Monthly Archives: September 2013

Day 26: Hancock Field Station, Clarno, OR to Wyeth Campground, OR

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I went for an early morning ride today:

As we say in the Hancock song, “218, take me home…”

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The bustling metropolis that is Clarno, Oregon:

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We opted for the Aboriginal Skills class in the morning time slot.  I’m pretty sure our daughter is the only girl in her school that has used an atlatl:

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Some farewell photos:

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Flowers blooming thanks to a recent flash flood:

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I was sad to leave, but also glad to leave behind the sense that it was a long, long time ago when I was in my 20s.

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We decided to take the slightly longer but much flatter Columbia Gorge route to Portland.  We dumped tanks and refilled water at an RV park along the way for only three dollars!

In the gorge, we visited the Maryhill Stonehenge:

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After a brief visit to the grounds of the Maryhill Museum and a grocery stop in The Dalles, we stopped for the night at the Forest Service’s Wyeth Campground.  At only $10 a night, it was the cheapest option around.

We drove 135 miles today.   See the trip map for today’s drive and our current location.

Day 25: Hancock Field Station, Clarno, OR

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On Shabbos we hung around camp, and at night I helped out with the Astronomy program.  Sunday morning, we opted for one of the interpretive hikes.  Here’s our fearless guide:

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We talked primarily about all the special features the various plants we encountered have to allow them to thrive in the arid grasslands of Eastern Oregon.

We hiked to the top of the Palisades:

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I opted for the “pioneering explorer” stance in this photo:

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The contrast with the High Sierras was quite stark.  They’re both beautiful in my opinion:

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Fossils abounded.  Did I mention that Hancock Field Station is entirely surrounded by the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument?

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Hancock really is in the middle of nowhere:

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More fossils:

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B helped maintain the basketball court:

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In the afternoon, I taught a photography class.  Only two people attended, but no-one died of boredom, so it wasn’t a complete failure.

At sunset, we partook of a guided hike to Red Hill:

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So may memories are tied up in these hills:

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I’ll be helping out with the Astronomy program tonight, hopefully we will bring out the 16” Dobsonian.