Barry & Joyce's Adventures: July 11, 2013

06/18/2013

Our time here at Smith Rock is flying by way too fast. It seems like just yesterday that we arrived and it already past the middle of June.

Folks painting at Smith Rock

We have been pretty busy for the past couple of weeks. Joyce and I both had doctor appointments at Bend Memorial Clinic. I had a "procedure" done and Joyce met her new doctor then got a full physical. I have a physical scheduled on 10 July as well.

In addition to all of that, we visited our dentist for the annual check-ups and cleanings and I got some new glasses.

07/04/2013

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Jim and Jeanne Glaspey came over to visit us on Friday. They had just purchased a brand new 40' Fuzion 5th wheel toy hauler and were out for their break-in voyage.

Smith Rock RV Park. Call for reservations.

Our co-hosts, Jerry & Marylyn Howlett work on the Rim-Trail railings. They are having way to much fun!

I had an amazing experience the other day. Our nesting Bald Eagles have two chicks in the nest that we have to check on every day. When I walked out to the rim to check on them, I saw that one of the chicks had fledged, leaving the other one still in the nest. The male adult was perched on a rock near the top of the canyon rim. The female then flew back toward the nest with a mouse in her talon's, flew around the nest several times and then flew to the rim where she landed and started calling the chick still in the nest. He still didn't fly so the female gave up and then took the mouse back to the nest.

Last year we were talking about going to Alaska but put it off one more year due to the high cost of fuel. So now we're talking about going next summer. Although this trip is in the initial planning stages, we hope to leave Smith Rock next July, do the Alcan Highway, then visit Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Anchorage, Homer and Seward. We want to be back in the Bend area no later than September 15th, give or take a few days.

At this stage of planning, we have decided to store our home and buy either a small trailer or cab-over camper. We want to have the option of camping in Provincial parks in Canada and State Parks in Alaska which, in most cases, would not be possible with our Landmark 5'er.

07/08/2013

The evening of the 4th all the hosts had been asked to be out in the park making sure that no one sets off any fireworks. Since it has been so hot and dry in Central Oregon any little spark could cause a fire and would most likely spread rapidly in the high winds we were experiencing.

After checking cars in the parking lots for passes, we drove down to the north end to visit with Jerry and Marilyn for a few minutes. I then got a call on my private cell phone that there was a fire near the entrance to our large parking lot. We headed down that way, me driving as fast as our old Gator would go and Joyce on the phone with the 911 operator.

The fire was spreading very rapidly with trees erupting like Roman Candles and flames climbing up the telephone pole. Of course we couldn't fight the fire ourselves so we just stopped cars and prayed that the fire department would get there soon, which they did.

The two "hot shots" got the fire contained in very short order. They were joined by a Oregon State Trooper, two Deschutes County Sheriff officers and a short time later by two more fire trucks from Redmond.

While the firemen were getting that fire out, another one broke out about 100 yards to the south. They quickly got that one under control as well.

So, what caused the fires? Someone intentionally set it with a firework. After the fire was out, we found the "grenade" laying exactly where the fire started.

07/11/2013

On Tuesday we had planned to spend the day in Sisters, OR. However, after having lunch we decided to make the drive over the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway (Hwy 242).

This is the first time we have been over this highway and I can tell you that the views of the mountains are spectacular! At the summit of McKenzie Pass is the Dee Wright Observatory and a "must stop" on the highway. Hint: take a flashlight with you. The plaques in the Observatory are very hard to read in the low light.

Mt. Washington. The burned trees are from the fire that burned in 2003.