by Sharon O | Aug 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
The experience in this place was not easy to forget.
First of all one has to drive out of Baker up to a high altitude to see the setting.
The journey through the Oregon trail for those who had to come by wagon trains and horse back had to have been intensely rough.
The roads are rugged, the landscape harsh. The water not easy to find.
The goal was to get to Oregon. It was a monumental task for all involved.
There was death, and loss and heavy intensive struggles and I couldn’t imagine going that far with no fresh food, no water, no bathrooms or showers.
We are spoiled in the sense of those thoughts. It was a journey for sure that took many months and many hardships for them.
There were two parts of the story. The white man’s part and the American Indians part. I was struck with the Indian history mostly because we met them on their lands.
It was a fiercely fought war and many died. It was hard for me to understand.
So much death and so much at stake and for so little, back then.
The landscape is so barren and so hot and full of sage brush and empty territory.
One had to have an imagination why, they traveled to come this way to the Oregon trail, from many states away ending up in Oregon City, Oregon.
The day was cooler for us and it gave me a ‘thought’ of how this must have been for the many who were traveling by wagon train and by foot.
The museum is well worth one’s time spent, we went in not knowing what to expect and came out close to 5 hours later fully aware of the hardships of the people.
So beautiful, so barren, so empty of life.
So much filled the hearts of those who were traveling for a better land and a better life, with so much hope, so much sadness all filled in one trip.
If you wish to read more on the topic, I am sure any local library or even online searching would tell you much more of the journey of the Oregon Trail.
by Sharon O | Aug 3, 2016 | Uncategorized
We stayed in Union Creek campground from Saturday the 16th of July to the 18th of July. We were able to see some fun ‘little critters’ and also journey around the area without our trailer with us. Larry got some really cute pictures of this little squirrel.
At night Sharon and I were sitting at the camp ground and we had a ‘osprey’ fly over our heads. He was actually a bit scary, he was so close to us.
We thought it was an owl or even maybe a bat but it was an osprey and it was hunting from the waters edge.
The next day we were planning on going to the Oregon trail interpretive center in Baker, Oregon. It is the kind of museum we all loved seeing and we were excited to spend some time in it before our trip actually began.
I didn’t know what to expect. Sometimes museums are a bit boring for me, I like history but it also has to have interesting scenes or pictures and a reality I can grab a hold of emotionally. I was hoping not to be disappointed.
by Sharon O | Aug 2, 2016 | Uncategorized
We had planned for many months and tried to think of the many ways we could go on this trip. My husband and his sister did most of the planning and we also wanted to leave a little bit of room for change or play. It ended up being a 2,840 mile trip.
We saw many lovely barren landscapes. Many points of interest and even a few mountain goats and cows in our road. It was a hot season, next time we might try for a cooler month, it was also buggy at times. Again a different season would help.
We began in Oregon and then moved forward to Idaho then even moved forward to Montana and then back to Idaho and then back to Oregon.
It was a lot of driving, some playing and some sleeping.
When we went down the ‘The gorge’ as they call it in Oregon.
We saw a lot of wind turbines, they are pretty awesome I think.
Large and not too obnoxious in looks.
Some people feel they ruin the beauty of the landscape but I can think of much worse things to look at.
Our first night we were heading to Union Creek campground in Baker, County.
It was the beginning of many long stays ahead of us.
We had our trailer, the other part of our team had a tent, and with both guys driving we managed to cover many miles.
The adventure continued for two more weeks.
Our trailer has a built in awning with a light inside. At night we would turn the soft light on and then have a campfire and it set up the rest of the ending of our day … till the next one began.
by Sharon O | Aug 1, 2016 | Uncategorized
We left for a two week vacation.
It was hot, very hot, but we had a safe drive and a good time.
I took lot’s of pictures, along with my husband. For the next few weeks I will be sharing them, so stay tuned.
It is a lot of filtering through the ‘most’ shareable ones and then writing about where we were at the time. I really hope I don’t lose your interest.
We started in Oregon then moved from there to Idaho then into Montana and then back home again. The weather was mostly in the 90’s with some relief at night. We were in our trailer and my husbands sister and her husband were in a tent.
We have many adventure stories to tell and many ‘good sights’ to share.
We named our ‘old black car’ Gibbs and the trailer Gabby.
Two reasons, we like the name Gibbs and I kept chatting to my husband while he was trying to drive in unknown territory.
So the name is a for sure thing.
by Sharon O | Jun 29, 2016 | Uncategorized
During one of our ‘travel days’ while we were staying in Florence we drove to a place known as Shore Acres.
It is beautiful to visit and take pictures and hike around. There is a trail that leads down to a very private beach.
We went there a few years ago and really wanted to go back and see it again.
This visit brought more tourist visitors, we were not sure why since it was in the middle of the week.
We were anticipating less people but it wasn’t bad, maybe a dozen were on the beach the same time we were.
The grounds around Shore acres have water falls, and beautiful flowers planted like a English garden.
Very beautiful.
When walking around the grounds you will notice there are a variety of roses, dahlia’s, perennial plants, all surrounded by carefully cut box woods.
It is a beautiful site to see and I have heard that at Christmas time it is even MORE outstanding.
On one side of the gardens there is a gate that leads down the path to the beach.
I loved the many picture taking opportunities it gave us as we went down the trail.
They have stairs that are pretty easy to navigate.
I always look for blog pictures and see if they can help tell a story or two.
As you walk the path if you listen really close you can hear ‘wild’ sea lions barking like a pack of dogs.
There is a place alongside the mountain you can climb while on an over look to see and experience them in the natural habitat.
We did that last time we were there, but this time neither one of us wanted to walk the uneven trail.
The beach is so pretty. The mountainside so rugged.
The beach has a drop off I have not walked out to it but it is there, I am sure of it.
Where the beach is higher than the water.
We want to go back when we can see the Christmas lighting and all the festivities in the park.
We have heard it is amazing and beautiful with thousands of lights and decorations surrounding the grounds.
Perhaps next year I can post some ‘holiday lights’ to show you the beauty of this wonderful place.
