It’s time to rise and shine at 8am. It’s not hard this time of year as the sun was up hours before us. While cooking breakfast this morning I taught Sabrina the finer points of heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation. I think she got it, or at least she was happy it works and made her oatmeal hot, although she’d eat it cold as well. Today Sabrina got to ride up front and was quite happy about it. While offroad at slower speeds I feel it’s ok for her to get a better view of the world. The day started without a cloud in the sky and signs that it’ll be a warm one. Spirits were up in camp this morning.
We broke camp around 10am and headed east to a great view point over the Warner Valley. Stepping out of the truck we were assaulted with the aroma of fresh sage brush and a variety of wild flowers on the short walk to the viewpoint (pictured at left). Leon told us how the lakes will fill and spill from south to north every 10 years or so, depending on rainfall. Otherwise, the more northern lakes are left dry and mud caked most years. He also mentioned this area hadn’t seen cougars (mountain lions) until 15 years ago.
The Defender in full camping form
Onward Eastbound brought us through the Antelope Wildlife Refuge where we stopped to spot a large buck and stopped to use Leon’s scope. The Steens Mountains were looming larger and larger as we made tracks into Frenchglen, a small one shop town which thankfully had fuel. Frenchglen is an interesting, laid back town with one fuel pump/mercantile/place to get ice cream. Ice cream at every stop became a quick theme with Sabrina and I, we wer eon vacation.
We waited at Frenchglen for a few hours while Kevan met up with the group and Leon and Norm went to find a ranch owner to let us stay for the night. The mosquitos were getting pretty bad in town and when the sun made it past the stately maples lining the main street the temps really started climbing. Around 3pm Norm and Leon came back with a place for us to stay for the night: Hammond Ranch, a 430,000+ acre ranch about 8 miles North of town.
Tony and the full moon. The popcorn didn't make it.
The spot was great! The camp was right on a private lake with views to the mountains and a slight breeze to keep most mosquitos away, but not for long. As people settled in to camp a lot of food was cooked up over various manner of stoves and campfire. We gathered around the fire when the sun went down and listened to a number of poems from Leon. Having a real cowboy poet around a campfire out on the plains was a special experience I loved sharing with Sabrina and friends. And today was Father’s Day! What a great way to spend it, short of having my own Dad there.
