9. Oregon

Day 28: Saturday, August 17

Slept very well at Humbug Mountain SP, enjoyed a good shower, lingered over breakfast and didn't get going until 10:00 AM. By then the morning fog had burned off (mostly) and I got some good shots of the coastline in southern Oregon.

Spent most of the day driving on US 101 northbound. The scenery from the CA/OR stateline to about Bandon is incredibly beautiful. Frankly, the central Oregon coast doesn't have much scenic beauty to offer and it isn't worth putting up with tacky tourist attractions and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Jumped off US 101 and headed for Salem on SR 18 and SR 22.

Just west of town found the Eola Bend RV resort, where $20 got me a parking lot-type pull-through site with water, sewer, electricity, and cable TV. No fire ring or picnic table, but a key to the heated pool and the whirlpool.

Was on the road for 250 miles and 5 1/2 hours. Bought gasoline for $1.579/gal and averaged 16.5 mpg on the last tank. Temperatures were in the fifties during the night and stayed in the sixties while I was driving along the coast. Inland they climbed into the eighties before dropping down to the mid-sixties after sunset.

Day 29: Sunday, August 18

Didn't get out of bed until 800 AM. Leisurely breakfast, including fried eggs, and a long shower in the excellent bathhouse. Was on the road by 10:00 AM, headed for Salem. Drove around downtown and the capitol section. Nothing terribly impressive.

Found my way to I-5 for the short drive to Portland. Ended up at Mark and Tara's by noon, and was greeted especially enthusiastically by Circe, their Siberian husky. She certainly remembered me and, I guess, I brought back memories of the happy times she had in Mountain Lakes.

Drove just 56 miles today, was on the road for all of 1 1/2 hours.

Had a great time just sitting around, talking, listening, catching up.

Tara

Mark

Circe

Day 31: Tuesday, August 18

Was ready to roll by 8:00 AM to start the eastbound leg of this loop around the country. Stopped at a nearby Safeway to restock the pantry, then headed out on I-84. Jumped off to take US 26 south, driving through the Mt. Hood National Forest. Unfortunately, low clouds covered the mountain. There were a few moments of sunshine as I approached Madras, but it started to rain again before I got to Bend.

My plan for today had been to do a scenic loop to the south and west of Bend to visit Cascades Lake and swing around Mt. Bachelor. However, with the rain and clouds, decided against it and headed straight east on US 20, the Central Oregon Highway, to Burns.

This highway is a straight line (with a few kinks) through Oregon's High Desert. 130 miles, two rest areas, one filling station, a total of less than 20 houses, if that many. Altitude fluctuating betwenn 4,200' and 4,800'. View of distant buttes. Not much going on, hard to believe that this was prime ranching country about a hundred years ago. One rancher is reported to have owned one million acres of land, and one million heads of cattle.

By the time I got to Burns I had had it for the day, even 'though I had been on the road for only a little more than 6 hours and 300 miles. Slipped into the very comfortable Burns RV Park, where $21 got me a fairly level site with water, electricity, sewer, and cable TV. The office is modem friendly, so was able to download e-mail.

Bought gasoline in Bend for $1.519/gal. Got 17.4 mpg on the last tank.

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