsfuFcTo/P1040657_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-61354172996821894632014-06-29T12:14:00.000-05:002014-07-01T12:51:36.465-05:00First Day’s Catch in Alaska!<p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Well, after finally making it to Alaska about a week ago, I went fishing Thursday.  When I arrived at the river I wanted to fish for Kings (Chinook Salmon) the Gulkana was very high and muddy, not conducive to catch Kings (they have poor eyesight and need to be able to see the fly easily).  So, after sitting around waiting for the River to clear, with no results, I went down south to the Klutina River last Tuesday to scout.  And yes, folks were catching some Reds (Sockeye) down there.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JaTG7IIS1co/U7L0didyDWI/AAAAAAAAaK8/8JeI-I9gjmM/s1600-h/Combat%252520Fishing%2525202%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Combat Fishing 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Combat Fishing 2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I25BfWpyvEU/U7L0gVBKBaI/AAAAAAAAaLE/iVyKe__zq3c/Combat%252520Fishing%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="441" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jMnowfa8rbc/U7L0hrJxkSI/AAAAAAAAaLM/T7PcszeAwA4/s1600-h/Klutina%252520Reds-003%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Klutina Reds-003" style="float: left; display: inline" alt="Klutina Reds-003" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZbIqv0wxC6I/U7L0iYrpl4I/AAAAAAAAaLU/dyvqbANv6-c/Klutina%252520Reds-003_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" align="left" height="445" /></a>As luck would have it, poured down rain all day Wed (not so uncommon up here, it’s raining again today July 1st).  So, last Thurs morning I was on the Klutina fishing for 7.  Got very lucky, in spite of losing seven fish, I had my limit of six by 8:30.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I would guess they weighed about 5-6lbs each.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I had walked quite a ways down the River to get away from the crowds above (Combat Fishing).  So filleted the fish right there where I caught them, bagged them, and through them in my backpack to carry out.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">With the fish cleaned a<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DbOGWNj2rAU/U7L0jk7-RjI/AAAAAAAAaLc/HFKhwEkLwWM/s1600-h/Klutina%252520Reds-002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Klutina Reds-002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Klutina Reds-002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YNq1vNJTHyk/U7L0kbCRzsI/AAAAAAAAaLk/gUsrZ30fYcg/Klutina%252520Reds-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a>t the River, I proceeded to start processing.  What a lot of work!  I would guess that these three stuffed gallon bags of fillets weighed 15-20lbs!<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mB179j3omAo/U7L0lmKQLHI/AAAAAAAAaLs/fxi_5fHSj3Y/s1600-h/Klutina%252520Reds-005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Klutina Reds-005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Klutina Reds-005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qjHsRdODNcg/U7L0m3UPddI/AAAAAAAAaL0/MlTZlb_SVQA/Klutina%252520Reds-005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="184" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">This large plastic tub is how I decided to “brine” them (a mixture of salt and brown sugar is rubbed onto the fish.  What you see here is two of the three gallon bags.  That wasn’t too bad, so into the fridge they went for an overnite soak.  The washing/cleaning off the brine was slow and a mess.  I started at about 9pm Friday and didn’t get to bed til almost 3 Sat morning!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qrnyXYwV0Qs/U7L0n6tsWHI/AAAAAAAAaL8/CshIxZyDz44/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bhVjpo-CvCc/U7L0o5ED1NI/AAAAAAAAaME/zhJwqF6aIFM/Red%252520Processing_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="399" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Most of Saturday was spent 1st lightly smoking the fish (a couple hours at 120deg).  his gives then a bit of extra flavor once they are “canned”.  (ie, pressure cooked in jars).  I had trouble getting the smoker up to the temp quickly and keeping it stable once there.  (I had bought an expensive controller for that purpose, but it was not tuned correctly to my smoker).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-n7igW-RD4QY/U7L0pxdhCdI/AAAAAAAAaMM/NWavfdVp_JE/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-003" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7-k6WQ_PKtM/U7L0srWP94I/AAAAAAAAaMU/c5FBYFVWhbA/Red%252520Processing-003_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="501" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_EHu-_awHB8/U7L0tjgvVbI/AAAAAAAAaMc/b_HqyzPB6Ho/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tw2cwjT6prY/U7L0uiBlyGI/AAAAAAAAaMk/bGxpdKB91js/Red%252520Processing-002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="217" align="left" height="449" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4v4Q7M3lhAo/U7L0wAjMoDI/AAAAAAAAaMs/vMZY4_FwedE/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-001" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-001" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wtfCodCV7dc/U7L0wyeKcFI/AAAAAAAAaMw/Q2KPpUWEvRo/Red%252520Processing-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="123" /></a>Once smoked the fish need to be air dryed for a couple of hours minimum.  I ended up sitting next to them in a chair, nursing a couple of beers while waving my big kayak paddle at the attacking gulls (oh, and one eagle!)…but, no bears at least!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Another part of the process that seemed to be very tedious was getting the fish chunks stuffed carefully in the hot jars, and with only a small, short WalMart table, my back was killing me.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VTvWzNejZuI/U7L0yHaviUI/AAAAAAAAaM8/7PdOZ4lupnI/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-004" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R6h_UZus9VI/U7L0zCsy4JI/AAAAAAAAaNE/34Z2_54MYR0/Red%252520Processing-004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="577" height="449" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Anyway after almost a full day ordeal, I ended up with a dozen pints and eight half-pints of processed fillets!  But, I still hard almost a third of this first batch left, but that’s another story!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-76CkwyrLw1s/U7L00AchVVI/AAAAAAAAaNM/h8a_d8Fggi0/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-005%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LZb7OJ7BZOU/U7L01PP86bI/AAAAAAAAaNU/Itod2BsvYS0/Red%252520Processing-005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="312" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VmhHgVXLmuw/U7L012jBBnI/AAAAAAAAaNc/UhbjCbiFLXQ/s1600-h/Red%252520Processing-006%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Red Processing-006" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Red Processing-006" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lDA4wOxuRwM/U7L02a3CAnI/AAAAAAAAaNk/J43e0aSyqYI/Red%252520Processing-006_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="347" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-8327126980529974712014-06-06T20:29:00.000-05:002014-07-01T20:34:38.684-05:00Fry Boys Whitewater Trip!For Christmas last year, I promised the boys (Mark, Nathan, and Grandson Jonathan) a whitewater adventure. We spent 3 days at Nantahala Outdoor Center rafting the Nantahala, Pigeon and Ocoee, what a blast! <br />
Mark put together a great video with some of the highlights here:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPz4KxLGGGQ&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">2014 Fry Boys Whitewater Adventure!</a>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-40873885351120191692014-05-27T07:43:00.000-05:002014-06-02T07:49:59.277-05:00Quinault Rainforest WildflowersIn my two days of wandering through this area, I took quite a few photos of the wildflowers, which I was told were at their peak, so I'm just going to post them all here and let you enjoy!<br />
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Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-14520021445846184422014-05-26T19:09:00.000-05:002014-06-01T19:41:08.475-05:00Quinault Rainforest<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">There’s a lot to see in Olympic National Park, but coming in from the southwest, I’ll be able to see the part I’m most interested in first, the rainforests. These are “temperate” rainforest, rather than “tropical” rainforest, which we most often think of or see on TV. The huge amount of rainfall this area gets each year (on the order of 12 feet!) combined with the cool climate produces the ideal environment for the massive conifers that so identify this part of the Pacific Northwest.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WNLrLMJROTk/U4vF-OkZoDI/AAAAAAAAP2o/q2ZMu5W0Tis/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_eg5LqGSESk/U4vGAc4-bYI/AAAAAAAAP28/l6AFfbWe0Xs/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-07CYzTo0MMw/U4vGEo55yJI/AAAAAAAAP3E/sBlfRS5QfNo/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-001%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-syGBE3WkPak/U4vGHEnyPRI/AAAAAAAAP3M/lcOAgDT72cI/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="320" style="display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-001" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">As I reach and drive into the Quinault Lake area, right on the side of the entrance road is one of the largest living trees on earth. It’s pretty obvious from the parking lot which one this baby is! Wow what a sight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Standing in front of it, I try desperately to stretch my arms to reach across it’s diameter, but the huge tree easily wins!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FiEGIxh14OA/U4vGLPXxJmI/AAAAAAAAP3g/pCTZKM118DU/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-003%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-003" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fqj3oAlTXSU/U4vGTK8EsbI/AAAAAAAAP3w/j2F7Gma8KrY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-003" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xGobLLIzZe0/U4vGVaAnybI/AAAAAAAAP4A/kLDeO88BVx8/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-002%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-002" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qbn1_7SUfmo/U4vGX5y-BxI/AAAAAAAAP4I/8ZiUEjHayJg/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-002" width="244" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Starting right near the tree is a nice 1/2mile nature walk that gives one a great introduction to the rainforest. All of the ferns & growth are so lush & huge! Nothing here is wasted, even the dead trees support new life. Every rotting example is topped by new growth in the form of vegetation or trees. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kGpqeX7kTf4/U4vGj6lVbgI/AAAAAAAAP5M/eYjvOfES6tQ/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-007%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-007" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cV5JnMuRgNQ/U4vGnb1VgMI/AAAAAAAAP5U/HvpSlG7VDlk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-007" width="184" /></a></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zp72RF7YVPs/U4vGhduT6aI/AAAAAAAAP4w/O1oAbW_XfJg/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-006%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-006" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tnJ6R2Lz_p4/U4vGiIzwoeI/AAAAAAAAP44/N1J7It3p8iU/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-006" width="184" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i0xRLkoTCg8/U4vGb8PBAJI/AAAAAAAAP4Q/nAaf1K6TFB0/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-005" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lX7xCWDm60s/U4vGc7HV3yI/AAAAAAAAP4g/Yy3cMHcKGOM/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-005" width="184" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gg098INj71I/U4vGuB7c97I/AAAAAAAAP54/lg7t9Z7jrfs/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-009%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-009" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-e2n_efVtXnM/U4vGyK-seaI/AAAAAAAAP6A/FFBh7IWBCcg/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-009_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="449" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-009" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-f1tzrMjCWsU/U4vGpcHTgII/AAAAAAAAP5c/6wIgyrAPwtM/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-008%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-008" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cmZMD7AXGaw/U4vGsYibjJI/AAAAAAAAP5k/XEoVG37W3U4/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="320" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-008" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The trees or trunks that host new tree growth are called appropriately “nurse” trees. They provide lots of nutrients for the new tree to grow quickly with minimum competition from it’s surrounding siblings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">By the end of the evening, I find a nice spot in Willaby Campground, but have to nestle the truck carefully between the stand of firs in the spot!<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zJRifRxxf4o/U4vG1nChfHI/AAAAAAAAP6I/z-mjP7ujIME/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-012%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-012" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gI-FmSCqHu8/U4vG4C31ONI/AAAAAAAAP6c/FnkXpR3iaBk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-012_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-012" width="580" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The spot sits on a high bluff above the lake, with nice views through the thick forest to enjoy a cold brew at the end of the day.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8YDzlwpC3mg/U4vG9HdeS8I/AAAAAAAAP6k/ZQthp7obtmc/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-011%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-011" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wtRgdNkhW0o/U4vHA9IfWtI/AAAAAAAAP6s/KT50vvrKTz8/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Olympic%252520Quinault%252520Arrival-011_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="277" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Olympic Quinault Arrival-011" width="1028" /></a>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-85863692483231649852014-05-25T20:02:00.000-05:002014-06-01T16:22:39.803-05:00TWIN HARBORS State Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ir6acIKZ2mY/U4uWpBA7ChI/AAAAAAAAPhA/2zofTwtY9so/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ir6acIKZ2mY/U4uWpBA7ChI/AAAAAAAAPhA/2zofTwtY9so/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P.JPG" height="119" width="200" /></a></div>
It was getting late in the day when I realized this is still Memorial Day weekend! So, better find a nice place to camp before all the room is taken. I stopped at this place and a quick drive through, it looked packed, folks were either camped or setting up everywhere!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKjO1Ue1DvQ/U4uWjFKQGrI/AAAAAAAAPf4/9ZFv_uSkkWI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKjO1Ue1DvQ/U4uWjFKQGrI/AAAAAAAAPf4/9ZFv_uSkkWI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-006.jpg" height="157" width="400" /></a></div>
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The office was across the highway. A quick run over there confirmed that lucky me would have a nice space for the evening, on the "beach row" where there is a short path right behind my parking space that leads straight to this beautiful beach!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TkRct4Y5sMY/U4uWdNk65xI/AAAAAAAAPfg/6WmJFAoLbC4/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TkRct4Y5sMY/U4uWdNk65xI/AAAAAAAAPfg/6WmJFAoLbC4/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-002.jpg" height="157" width="200" /></a></div>
So, I explore this area a bit more the next morning and wow, what a beautiful beach area! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VUPMNSzmeHE/U4uWcWaMCQI/AAAAAAAAPfQ/WHHkuKbBn5w/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VUPMNSzmeHE/U4uWcWaMCQI/AAAAAAAAPfQ/WHHkuKbBn5w/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-003.jpg" height="232" width="640" /></a></div>
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and interesting things discovered along it!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1auNFjl3PU/U4uWimzz1ZI/AAAAAAAAPfw/aclD4U4jm_Q/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1auNFjl3PU/U4uWimzz1ZI/AAAAAAAAPfw/aclD4U4jm_Q/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-005.jpg" height="257" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4c628psO3SA/U4uWhFcpDTI/AAAAAAAAPfo/Sx88Tae8lgw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4c628psO3SA/U4uWhFcpDTI/AAAAAAAAPfo/Sx88Tae8lgw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-004.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Walking down the beach a mile or so, I discover these huge red bluffs with big conifers growing right here on the edge of the ocean! Nature is marvelous indeed.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuzFz0wEybQ/U4uWlXGjb5I/AAAAAAAAPgQ/8S2KQ7G4gWM/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuzFz0wEybQ/U4uWlXGjb5I/AAAAAAAAPgQ/8S2KQ7G4gWM/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-007.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MNPuHmoMxU/U4uWmI4w2GI/AAAAAAAAPgc/UqDGPPq7bTI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MNPuHmoMxU/U4uWmI4w2GI/AAAAAAAAPgc/UqDGPPq7bTI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-009.jpg" height="190" width="640" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3snwvJH0hw/U4uWnHvcZvI/AAAAAAAAPgs/Y6mDQ3Lv5nQ/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3snwvJH0hw/U4uWnHvcZvI/AAAAAAAAPgs/Y6mDQ3Lv5nQ/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-011.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HgkbihgrOA/U4uWm6Yb7WI/AAAAAAAAPgw/NMsWYAhxWpc/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HgkbihgrOA/U4uWm6Yb7WI/AAAAAAAAPgw/NMsWYAhxWpc/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Twin+Harbors+S+P-010.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-10686860961636727682014-05-25T15:22:00.000-05:002014-06-01T15:47:44.714-05:00Drive Into Washington<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fs9h6Le_rG4/U4uPVyVdcCI/AAAAAAAAPVI/GGbZh6Tr8A0/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RhuShnvkRyE/U4uPXQ_ltLI/AAAAAAAAPVQ/tNTTNqu0NXg/Drive%252520Into%252520WA_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA" width="224" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I decided to drive from Portland over to Astoria OR and then up Hwy 101 along the Pacific coast to eventually end up at the southwest corner of Olympic N P ( this is the area where the rainforests start). On the way out of Portland, the highway to Astoria follows the river (Columbia) and it’s many marshes along it’s route to the ocean. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nW9wZIv5tbE/U4uPhFnGmpI/AAAAAAAAPV4/T2WLaBA5YWw/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-003%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-003" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-249uoDe70fk/U4uPiLnsHsI/AAAAAAAAPWA/f5c7ZcKSRU4/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-003_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-003" width="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZPnKKC8KXT8/U4uPZc17VUI/AAAAAAAAPVY/IRbvphQUTH0/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-001" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_lui8uCZ9T4/U4uPbN9o6GI/AAAAAAAAPVg/liZdtvW_sz4/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-001" width="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PNHzf9pvmpI/U4uPdkrhQQI/AAAAAAAAPVo/YxD7rxGI_8Y/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-002" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rfQcEEz8bHQ/U4uPffw_nkI/AAAAAAAAPVw/2JzMCHLdONQ/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="400" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-002" width="142" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">For lunch I stopped at this delightful preserve area, and was surprised at the beautiful flowers and extended marsh areas.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LW-F2bBKgZY/U4uPjm3XI8I/AAAAAAAAPWI/1k-rC0e0hLk/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-004" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MiDT-UNhM9k/U4uPkw8RY0I/AAAAAAAAPWQ/7lI7ZL7HPTA/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="212" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-004" width="640" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZOImxm9N3yc/U4uPmbTK8OI/AAAAAAAAPWY/nQfpympYRbg/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-005" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OPkNU5GFIUs/U4uPn1HoZKI/AAAAAAAAPWg/B_W5cnB1wBU/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-005_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="313" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-005" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">After crossing into WA, I noticed some folks way out on the mud flats, and stopped to investigate.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u_qhTStMpbk/U4uPpVKmTWI/AAAAAAAAPWo/re8_wVQLi_4/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-007" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WXq87FQqbP8/U4uPq4oUNuI/AAAAAAAAPWw/Y_8jpbudaIA/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="318" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-007" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W45tM3u4ReY/U4uPtfagdxI/AAAAAAAAPW4/t1cBkb3zDus/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-006%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-006" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2C2hgfdC3ME/U4uPuU3OlCI/AAAAAAAAPXA/syL6f4tMmgg/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="182" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-006" width="244" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Looking down below my feet, the answer was obvious – Razor Clams!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I detoured into the small village of Tokeland following a sign pointing to the remains of a famous historic hotel. I never found the hotel, but the drive around the old fishing village was interesting, reminded me of Maine.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Kbz0cGClusg/U4uP2FnP38I/AAAAAAAAPXY/5iF9wtpeNrk/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-009%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-009" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cqd5y4F3eMk/U4uP4cOdaKI/AAAAAAAAPXg/fI94gS8uqVM/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="118" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-009" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dXbEnWrLQM8/U4uPw_QwjwI/AAAAAAAAPXI/5szD8M_4KVs/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-008%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-008" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S-boa_q0XSw/U4uPyYCO6TI/AAAAAAAAPXQ/vBcRTPZurSs/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-008_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="183" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-008" width="400" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gkULLs7IF3k/U4uP8m6PecI/AAAAAAAAPXo/YRmjRQ1U5Qw/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-010%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Drive Into WA-010" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fj_PtVN3dMs/U4uP-_km66I/AAAAAAAAPXw/2vTptBmCW14/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="196" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-010" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">A few more miles up the road (yes, northward) at Grayland Beach State Park, I get my first stop at the Pacific Ocean! What a sight!</span><br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-O5tOgZZjLeg/U4uQDC3gcVI/AAAAAAAAPX4/492Bo6WbWi8/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-011%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-011" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aJr8vsQTzIc/U4uQHjBadqI/AAAAAAAAPYA/wO6KJqOXWps/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="208" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-011" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PTG8XNaU9P8/U4uQMySgEsI/AAAAAAAAPYI/JywGX2QhQs4/s1600-h/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-012%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Drive Into WA-012" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yiuDlbTyY3A/U4uQTkrbFRI/AAAAAAAAPYQ/Ulrn7Zaa_xE/Drive%252520Into%252520WA-012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="200" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Drive Into WA-012" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> </span>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-13411376506653840892014-05-24T14:59:00.000-05:002014-05-31T15:15:40.982-05:00Clackamus River Steelhead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ACBPtHxeZvE/U4o3Ilb9xqI/AAAAAAAAPMw/tYttWl7nBa8/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-003%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing-003" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eO0VNlOd_cc/U4o3LHuR8NI/AAAAAAAAPM4/W9J6VJGHxks/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="173" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing-003" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AvIH_M7rkz0/U4o2zz0iaNI/AAAAAAAAPMA/f5fskQLt2GI/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Wttx5Mqwqq4/U4o23mjWeCI/AAAAAAAAPMI/F75Fx3pC1Io/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="263" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing" width="1028" /></a>Let’s see, the local fly shops say “the bite is on” “that’s it – Clackamus River up towards Barton” “all you need are these few flies”. And of course the fish are always biting when you need to sell some flies and tackle. So off I go to find the River near Barton!<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RqY_ESuQcJ0/U4o29qcOJtI/AAAAAAAAPMQ/WdqHbJAj7bA/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing-001" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d_b9JQDIsUU/U4o2_hlti2I/AAAAAAAAPMY/lgRmLR7Qtzg/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="185" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing-001" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qxsg5EDcF3w/U4o3DPbQyKI/AAAAAAAAPMg/t9-zUjsfz_A/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing-002" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tUvxRrndzGU/U4o3FfLx8qI/AAAAAAAAPMo/ZSV43DHtCT4/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing-002" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I will say it’s a beauty of a River, with some nice public access, so I stayed two nites and fished at several different spots on the River at least morning & evening without a single bite! Tough fishing in the waist deep strong currents and without any action!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EskZ2QsIAPc/U4o3NlX3mxI/AAAAAAAAPNA/0fP0rUG_s5w/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing-004" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8qBAtN39PDA/U4o3QfIC0hI/AAAAAAAAPNI/VERRVWrMQNg/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="426" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing-004" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AWgNnyUwswk/U4o3TLhK0fI/AAAAAAAAPNU/XHxyYLraVdc/s1600-h/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-005%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Clackamus River Fishing-005" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-f8_PS52UQiE/U4o3VJYLDrI/AAAAAAAAPNc/rlhRrYB38Q4/Clackamus%252520River%252520Fishing-005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="202" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Clackamus River Fishing-005" width="584" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The folks in the area were nice, and the local guides floating the river pointed out that the steelhead bite is really in the fall. They were all out for trout. The highlight of the stay was spotting this merganser mom with her many chicks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Oh well, nice stay along the river, at a free city park in Estacada, a quaint little town with a great “Harvest Market” near the park.</span>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-29699543374315335902014-05-22T17:15:00.000-05:002014-05-27T17:30:32.759-05:00Trilium Lake–A Beautiful Surprise!<p><font size="3" face="Arial">On the southwest side of the Mt Hood bypass, I see a sign on my left “Trilium Lake 2mi”  I actually passed it by, then turned around and came back – something was calling me for sure!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">So, I drive back to this place in the middle of a dark forest, park and walk down to the Lake and OMG!  what a sight to behold!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B8HLFcdY8oU/U4UQd2rP2cI/AAAAAAAAPE8/b_NvEMz4Ma0/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rOzEeeNThts/U4UQj5NOJoI/AAAAAAAAPFE/GhK8Ac_emXY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="626" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Later that evening I took the 2-1/2 mile hike around the lake, very scenic place.  The colors and smells were terrific. Although the lake was crowded by folks enjoying the fishing and spring-like weather for Labor Day weekend, there wasn’t another soul on the trail.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AY5iyK6wc5w/U4UQpetE8uI/AAAAAAAAPFM/Lvrqtv6vseQ/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-001" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-001" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DwbKxgzN6DY/U4UQusl97yI/AAAAAAAAPFU/BIu5tarpnaY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="288" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q_DAmgEkHfc/U4UQxFmhWdI/AAAAAAAAPFc/Q79F2zBD0rs/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-003%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-003" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-003" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HzDYmDMQcFQ/U4UQ12Emm4I/AAAAAAAAPFs/hw_FVsLMHC4/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="607" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">The pictures here will tell the story, and although I stayed overnight and fished both evening and morning, I only caught a few small “stocker” trout.  But there beauty of this place was well worth following the call.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bgWU8MNWC0A/U4UQ5rNBJoI/AAAAAAAAPF0/tOZzz2laf2E/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MBSfPLYNfGk/U4UQ8k5NztI/AAAAAAAAPF8/y5uAMEIXZnY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="230" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8CdK_TcGmok/U4URBGAgy0I/AAAAAAAAPGE/H5Z1gU9_ibI/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-005" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oLkHZgncxKU/U4UREf2xRsI/AAAAAAAAPGQ/WKeOHK7RbBA/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SioiJIM39AQ/U4URHsQP9GI/AAAAAAAAPGY/B9vwVe5qNMc/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-006%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-006" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TYZI7ivh4ko/U4URKt8rWOI/AAAAAAAAPGg/OOtDZpzQxo0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="132" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pqZBsmlFwPo/U4URNp-gDVI/AAAAAAAAPGo/lGgeeU61MaY/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-007%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-007" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-007" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rqiUBwhGZoQ/U4URQYCrinI/AAAAAAAAPG0/NEAD_0jewuk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="99" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mcnHKPsI108/U4URS-bqh9I/AAAAAAAAPG8/GORbZhYeMsA/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-008%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-008" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-008" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rvdF4LLY5kQ/U4URU-QTA-I/AAAAAAAAPHE/jWY42z6iX58/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-008_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-swJkJt2FFYU/U4URY6G7SDI/AAAAAAAAPHM/vdH7yezjM9A/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-010%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-010" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-010" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-s-AEplZ0kmk/U4URcoqNyqI/AAAAAAAAPHY/7k8PZ4faKec/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="207" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LK8VluQtVk4/U4URlxD6PxI/AAAAAAAAPHg/TOi0Yty3pPM/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-012%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-012" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-012" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EQmoYvI6pfU/U4URrAN7JVI/AAAAAAAAPHo/-W3hvOf9NlM/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="187" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zd_tZIbXO2Y/U4URyVQHL_I/AAAAAAAAPHw/-RSp4lSwlzM/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-013%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-013" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-013" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-byv0qxu6gic/U4UR40BjjfI/AAAAAAAAPH4/GUInU1DVuDA/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q0PYcaEFBsU/U4UR_yHHecI/AAAAAAAAPIE/zGuz1iFyF88/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-014%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-014" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Trilium Lake-014" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uhfm6qQmPxY/U4USBg46sJI/AAAAAAAAPIM/2Kmlj6yptiQ/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Trilium%252520Lake-014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="243" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-7625020299347932862014-05-21T09:19:00.000-05:002014-05-27T16:35:55.020-05:00Mt. Hood Scenic Byway<p><font size="3" face="Arial">I had been getting glimpses of Mt Hood from afar for a few days now, and I was somewhat anxious to get to Portland, but the thought occurred “I’m right here, why not go closer – I may never be near here again”.  Only a few miles south of Hood River, I got my first clear view of the mountain, breathtaking!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ewy4ojwZ5Ec/U4UE8--5hoI/AAAAAAAAPCA/qdqa200L3Xs/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-001" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-001" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-y0b3YU6q8Bw/U4UE-e-xqHI/AAAAAAAAPCI/DkEUmKrCWe0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="642" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Walking back to the truck I get somewhat of a surprise.  Wait a minute, there’s Mt Hood again, behind the truck, how can it be?  Getting the Delorme map book out for Washington confirms my suspicion, it IS indeed Mt. Adams back there!<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A6BlL4cbQM0/U4UE_doCgDI/AAAAAAAAPCQ/jzbFoP3UIZU/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YNGL6qygaFw/U4UFARYU1fI/AAAAAAAAPCY/PsoShkaUcnk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="748" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Hey, I’m in wine country, why not stop and have a taste or two?  after all, this is a vacation!  So, next stop appropriately named “Mt Hood Vineyard”.  Not wanting to have too much alcohol, I opted for the “signature wine” from “the regions signature grape” – a Pinot Noir.  Very disappointing, our own St Clair Vineyards in Deming produces a much better one.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TJ35NnexYcY/U4UFBDYO1MI/AAAAAAAAPCg/C5XN867V_FE/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B9lp3GNZgQE/U4UFB_Gh6tI/AAAAAAAAPCo/_N18x-TvJZA/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="195" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wuo_MIv2tnc/U4UFDAs6t3I/AAAAAAAAPCw/wCzOuMo646E/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-003%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-003" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2WpQvAvc90I/U4UFD74fkZI/AAAAAAAAPC4/210d_GjEID0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-003_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">But they sure do have one hell of a view from their front yard!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a41lkd8yDhc/U4UFFuiBDdI/AAAAAAAAPDA/IakIUpMcNtA/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Fan3xkJt3GA/U4UFGEWYG-I/AAAAAAAAPDI/-K9H95Z9KKY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>At the top of the pass on the south side of the Mountain, I stop to do a bit of hiking on the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail).  Crossing at the same spot is the Barlow Road, one of the first roads built in America!  Nit easy traveling today judging from the pile of snow.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IT3EFa2_MW0/U4UFHum77cI/AAAAAAAAPDQ/7a02q1V5Uck/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-006%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-006" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5XWgmF9GMS0/U4UFI_NnXSI/AAAAAAAAPDY/Luk5AsptnQ0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-006_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">And just around the corner is the battered sign for the PCT.  Had to go back to the truck for my hiking pole, as I didn’t expect slippery snow and ice on the trail.  OH well, at least I can say I’ve done a short segment on the PCT – very short.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0mgU8IQmyyk/U4UFJxovaLI/AAAAAAAAPDg/NxkLzaqxNJg/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-007" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-007" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HWPsdVBqtF8/U4UFKnSXQ6I/AAAAAAAAPDo/JNwUpr18AwM/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="288" height="449" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-E2GUjBfPnoM/U4UFLiwMU3I/AAAAAAAAPDw/ZpvfDt2fJvA/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-008%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-008" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-008" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CAoCnKD7E98/U4UFMKgyAJI/AAAAAAAAPD4/C7NNUvn4zJI/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-008_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="449" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">From this side (south) the mountain appears more majestic, with some of it’s “rough” character showing.  With my binoculars, I could see one of the ski lifts running, but not many folks up there today. What a nice drive!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rHxu6PkcIf0/U4UFNf4Ti8I/AAAAAAAAPEA/vVzVKGu5XBA/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-011%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-011" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Mt. Hood Scenic Byway-011" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YBkLt5J1RZA/U4UFOeEXO2I/AAAAAAAAPEI/8OmQsaL6mnc/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Mt.%252520Hood%252520Scenic%252520Byway-011_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="603" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"> </font></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-17653010071784968432014-05-20T22:41:00.000-05:002014-05-26T19:31:45.049-05:00Hood River, OR<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I arrived in Hood River late afternoon of the 20th, hoping to find out from the local fly shop what fishing action was in the area. I went down to where the Hood River dumps into the Columbia to find lots of sport activity on the water. Those folks out there sure looked like they were having fun, especially the kite boarders, as the wind was blowing a good 20mph!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-H2pLuQiWQ4w/U4Od59nJP7I/AAAAAAAAO9g/l_yzfq0_FPs/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-G1YBoEJuNzM/U4Od8BPGpgI/AAAAAAAAO9o/AhtDPkhkBUI/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="113" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River" width="320" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GMPHCOZupnE/U4Od_Xgd__I/AAAAAAAAO9w/OflRw5YDatw/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-001" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-T9Vf-kv75Mk/U4OeAocJROI/AAAAAAAAO94/ifhyAmjOLts/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="104" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-001" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--kyP9T9NXw4/U4OeESSbuWI/AAAAAAAAO-A/I7cukx8pvX4/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River1" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w5jeTQJ-F7I/U4OeG_a2lbI/AAAAAAAAO-I/IztZ6dh47l0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="157" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River1" width="276" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Hopefully this short movie clip will publish ok, it sure adds a lot to the realism of the story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The local fly shop pointed out that fishing off of the walking trail near the mouth of the Hood R was “a good spot” for steelhead. So, both evenings and one morning I was there I wet a few flies, but without so much as a bump from an interested fish.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H7BGVBNChzU/U4OeL3rYm7I/AAAAAAAAO-Q/g4gtQ6KghcE/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-004" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d3WsGNkIRRw/U4OeQJQrYDI/AAAAAAAAO-Y/oiPkYtwg-Js/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-004" width="1028" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F-iQdjS4jVE/U4OeVLgmoSI/AAAAAAAAO-g/XngYy-Q5q-k/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-005%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-005" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mdTQ7cjl2dA/U4OeY9A8ZaI/AAAAAAAAO-o/-Lj4HFZBy6I/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-005" width="1028" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I must say it was a very beautiful & enjoyable spot!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">So, the full day I was there I decided to check out a couple of the local breweries. The biggie is Full Sail, whose operation spans a full wedge-shaped two city blocks!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7l-W3FCcFlM/U4Oea8XHzKI/AAAAAAAAO-w/ZsEnT9kx96w/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-012%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-012" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S7T4Pbv-vd8/U4OeeG-pWBI/AAAAAAAAO-4/96_u1YeqlNQ/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-012_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="351" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-012" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S36eZ74aIeA/U4Oeice4ngI/AAAAAAAAO_A/_VIGwWRbOtc/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-010%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-010" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KWvfvRsstwY/U4OelRAuDfI/AAAAAAAAO_I/NoupkLF8C1Y/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-010_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="449" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-010" width="338" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f3Hl32YGpQA/U4OeqGI3v7I/AAAAAAAAO_Q/xpxxuLl6ZGw/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-014%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-014" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JForPHB_QWY/U4OetTGLEYI/AAAAAAAAO_Y/tWmzEzUwXBM/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-014_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="306" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-014" width="494" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Once inside, I tasted four of their most popular beers, and based on my likings, the bar tender suggested a bottle of their special whiskey barrel aged stout, which seemed like an excellent choice!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aEFvSNSw6JM/U4Oe7u9N63I/AAAAAAAAO_g/rixX6MFMKCw/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-015%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-015" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-o1V_U7dWk8s/U4OfAsRMY2I/AAAAAAAAO_o/0EvWozVf4gk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-015_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="417" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-015" width="584" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eAr6t8gIJlI/U4OfJvszM3I/AAAAAAAAO_w/kU2loM7YluQ/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-016%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-016" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9eB6sKO38Xc/U4OfOO8qSeI/AAAAAAAAO_4/tDTpwmSW-WQ/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Hood%252520River-016_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="360" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Hood River-016" width="271" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Here’s to good sailing at Full Sail!</span>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-29579931984722542172014-05-19T12:45:00.000-05:002014-05-26T14:17:57.736-05:00Columbia River–Old Hwy 30<p><font size="3" face="Arial">After leaving the Deschutes, I drove some beautiful back roads to The Dalles, where I got my first glimpse of the mighty Columbia River!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jouSRrJrs_Q/U4OP9NQAbuI/AAAAAAAAOwY/ViEXi7JA27I/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B26%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RfxizVw9aCo/U4OQBLvZNNI/AAAAAAAAOwg/JFskL6_6ha8/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B19%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="288" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Just west of The Dalles  I discovered the old Hwy 30 Visitor’s Center, and was amazed to find the wildflowers growing outside, along with very nice views of the River.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Wm78ftYnpKU/U4OQG0Uh6eI/AAAAAAAAOwo/tk-qFhsIaSc/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B20%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ELzSK2BDxAc/U4OQLErOUnI/AAAAAAAAOww/Fh4RMyWw-tI/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B24%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="274" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--kMMiGhsmqE/U4OQOve88MI/AAAAAAAAOw4/GG-A-Wk1kME/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SeObad6oVls/U4OQR971a7I/AAAAAAAAOxA/DOiUddpQVUI/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B22%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="242" height="128" /></a></p> <p>Flowers were everywhere!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-INrqSFH7WDM/U4OQYQX9__I/AAAAAAAAOxI/6KJuxTCWQjQ/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MfSLk9at60A/U4OQb_PKoKI/AAAAAAAAOxQ/dY9B2U2GkOk/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B16%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="172" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--QVaYhYgcd0/U4OQlwqO5eI/AAAAAAAAOxY/XJGhPK9RE54/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DmRiV523ivk/U4OQp-5E9tI/AAAAAAAAOxg/bpS9sXl7FWc/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LES4CCF7b3A/U4OQulHAAyI/AAAAAAAAOxo/BOb2nsf0Rl4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ml1dX1QyJPU/U4OQxKsoQzI/AAAAAAAAOxw/6uz_cxRZ19s/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B21%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="178" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XN5V-9X3VXU/U4OQ2r8yygI/AAAAAAAAOx4/sBg2c_Wo5w4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -007" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FUOf2Jp2WTM/U4OQ6e-oREI/AAAAAAAAOyA/ZnXiD-8dx0Y/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Hj5XhWzw3LI/U4ORDpmV_5I/AAAAAAAAOyI/nY4zZK5UvY4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B23%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -008" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0ReLqsBlMgA/U4ORHdQYlaI/AAAAAAAAOyc/9A3FZxYVMRA/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B25%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IDzz_C5zbVU/U4ORLuPcrlI/AAAAAAAAOyk/ngfXy1gPpQM/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -009" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Columbia River Route 30 -009" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YNVByWdgTg8/U4OROgJe7WI/AAAAAAAAOys/4o_f9LiMfsU/ALASKA-2014-Columbia-River-Route-30-%25255B18%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="192" /></a></p> <p><font size="4" face="Arial">The staff member inside suggested going the “back way” and stopping at Rowena Crest to take the 2.2mile hike out to the point overlooking the River</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T0--3UBgEEg/U4ORSimIalI/AAAAAAAAOy0/6de75atylDk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest3.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-du_60nhZbag/U4ORVXbyT4I/AAAAAAAAOy8/r1_RWj2sJg4/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="136" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sIKb7H7aNJE/U4ORcHgBvII/AAAAAAAAOzE/o_iCmsTGSX0/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0013.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8l34UwlTtQc/U4ORfuzV7hI/AAAAAAAAOzM/O9-Ldp470lo/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OjqzgaKJzow/U4ORjPc27gI/AAAAAAAAOzU/Us-9SklH3fk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0035.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-003" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--LOKbSAdntQ/U4ORmrcS8yI/AAAAAAAAOzc/Xsxvy4WNsoE/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-003_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="285" /></a>.  As she mentioned I found many nice wildflowers on the trail.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E5B5dWeIeS4/U4ORzG4NTKI/AAAAAAAAOzk/WeEPjCVhynE/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0043.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jXDlS7EadcM/U4OR2tgjOJI/AAAAAAAAOzs/Vd_wSqlirVk/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WQhhZKUqmaM/U4OR69oKMVI/AAAAAAAAOz0/6PQA8XxgPjQ/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0073.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-007" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-007" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tOvSiwMe5V0/U4OR-m5URDI/AAAAAAAAOz8/J6Q6IDzTMRk/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IuMixpuJd7o/U4OSHdVx7fI/AAAAAAAAO0E/hc1za3trSxw/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0093.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-009" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-009" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lbv5iMZ7VoA/U4OSN-l6XbI/AAAAAAAAO0M/I8itrf3qGgE/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nR7MDKW670o/U4OSZGRzR3I/AAAAAAAAO0U/58fggIzr_LM/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0103.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-010" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-010" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iJjIlS43Awo/U4OScjELvpI/AAAAAAAAO0c/RNfE3UeVoMI/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="205" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xJGg1-93gnA/U4OShPGsH0I/AAAAAAAAO0o/WOufUqUEeEs/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0064.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ndcOmJALEpw/U4OSkwP8j6I/AAAAAAAAO0w/Rpb3JpwOKRs/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-006_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="491" height="156" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">To my surprise there were a couple of small freshwater ponds way up here on the plateau.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OGxnwSnVfqQ/U4OSsXl_rWI/AAAAAAAAO04/HBX88KvHI30/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0114.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-011" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-011" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XMCRdmnXvBY/U4OSwyzFtCI/AAAAAAAAO1A/Y3FtkhhUodg/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-011_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="439" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">It was a beautiful afternoon with temps in the upper 60’s, what a delightful hike out to the end of the point, some 600 feet above the River!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JDcshroph9E/U4OS1uDgH3I/AAAAAAAAO1I/AtemWidcTjI/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0084.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-008" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zby8bNpGiyA/U4OS9OA1JSI/AAAAAAAAO1Q/9-LxrKkH_Sc/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-008_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="544" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_1r-8iCo51E/U4OTIBJaW3I/AAAAAAAAO1k/HKm6tlGJXG8/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0134.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-013" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-013" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Kb6BipeM-3E/U4OTNJjWn6I/AAAAAAAAO1s/1NxnHt4RNUo/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-013_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="550" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Where highway 30 ended there was a neat little community that had landmarked the square with a carved totem!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-exJT2y6NWIg/U4OTSufDbEI/AAAAAAAAO10/v8zIvqZgrqw/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-0144.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-014" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Rowena Crest-014" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-djMreqs6a7I/U4OTX_Sy3FI/AAAAAAAAO18/20o_Uil8hlE/ALASKA-2014-Rowena-Crest-014_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="462" height="772" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-46502098749397905612014-05-18T06:58:00.000-05:002014-05-23T11:01:24.626-05:00N5FO/Deschutes River Canyon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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Finally managed to find a location to set up & do a little Ham Radio operating, on the Deschutes River at South Junction. The hamming was better than the fishing for sure, but read more about that when I get the fishing post up.<br />
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Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-40276757550152998902014-05-15T10:58:00.000-05:002014-05-26T13:59:12.278-05:00Fishing the Lower Deschutes!<p><font size="3" face="Arial">While in Bend, the folks at the fly shops were raving about the “salmonfly hatch” on the Lower Deschutes River.  Supposedly a fly fishing event that’s known by serious fishermen al over the US, this usually occurs around May 20th of each year.  These massive bugs come out and breed in massive quantities to produce a week or so of “spectacular” fishing.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Cw3Rq2xjVVs/U4OM05ZMBpI/AAAAAAAAOsU/NtrVkWJDjQM/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0024.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tF8bx93EFHo/U4OM4IRd-PI/AAAAAAAAOsc/hM8-VI--eUc/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-002_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="118" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OibKrKkXtyo/U4OM-H9AgCI/AAAAAAAAOsk/P6lx0Zl5Xfo/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0034.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-003" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-003" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DLb0TUPxcms/U4ONBsrocgI/AAAAAAAAOss/ZRzfXzzJZCQ/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-003_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="218" height="135" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rPMDIM5SnqM/U4ONH_u9zLI/AAAAAAAAOs0/XXupzdijQDE/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0053.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MHBcgaywQHs/U4ONM0mG39I/AAAAAAAAOs8/ofkNPfQXHWw/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>So, off I go to Maupin, OR in search of this great experience.  The River was certainly beautiful, and seems to be a terrific rafting venue for those just wanting some fun, as well as a great float for fishing.  I caught this unlucky group “trapped” in a reverse eddy.  After watching them struggle for about 10 minutes to break free, they quit paddling, I guess waiting for another boat to come along and pull them out with a rope.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zUyYmStAeaw/U4ONVWjuMrI/AAAAAAAAOtQ/gbXAfzTsDS0/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0074.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-007" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tXaRngP4q-0/U4ONbxYSftI/AAAAAAAAOtY/xml-Wi5IvsI/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-007_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bRX6SiomJtw/U4ONf4g_RsI/AAAAAAAAOtg/N-a7fwlxGUo/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0013.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-001" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G3BN9PPQWW0/U4ONjrAX2lI/AAAAAAAAOto/sored1e6HYs/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="193" height="244" /></a>The areas I fished were from just down below (north, remember) the town and mostly about 3 miles up river from the town.  I stayed at a beautiful BLM Harpham campground right on the River, which was supposedly one of the better fishing spots on the River.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x_vWf3G5bIc/U4ONnF7mpVI/AAAAAAAAOtw/HQFg2exp63o/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0084.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-008" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-008" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SHbX2GgS8QA/U4ONs8GxmNI/AAAAAAAAOt4/x8AHuasRxeQ/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-008_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="404" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Well, after “pounding water” for 2-1/2 days in this area, and coming up with only a couple of tiny fish landed, I began to wonder what the heck happened???  So, after talking to several “experienced” fishermen who had grown up fishing this river, they were just as perplexed as I.  In fact the largest number of trout I heard anyone catch over the 2-3 days was three – and they were unusually small!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tlIOTAsSJzY/U4ONwu_Mo3I/AAAAAAAAOuA/-_vPbAxY6Cs/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0063.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-006" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jAemkTiiWW0/U4ONzn2PBxI/AAAAAAAAOuI/3aTZ9PKHdTQ/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Discussing the situation with a couple of guides in town, I learned that the “hatch” had taken place here a couple of weeks earlier than normal.  They recommended moving “up river” (follow the bugs) to an area known as South Junction.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Cresting the high ridge above the South Junction, I can see the mighty Deschutes way below – a pretty sight, indeed!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F7nqFLpMDhE/U4OOADwVlCI/AAAAAAAAOuQ/gc8hvtJlbQ0/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0104.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-010" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-010" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sKx2wrrufsE/U4OOEhu9pSI/AAAAAAAAOuY/G5CasLOjFkI/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-010_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Anxiously, I get on the water that afternoon, excited because here I’m actually seeing hundreds of the very critters that are supposedly responsible for the “big bite”.   <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FvCgnmYMYYo/U4OOHXN9gYI/AAAAAAAAOug/vdYLQ32dht0/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0123.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-012" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-012" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pqYIqCO7w6s/U4OOKeQ_1hI/AAAAAAAAOuo/-wxjHL5EkoY/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="225" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KINMJtTCV5M/U4OOOWER5GI/AAAAAAAAOuw/Sujao2oT7zQ/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0133.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-013" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-013" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lbxGhbHkH6Y/U4OORYTouiI/AAAAAAAAOu4/6cx36NrYPh0/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="150" height="244" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">But, to my surprise, same story here – another couple of days produced a couple of “hookups” which resulted in a “pull-off” and a broken leader.  At least the two fish I had on did feel like good ones, so I got a bit of fun battling each for a few seconds.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-r_XNkOzPaA8/U4OOWCIZ3cI/AAAAAAAAOvA/JM8yIXvdhSU/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0144.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-014" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-014" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1QuNk6uoZOQ/U4OOaIlDJvI/AAAAAAAAOvI/_sOnlG4KAQs/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-014_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="363" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NLu_bEL5Kk4/U4OOgA7BakI/AAAAAAAAOvQ/hzNWVbDw83w/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0154.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-015" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-015" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qdeYkOFWnX8/U4OOkU6yTsI/AAAAAAAAOvc/NbhDNupwTBE/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-015_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">So, after fishing hard – and I mean that, between the steep banks overgrown with thick vegetation, and the dangerously strong current to fight once down in the water, my knees & legs were pretty shot at the end of each day.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nkpx9nlbYIc/U4OOobDbA7I/AAAAAAAAOvk/2Uz0qlP3Bgo/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0164.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-016" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-016" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ByqiisdVcf0/U4OOuSgrfiI/AAAAAAAAOvs/9bxbay6Y8o4/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-016_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="967" height="772" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I did have enough time (and space) to set up a good ham antenna and get on the radio, but that’s another posts for my ham friends…<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XjFe0Q-YPNM/U4OOzCAyPJI/AAAAAAAAOv0/ocucAxSCPOE/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0399.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-039" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-039" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7YjOwoabBiY/U4OO2HErelI/AAAAAAAAOv8/N-HbOCp9qls/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-039_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="389" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Just being out there surrounded by all this beauty was a wonderful experience!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OtKldB1oMJY/U4OO7XvfTWI/AAAAAAAAOwE/oMPCeVPwOL8/s1600-h/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-0384.jpg"><img title="Fishing Lower Deschutes-038" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Fishing Lower Deschutes-038" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qtUlW3uLvpk/U4OO-hZHePI/AAAAAAAAOwM/btrLvJSKpuA/Fishing-Lower-Deschutes-038_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="332" /></a></font></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-47682225494906377202014-05-14T21:44:00.000-05:002014-05-24T18:38:45.536-05:00Bend Oregon Breweries<p> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Since my Son, Mark has gotten me interested in craft beers, I realized that Bend is one of “THE” places for fine brewing.  With a limited amount of time, and a limited ability to consume mass quantities of brews, I followed the local’s advice and visited the three most popular.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Deschutes – BIG!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FPqaWmcd9bI/U4Esucv_B6I/AAAAAAAAOkg/NKI9y_b8wdk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries4.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Wv7FXFdlw8o/U4EsvoeHvuI/AAAAAAAAOkk/20mjFcoah00/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="419" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PIQhR4ZZWhc/U4EsxD2sF9I/AAAAAAAAOkw/5H-JE7ypwjM/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0014.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YpRKD6_WqCA/U4Esynmr_4I/AAAAAAAAOk4/mdKv2eJb-rQ/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-001_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Just walking up to this massive block square enterprise made me realize just how popular the craft beers have become.  Producing over a quarter million barrels each year, Deschutes ranks 5th among craft brewers in the US. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-P5THYXV2vCc/U4Es0BhAeRI/AAAAAAAAOlA/M3rdkGu6P0I/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0023.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bXKnuaXlGhQ/U4Es1UPTZXI/AAAAAAAAOlI/3zc8PqS_zjA/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-002_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QDKzlLgdHgg/U4Es2Q6URFI/AAAAAAAAOlQ/2JRpP7xEnwc/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0033.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-003" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-003" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ra1mYfC8h3c/U4Es3ueFCII/AAAAAAAAOlY/A3rIjWI1H30/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-003_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a>Walking along the front of the building, I get a look into the “barrel aging” section, which Deschutes is known for producing some of the best wine & whiskey barrel aged beers in the world.  These are usually reserved for the darker beers, stouts, porters and the like and are generally brewed once a year as a special run.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Inside at the tap room, I sign up for the 2PM tour, which includes four 4oz free tastings, along with any number of “sips” of others you’d like to try.  With 30 minutes to wait for the tour, I get to sample a few of the best!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9jLBCCGAh3A/U4Es5HI-lzI/AAAAAAAAOlg/tCXikEdc66Q/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0044.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xo9yBgNnOUc/U4Es6Y8enII/AAAAAAAAOlo/_UO2O1XNw_Y/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-004_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="353" height="484" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Although the tour took about 50 minutes, and went through a fairly detailed description of the entire process, I won’t go on about all the details.  There’s plenty of information about making beer on the internet, so if you want to learn more look there.  Mark is really enjoying making his own brews, they are very good, and his friends appreciate the effort.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">So, here’s a short synopsis of the pictures I took, walking through the plant from front end (wort making) all the way to the bottling plant<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z4ihP80bSzg/U4Es7RUau3I/AAAAAAAAOlw/xz7QpwOHmY0/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-008---%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-008 - Copy - Copy" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-008 - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zlb13dDj7dA/U4Es8M_kPEI/AAAAAAAAOl4/66hqGVyQwSU/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-008---.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AePdzQYSPEo/U4Es9Ivn_ZI/AAAAAAAAOmA/l2N1ET7rvls/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-010---%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-010 - Copy - Copy" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-010 - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-USjFAaXi76Y/U4Es932HwRI/AAAAAAAAOmI/hnMq3U6BzaA/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-010---%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="76" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CPEIHF1Y5B4/U4Es_JGQ-mI/AAAAAAAAOmQ/BgpszoZPNQY/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-014---%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-014 - Copy" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-014 - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cyRtK2C8ank/U4EtAcxgEaI/AAAAAAAAOmY/OZ656nV9vjA/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-014---%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="157" /></a>.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mDh6Q__k9yg/U4EtBYAwQ7I/AAAAAAAAOmg/CAvdbWrh7ME/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0053.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Q0B2fH7rFwg/U4EtCq-pJTI/AAAAAAAAOmo/yZ-quF0JML0/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-005_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lBvJJmv4LL4/U4EtDr6meKI/AAAAAAAAOmw/nLnJz1EItIY/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0073.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-007" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0riP7iXbaKc/U4EtEnNVvpI/AAAAAAAAOm4/aAeEWlcD-6I/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-007_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--ErK2x9RU40/U4EtGQKNbQI/AAAAAAAAOnA/_mZ4DCKdRcY/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0184.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-018" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-018" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PAHKRFiLcB0/U4EtHs9fbzI/AAAAAAAAOnI/wREdHe6eeis/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-018_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="385" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">On the way out there was a long hall of numerous pieces of local artwork, carefully chosen from many submissions each year for the “Jubilation” brew.  The wining artwork becomes the label art for that year.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uQIyl9ZNLbM/U4EtIi9oT2I/AAAAAAAAOnQ/bS1_t6JyRDk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0193.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-019" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-019" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Z9W2BeErv4o/U4EtJvLSycI/AAAAAAAAOnY/7-_-I3A6QBs/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-019_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JlWKbr4EDXE/U4EtKaHTHQI/AAAAAAAAOng/2HfRA29Z3h4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0213.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-021" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-021" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PXSe9QxFljc/U4EtLtk3MwI/AAAAAAAAOnk/LLkqODEq7Pk/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-021_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-T2wRmCTVNlY/U4EtMp-g8vI/AAAAAAAAOnw/JjYMLaA0OxU/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0223.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-022" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-022" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k4BuLANJK_0/U4EtNkPy2bI/AAAAAAAAOn4/SwUIwf9BT84/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-022_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="160" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Over the years, Deschutes has won many awards, here is one of several display cases full of medals & awards.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kzuQOJgovsQ/U4EtS49aciI/AAAAAAAAOoA/OwJPpobM-1s/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0233.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-023" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-023" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pWiboq-V7Sw/U4EtTuUvwdI/AAAAAAAAOoI/0YkdQKlEePw/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-023_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="137" height="244" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4NoXZ4-ViCw/U4EtUz4mPwI/AAAAAAAAOoQ/QoxGRksQE9Y/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0243.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-024" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-024" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jwoWwQeddMw/U4EtVzodWAI/AAAAAAAAOoY/cuhx54Q847Y/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-024_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="203" /></a>So, next on the “crawl” was 10Barrel, which I had gotten several “must taste” reports on, but to my surprise the 4 beers I tasted were just flat & weak, they did nothing to make me want to linger and try any more!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_Dc2MDZkMxo/U4EtW9mwFKI/AAAAAAAAOog/QlUJCwu3koo/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0252.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-025" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-025" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rQ0jMaNy6LY/U4EtXoLyP3I/AAAAAAAAOoo/bqapalG4TtA/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-025_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="96" /></a>Last, on to CRUX, by far the most interesting and unique of the three.  Founded and owned by two couples that wanted “excellent beer in an enjoyable atmosphere” it’s exactly what they’ve created.  From the open floorplan that allows tasters to “see the action”, to a great kitchen with wonderful low cost food, to the outdoor family picnic and gaming area this place is a hit! I would highly recommend a stop if you’re ever through Bend</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ART1H4Gho9Q/U4EtY-2iK9I/AAAAAAAAOow/hIVK3En2Jko/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0264.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-026" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-026" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-usFGb6yUCOk/U4EtZzFEYQI/AAAAAAAAOo4/1OSWH0H2aso/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-026_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="248" height="187" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NNFa7MXb9FM/U4EtbXeQHcI/AAAAAAAAOpA/DkeToDoRfAs/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0274.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-027" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-027" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u9lQo637uoI/U4EtcXxC8XI/AAAAAAAAOpI/vPNWqCX_LHs/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-027_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="267" height="201" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RE_iirCzJrI/U4EtdWP5wGI/AAAAAAAAOpQ/-I648a9-b80/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0293.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-029" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-029" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q3mvwi9O7xY/U4EteNTa1dI/AAAAAAAAOpY/UHv_0i6FrMw/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-029_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="140" /></a></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A1dfTI4acnc/U4EtfXUYX1I/AAAAAAAAOpg/q14jtdodFOE/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-0284.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-028" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Bend OR Breweries-028" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XMKeoaQXBcE/U4EtgmnvxxI/AAAAAAAAOpo/HkSnq2BYZpE/ALASKA-2014-Bend-OR-Breweries-028_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="413" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-36933325163446843942014-05-13T18:42:00.000-05:002014-05-24T18:42:42.964-05:00Deschutes River Discovery & Walk<p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v-X4aQUebCE/U4EsA8Sn7qI/AAAAAAAAOhA/XDDVDbLZrmw/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-001" style="float: left; display: inline" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-001" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8repIoMS5D4/U4EsB9YzlxI/AAAAAAAAOhI/p_rlHZ_fHcc/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-001.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" align="left" height="119" /></a>Before heading into Bend, I had spent the night at a “snowpark” on Hwy 97.  These area areas where a huge parking lot is available at the intersection of snowmobile & cross country ski trails.  </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">They can be used for overnite stays without fees and have picnic areas and restrooms.  I was surprised to see frost for the first time when I awoke this morning.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-b6guBz8J_iM/U4EsC9lOJHI/AAAAAAAAOhQ/znUs1OIHcOw/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-003%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-003" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-71raoPDWdQ8/U4EsDv-EICI/AAAAAAAAOhY/Dt03MmOCi4Q/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-003%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="180" /></a>South of bend, I saw a sign about “Deschutes River Access” and since I knew I would be fishing it sooner or later, stopped to investigate.  First thing I noticed was a large sign outlining canoe & float trails through the area, with appropriate take-outs & put-ins that avoid the few rapids that are along this area. (Upper Deschutes). As luck would have it another sign stated that fishing wasn’t open yet.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">The trail looked nice and appeared to be a local favorite.  Since I have been trying to walk at least 3 miles a day, off I went downriver.  The crossing at an old log jam proved an interesting area for birding, with many insects moving down near the water.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Sjw3rTa9KQY/U4EsFA8nkvI/AAAAAAAAOhg/m3Mjw7_4quU/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-005.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rgvKZVZrTXs/U4EsG6DmYOI/AAAAAAAAOho/GezG8i9ksRE/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-005%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ddg0ksUod6w/U4EsHp9w-aI/AAAAAAAAOhw/RY4ZOafEyqk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AABI58IKW8k/U4EsI9nbbmI/AAAAAAAAOh4/E8ThHnLa7Lo/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-004%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="150" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3mNH3gn3Kis/U4EsK7T3rlI/AAAAAAAAOiA/wqaWCjr193I/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-006%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bCYN9krqzw4/U4EsMBIywNI/AAAAAAAAOiI/xMuq-YokgWc/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-006.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="145" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a_FX8Tn9reU/U4EsOIB1U4I/AAAAAAAAOiQ/er-2UDoeb_s/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-008.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-008" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4YhNiPnpCw0/U4EsPMVv8cI/AAAAAAAAOiY/q0HcwhnUT8A/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-008%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="160" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hPwpTSqKzrM/U4EsQkWLqZI/AAAAAAAAOig/C8e-OfN4kQA/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-009.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-009" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-009" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9QQtBa67FyA/U4EsR9eiEtI/AAAAAAAAOio/Mx5oeym0C5I/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-009%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_4eqZnX9Q3s/U4EsTZjBWyI/AAAAAAAAOiw/nxtw2kMRnoo/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-011%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-011" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-011" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1ytQVNwKs78/U4EsU9zk57I/AAAAAAAAOi4/0_a-JoQkPJo/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-011%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="206" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZSro1FNCM14/U4EsWNmIDqI/AAAAAAAAOjA/Qrhp3hBZAwM/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-019.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-019" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-019" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--TeafBZmBds/U4EsW6paOmI/AAAAAAAAOjE/HF4L-5_jksc/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-019%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="221" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">You just never know quite what to expect when you stop somewhere, but this indeed turned out to be a beautiful walk along what’s got to be one of the prettiest rivers in America!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-o1-lGzg3NF4/U4EsYMgE4ZI/AAAAAAAAOjQ/uQ8EQjv0aJk/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-0011" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-0011" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Hv76kM2yHIc/U4EsZJhxBPI/AAAAAAAAOjY/baVetl6zj4Y/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-001%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="536" height="303" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O5wyoiozvbY/U4EsaX9M7YI/AAAAAAAAOjg/d3BGs5mSbEc/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-012%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-012" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-012" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-q_-izmi_M_w/U4Esbd6b3nI/AAAAAAAAOjk/b4ZAArLjDx4/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-012.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iwJOyb2kLeA/U4Escwa5w8I/AAAAAAAAOjw/K0EBp8Uq6bg/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-014%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-014" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-014" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XGt-1RMeMMs/U4EsdmZAR5I/AAAAAAAAOj0/XOfdneF4Ysw/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-014.jpg?imgmax=800" width="113" height="244" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I walked to a nice falls area, and just enjoyed the water and sounds.  </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oOmOED24w7I/U4EsetsLm_I/AAAAAAAAOkA/wSAvkqJ15zU/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-016.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-016" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-016" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dNE0xcURyfo/U4EshNfC1QI/AAAAAAAAOkI/HE9imQPiCDQ/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-016%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="300" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">As I returned back across the bridge at the log jam, I thought to myself: “What a great way to start a morning!”<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aNZscQjZ89E/U4EsiunoE4I/AAAAAAAAOkQ/MKqEJSDn2Q4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-004%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-004a" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Deschutes River Walk-004a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kOfTGE2MZAs/U4EskHwik_I/AAAAAAAAOkU/DFI_Ird__Ts/ALASKA-2014-Deschutes-River-Walk-004.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" align="right" height="628" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial"> </font></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-13297175374409687802014-05-13T13:01:00.000-05:002014-05-21T13:31:12.498-05:00FISHING the Crooked River!<p> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">By now, you’re probably wondering “wait a minute Sam, this is a fishing trip, right?”   Well yes it is, and thanks to a tip from my good friend Scott Peterson, I’m at the Crooked for two days of outstanding fishing.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">The area fished was just below the Prineville Reservoir dam.  And you’re right, “below” or “downriver” up here is North! </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6aecpi4hN8s/U3zwQuZJuJI/AAAAAAAANEM/qrbLqlfG1sQ/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0013.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GL2NB2XTZ08/U3zwSdv8epI/AAAAAAAANEU/B_Y3cuA2cf8/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-001_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="268" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vhPJjyCjmxg/U3zwWSvPDVI/AAAAAAAANEc/_3FSfrlZQpc/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0024.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8GIzk516NNA/U3zwcfieaaI/AAAAAAAANEo/NKJoQmXtj20/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-002_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">I did hire a guide for the first half-day from the “Fish & Field Fly Shop” in Bend.  Probably a wise move as he recommended an excellent campsite (Cobble Rock) where the fishing is literally “right out your door”.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">No need to get up too early here either, as the fish really weren’t active until late morning.  The bite seem to last for a couple of hours, netting me well over<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DQWYRjOzzNg/U3zwgKR-LHI/AAAAAAAANEw/KVYqZ9TBXrE/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0044.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gh8AnlzXRv4/U3zwhxi1gFI/AAAAAAAANE4/pxWmqL0qxLg/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-004_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a> THIRTY fish the first day with guide’s help.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WOgzxqNMw3U/U3zwlMMUHUI/AAAAAAAANFA/F0tpqQfrKYc/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0033.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-003" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-I6yfYPr9k6o/U3zwmPFvfmI/AAAAAAAANFI/g64TWKaBTsg/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-003_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M-L47ZV7S-0/U3zwov7U5GI/AAAAAAAANFQ/1UGb1d0i5BA/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0063.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jA2Fhu5HKmY/U3zwpUDaDKI/AAAAAAAANFY/ntvwxMRmiLg/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">Although he mentioned that we should be catching some “whitefish”, the days catch were all rainbows.  Top size on this River is about 15-16inches, but they are all “wild” fish (non-hatchery) and fight accordingly!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XN1PndRlim8/U3zwr_StRiI/AAAAAAAANFg/RECT_-zPb7I/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0074.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-007" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-007" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DyOk3KwlY8o/U3zwtS2VepI/AAAAAAAANFs/HhuOG5RgGew/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-007_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">That afternoon I spent some time exploring downriver, beautiful scenery with lots of good looking holes to try.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cZh7CmxCuUM/U3zww9yYx0I/AAAAAAAANF0/_C_8GFr4CG4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0094.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-009" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-009" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-13UUQrwZG_I/U3zwz7XfHGI/AAAAAAAANF8/cCv4zdy0jdo/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-009_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="772" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QgQpWFc7pG0/U3zw14HeGxI/AAAAAAAANGE/_T-WYD8V2d4/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0104.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-010" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-010" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5wbL-TIv6Bk/U3zw3li9t_I/AAAAAAAANGM/X4UV92VfsJs/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-010_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1028" height="367" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">The second morning, I went back to the same starting spot, and sure-nough, managed to catch another 17 rainbows and six nice whitefish.  I did save a limit today, including several of the nice whitefish, which made several filet packs for the freezer.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5SLOQ7oKLSQ/U3zw6NAuWpI/AAAAAAAANGU/0tTDisHntvU/s1600-h/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-0114.jpg"><img title="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-011" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="ALASKA 2014 Crooked River-011" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GD-CTYbNP9o/U3zw7qN0DDI/AAAAAAAANGc/izFEnlwhO9E/ALASKA-2014-Crooked-River-011_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial">So, now it’s back to Bend to figure out where to go next and try some of the craft beers in the area.</font></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-35593567762800856942014-05-11T14:00:00.000-05:002014-05-21T13:35:46.621-05:00Lava Butte!I see what appears to be another Lava Beds place, but decide to take a quick look since my legs needed a stretch. To my surprise, this was very different from the Lava Beds, no caves here, just domes and a nice lava flow field below.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jR3SBMbG8kI/U3zRJ9NPyUI/AAAAAAAAMvs/jOxlW9drENQ/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DxV9j6BvujQ/U3zRLCIbGMI/AAAAAAAAMvw/VG1VwG6iWM0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="407" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zHng320Q62Y/U3zRMC4KQZI/AAAAAAAAMv8/IMZrGyT1Bkg/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-001" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0siP3McSnxI/U3zRMy-qUtI/AAAAAAAAMwE/9UIxNKbifv0/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="150" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-001" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nQB4RevTD-U/U3zRNga6hVI/AAAAAAAAMwM/Lm8DcIST4Jg/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-002" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sLvRSC6nyxo/U3zRO6C-P0I/AAAAAAAAMwU/pyNp6nTWzXc/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="145" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-002" width="383" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TFWXagRPP3Q/U3zRP4e3fTI/AAAAAAAAMwc/CqvDyk6Vv58/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-003%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-003" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I4_X15CNLEM/U3zRQ9D99qI/AAAAAAAAMwk/IN_5jid91zk/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="280" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-003" width="606" /></a>First order of business was to drive to the top of a several hundred foot high cone, luckily, my rig was one foot under the maximum allowed to drive up top! Only a few vehicles are allotted a time window every 30 minutes to make the trip as parking is limited at the top. The views from up here are spectacular! Especially out west is Bachelor Mountain.<br />
The lookout tower is not only a tourist attraction, but also doubles as an official NFS lookout during fire season. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qgfeCVZ51kQ/U3zRTHvQ3lI/AAAAAAAAMws/rgcjIxi4pZY/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-008%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-008" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ORbHlUbe468/U3zRUv_S_FI/AAAAAAAAMw0/V5IH-TWNytA/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="484" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-008" width="644" /></a><br />
There is a nice trail around the cone’s crater, giving one a different perspective than the tower.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f02vqlcPVMk/U3zRV9-zBPI/AAAAAAAAMw8/qiqfRMmCXI4/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-007" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-n52bks1yuTU/U3zRXICdyOI/AAAAAAAAMxE/3U-0T-ZKA-o/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="369" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-007" width="1028" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hOB6qk5PSX0/U3zRZEbz4EI/AAAAAAAAMxM/W5yD2-B4csE/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-009%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-009" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RS3NVVNvkZU/U3zRa-QhtjI/AAAAAAAAMxU/9fv7yZ2LdhQ/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-009_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-009" width="1028" /></a><br />
While walking to the Visitor’s Center (back at “ground level” I spy and elusive Red Crossbill, a beautiful creature for sure!<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5mFtfgXUW9U/U3zRciwgZUI/AAAAAAAAMxc/RIGPfKwNMpo/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-010%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-010" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eK4IQNt0NRY/U3zRd00WO6I/AAAAAAAAMxk/1CvYpr4o5Kg/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-010_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="484" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-010" width="593" /></a><br />
A short walk through the actual lava field provides nice views of the cone I had just driven up, while proving that there is some life that can live in such a harsh, barren environment.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9JxP8L6_-c4/U3zRf_8jEDI/AAAAAAAAMxs/7Lh_GFd1Z2g/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-011%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-011" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cdRuQyd2UMU/U3zRgkS6OfI/AAAAAAAAMx0/JhlPmIrGtQU/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-011" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/---nqBHclGhM/U3zRjhjb4zI/AAAAAAAAMx8/IrSaoFygu38/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-013%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-013" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1MhJt1Kf_ck/U3zRknYI-ZI/AAAAAAAAMyE/mcgnBP3cviY/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="137" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-013" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cOyUBa59WR4/U3zRmUleuLI/AAAAAAAAMyM/2bIjT24pIHU/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-015%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-015" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gsUpqkERbRc/U3zRnJe2K1I/AAAAAAAAMyU/Oo1hJ45nUB8/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-015_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-015" width="244" /></a><br />
Another great stop along the way!<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Oq_tPeYQnCU/U3zRpP0cB9I/AAAAAAAAMyc/uLOy7MGk1Q8/s1600-h/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-014%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-014" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--Z0vjhvIfGs/U3zRqv7CtII/AAAAAAAAMyk/pC-6OhbV1dg/ALASKA%2525202014%252520Lava%252520Butte-014_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="484" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="ALASKA 2014 Lava Butte-014" width="644" /></a>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-43323408321507999522014-05-11T11:00:00.000-05:002014-05-21T13:34:46.014-05:00Oregon–Huge Trees!<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Lots of logging history in this state for sure. Along Hwy 39 I ran across this interesting logging museum. I’ll just let the pictures tell the story!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mOzILwKa-LM/U3zu_Bw40EI/AAAAAAAANAk/iGwfpe-Ik_o/s1600-h/P10309534.jpg"><img alt="P1030953" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wsm8uFKW9OQ/U3zvDGPZTiI/AAAAAAAANAs/tliFOJVDl7I/P1030953_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="772" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030953" width="1028" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1xXNedRAvug/U3zvFe6LMvI/AAAAAAAANA0/E83oPn31eSs/s1600-h/P10309553.jpg"><img alt="P1030955" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Oi2zPypaY2Q/U3zvGqwkQfI/AAAAAAAANA8/YdtgWsgy38Y/P1030955_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030955" width="184" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/---OYBdmxY88/U3zvJdDi23I/AAAAAAAANBE/Viai_jyE1bY/s1600-h/P10309733.jpg"><img alt="P1030973" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HFizGmyF_RU/U3zvLKoX1lI/AAAAAAAANBM/GH0lMoXT1Vs/P1030973_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030973" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K2lr5fSF4_Y/U3zvOhlZG3I/AAAAAAAANBY/sDnovQp540I/s1600-h/P10309543.jpg"><img alt="P1030954" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7gzBqtE3Nvg/U3zvQpG9yRI/AAAAAAAANBg/gxqXVj7g8RQ/P1030954_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030954" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6f75HS0Ai38/U3zvSNVGsGI/AAAAAAAANBo/wbYU8sPSJbI/s1600-h/P10309563.jpg"><img alt="P1030956" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YnkHr0mNVsE/U3zvTJ8j6dI/AAAAAAAANBw/CVM_ohDkP8g/P1030956_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030956" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-j8XZRjSZAsY/U3zvXx5R9QI/AAAAAAAANB4/P9WP6mCqnaI/s1600-h/P10309573.jpg"><img alt="P1030957" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eVLYzFp8mdE/U3zvY92gNMI/AAAAAAAANCA/rFbuHwd8Euc/P1030957_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030957" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rTChY_kH_bg/U3zvbZh6nnI/AAAAAAAANCI/4zX_r0_-sgs/s1600-h/P10309593.jpg"><img alt="P1030959" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DZUIFzU5nFs/U3zvc33vh2I/AAAAAAAANCQ/l9AJ3sexsD0/P1030959_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030959" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PdVaSpjGR5g/U3zve9IymDI/AAAAAAAANCY/XDrBYMq2d44/s1600-h/P10309613.jpg"><img alt="P1030961" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lJfDv6RLmqU/U3zvfzCXsfI/AAAAAAAANCg/kyXFY71kick/P1030961_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030961" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_LCIsUcbOFc/U3zviy-iXzI/AAAAAAAANCo/auWA-Dbx_sU/s1600-h/P10309663.jpg"><img alt="P1030966" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yxROHIkWHuQ/U3zvkei8cpI/AAAAAAAANCw/QT1d3NOEXh0/P1030966_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030966" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_aoLMbz6S8w/U3zvnIhQNmI/AAAAAAAANC4/SN0Et2791Qg/s1600-h/P10309683.jpg"><img alt="P1030968" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-djctZvQ0idY/U3zvodEBPnI/AAAAAAAANDA/6DIcq2sM0HM/P1030968_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030968" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eYQKCcXAS1U/U3zvqgQF3xI/AAAAAAAANDI/rTbFge9Pc-Q/s1600-h/P10309693.jpg"><img alt="P1030969" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iMvH4GHe08U/U3zvsK902WI/AAAAAAAANDQ/qqKdLICBOJY/P1030969_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030969" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Kgn6vCNatAs/U3zvt-iou0I/AAAAAAAANDY/uWA_T9nIkIg/s1600-h/P10309713.jpg"><img alt="P1030971" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-l443dnGi2ds/U3zvug1W_7I/AAAAAAAANDg/0szN3y-XApU/P1030971_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030971" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Back in the day, there were many huge trees logged,very few remain today!~</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jdH3jRx66ek/U3zv0V-_1MI/AAAAAAAANDs/tehQ_eQgmu8/s1600-h/P10309744.jpg"><img alt="P1030974" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BovUZMPbZbg/U3zv2ZoBIYI/AAAAAAAAND0/m5I0a2uuNOM/P1030974_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="484" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030974" width="364" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IZNQCv_VSdI/U3zv4skbO9I/AAAAAAAAND8/YLjhfuvYKg0/s1600-h/P10309754.jpg"><img alt="P1030975" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bItj8tOJeo8/U3zv8EcDE7I/AAAAAAAANEE/U1VTo_lzJvs/P1030975_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="484" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1030975" width="644" /></a>Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-2157406335504348332014-05-10T20:46:00.000-05:002014-05-21T11:32:56.343-05:00Lava Beds National Monument<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kZc7GZAgEws/U3vdZkHWe1I/AAAAAAAAML8/5zS0LiPRbcw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kZc7GZAgEws/U3vdZkHWe1I/AAAAAAAAML8/5zS0LiPRbcw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM.JPG" height="200" width="198" /></a>In the extreme northern part of CA is a very interesting national monument. Thename implies something more along the lines of the El Malpais lava beds of NM, so I almost blew past this spectacular spot. I got into the Park late one evening to find a very crowded campground. In fact, I got the last space, good thing I was in the truck camper - I don't believe our 21ft trailer would have fit with room for the truck also. There was a bus-load of college kids there with their geology teacher doing a field trip.<br />
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So, what I thought was going to be just another rumble through lava beds turned out to be a totally different experience. Yes many, many lava tube caves! About 20 of which are open to the public.<br />
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The first "recommended" cave was the Mushpot, because it is the only one that is lighted. Yes, that's right all the rest you're own your own and you'd better have at least two sources of light. It's pitch black in there once you get a few tens of yards from any opening. So, can you tell why it's named Mushpot by looking at<br />
the formation at the entrance to the cave.<br />
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It was nice to have the first one lighted, to give one a feel for what's to come, although the rest were "rough" paths, no nice smooth trails.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyJQJ_DfvAU/U3vfDw59UwI/AAAAAAAAMP4/URSRK_iajKk/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM-010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyJQJ_DfvAU/U3vfDw59UwI/AAAAAAAAMP4/URSRK_iajKk/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM-010.JPG" height="176" width="320" /></a>Coming out of Mushpot, I was shocked that it was snowing fairly heavily. I had walked the mile up from the campground and did bring a wind breaker. Right outside on the path was a big hunk of local obsidian.<br />
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By the time I walked another half mile to the entrance of the next cave the snow was starting to build up a bit. But nice to be in the caves where it was much warmer, and protection from the wet snow.<br />
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This one was recommended because you enter one end, go about 3/4mile underground, then pop out at the "Upper Entrance", <br />
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The trip through got pretty tight in places, many you have to duck down pretty far, but none where so low as to force a crawl. Interestingly in the four caves I did, I never saw another person. I did cut my headlight off a couple of times, pretty spooky in there, plenty black. It would be impossible to crawl out, some of the "holes" were down rather than ahead!<br />
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The exit point is marked by an opening to the light and a lava arch.<br />
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The most interesting cave was this one, named for the golden color of the growths on the ceilings.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1lye_RuxBiw/U3viwVz0Q5I/AAAAAAAAMWI/WAqVSpA_VTI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM-025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1lye_RuxBiw/U3viwVz0Q5I/AAAAAAAAMWI/WAqVSpA_VTI/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Lava+Beds+NM-025.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The entry was very steep and tight. You have to duck your head way down while descending the ladder. <br />
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There were a couple of fellows coming out as I went in, we exchanged pictures.<br />
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<br />Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-79125902989578221822014-05-09T12:30:00.000-05:002014-05-21T13:22:12.426-05:00Along the Way!<p> </p> <p>Always interesting to see what folks come up with out here on the road!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xfFHXp9aTo0/U3zuvs7SYeI/AAAAAAAANAE/22VxiIUlEBw/s1600-h/Along-the-Way-13.jpg"><img title="Along the Way-1" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Along the Way-1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z2sICpoDkl0/U3zuw3__J-I/AAAAAAAANAM/4tidS2vrpig/Along-the-Way-1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nLxGlG_DQjo/U3zuzT4fsxI/AAAAAAAANAU/y1Yk6Gpo9Uc/s1600-h/Along-the-Way-33.jpg"><img title="Along the Way-3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Along the Way-3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9A4aqoM7QSo/U3zu0t9OYFI/AAAAAAAANAc/AiL7Gt1ba0w/Along-the-Way-3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-45573795930788762992014-05-09T09:00:00.000-05:002014-05-15T21:14:36.100-05:00MONO LAKE, CA<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBkG7CJnpE8/U3VxABcv4FI/AAAAAAAALw0/aLs4qtGnf60/s1600/Mono+Lake-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBkG7CJnpE8/U3VxABcv4FI/AAAAAAAALw0/aLs4qtGnf60/s1600/Mono+Lake-6.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a>When Kim & I were in Yosemite a few years back, I wanted to visit this place, but the passes from west to east were still closed, so we moved on south to Death Valley. <br />
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Nestled at the edge of the arid Great Basin and the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains in California, Mono Lake is an ancient saline lake that covers over 70 square miles and supports a unique and productive ecosystem. The lake has no fish; instead it is home to trillions of brine shrimp and alkali flies. Freshwater streams feed Mono Lake, supporting lush riparian forests of cottonwood and willow along their banks. Along the lakeshore, scenic limestone formations known as tufa towers rise from the water's surface. Millions of migratory birds visit the lake each year.<br />
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I came in from the south and east through a great high pass loaded with big fir and remnants of the logging era. Several interpretive plaques explained the role of the lake area in early wood production. Although all the "big" trees are long gone, there were a few older ones that were impressive.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nytkgQrnNXo/U3VxEI_0dhI/AAAAAAAALxQ/h-S6FbAmqVg/s1600/Mono+Lake-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nytkgQrnNXo/U3VxEI_0dhI/AAAAAAAALxQ/h-S6FbAmqVg/s1600/Mono+Lake-7.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />
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Further along the Tufa area appeared, a very interesting trail near the shore through all the formations!<br />
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I found a nice quiet County park on the north end of the lake, great place to boondock for the evening.<br />
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A three mile walk the next morning led me to a high plateau overlooking the lake, with a small community graveyard. Most headstones were either modest or "hand-made".<br />
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I did some birding that morning, predominantly robins & cowbirds, along with a few Wilson's warblers.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y6F7y6QiWI/U3Vwm9629vI/AAAAAAAALwE/hkZP9qBmcuY/s1600/Mono+Lake-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y6F7y6QiWI/U3Vwm9629vI/AAAAAAAALwE/hkZP9qBmcuY/s1600/Mono+Lake-23.jpg" height="100" width="400" /></a>Nearer the shore, I saw a few of those birds the lake is well known for:<br />
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Later that morning, I drove back along the highway and enjoyed even more the backdrop of the Sierras in the morning light!<br />
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<br />Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-13333667253185706352014-05-08T18:42:00.000-05:002014-05-15T18:42:57.994-05:00FIRST SNOW!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Decided to jump over to Hwy 395 which parallels the east side of the Sierras, great choice, probably one of the most scenic highways in the west.<br />
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Yosemite is just over the mountains!<br />
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Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-38497079211545954982014-05-08T15:29:00.000-05:002014-05-15T18:37:45.236-05:00Along the Road - Up Hwy 95 from VegasJust a few interesting sights:<br />
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An artist decided the outdoors must be graced with a nice place to sit, so this beautiful mosaic was the result!<br />
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MOre!Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1104359312061240948.post-45626194618829810932014-05-08T14:57:00.000-05:002014-05-15T15:19:25.598-05:00Rhyolite Ghost Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxlK_60On4U/U3UavM-EFzI/AAAAAAAALss/YJsvxFEp0XM/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Rhyolite+Ghost+Town-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxlK_60On4U/U3UavM-EFzI/AAAAAAAALss/YJsvxFEp0XM/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Rhyolite+Ghost+Town-13.jpg" height="258" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adOAtlhzGqI/U3UasVpkp5I/AAAAAAAALsU/m40TycfGcSw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Rhyolite+Ghost+Town-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adOAtlhzGqI/U3UasVpkp5I/AAAAAAAALsU/m40TycfGcSw/s1600/ALASKA+2014+Rhyolite+Ghost+Town-1.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a>Very interesting stop along the way, just east of Death Valley NP about 30 miles is this old ghost town that flourished between 1904 & 1908 then was abandoned after the short-lived gold was gone.</div>
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As one first enters town, you can't help but notice an interesting, more modern structure off to the right. Since Kim & I had done some bottle wall construction both at Mike Reynold's Earthship community, and on the Mermaid Cottage we worked on in Del Norte, CO, I had to take a closer look!<br />
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Walking up towards what appeared to be the main part of town the place was absolutely deserted!</div>
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It felt strange walking up what apparently was "Main St." with so little left now compared to the town at it's peak!<br />
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Kim and Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05294647942194101586noreply@blogger.com0