Eastern Oregon, August 2007

We just got in the car one Saturday at around Noon and headed East. We hit Bend, Oregon and decided to go on towards Burns. It was a beautiful day and the closer we got to Burns, the more it became clear that our target destination was pretty much the only thing on the map out there- "Malheur Lake"! We spent the night at the Crystal Crane Hot Springs. Forty bucks was a small (the smallest around, actually) price to pay for NOT having to spend the night at some budget motel. Plus, we had access to the hot springs all night long! When I lost my ring in the pool it nearly ruined our trip, but our host had a spotlight that saved the day!

I've lived in the Portland, Oregon area all my life. It's so beautiful here and an hour or two of driving gets us to the Pacific Ocean in West, snow-covered Mt. Hood in the East, deserts to the East and South of the mountain, and forests pretty much everywhere else!

In this top row of photos, you can see the landscape change as we leave the forests of the Willamette Valley and get into some desert country. The final photo shows the hot springs.

A few ant photos as we pulled over to see what's what. Black and red ants, blending in well with all the fire obsidian that covered the ground in the area

We arrive at the Visitors' Center at Lake Malheur- hummingbirds, a bunny and a pretty flower on a pretty girl. A badger gives me a scare!

A few photos of me at lake's edge and some antelope, cows and bugs in the general area.

more area bugs...

Heading North from Burns, Oregon to John Day, Oregon, we stop at some creeks that wind along the scenic roadway.

The hills around John Day, a fossilized cicada at the John Day Visitor's Center and a drive home towards the setting sun.