KO and the Turk: Bend has Food, Oregon has Volcanoes!

We looked forward to Bend's food and hiking culture. At the end of May, hiking was opening up as the snow was melting. Hard to believe coming from Florida that there would be snow in low mountains on Memorial Day. But we found out, the hard way.

BEND!!!

Mcmenamins converted school - now a complex with whisky bar!

Resident Alien

fancy coffee, croissant

seen at farmers market

ancient Guinness at brewery

delish breakfast sandy

The hike to Tumalo Falls opened THAT MORNING! Trails werent yet cleared from winter and snow prevented hiking further than the 3rd falls. We found this out when we encountered an early hiker making her way back down. She said, just keep going because its worth it, and is hikeable to the 3rd falls. Otherwise, we'd stopped much sooner

heading to Tumalo Falls

Tumalo Falls

snows!

Falls #2

buttes around Bend

watcher of water

Mt Hood

We drove over to Sisters OR, a cowboyish town. Good eatin'! Beautiful scenery! Best almond croissant on the trip.

scenery along the drive

great food truck park

delish brisket

Imposing Barbershop - no walkins allowed!

Dino- mascot with Turk's glasses

the town of Sisters

South from Bend, we headed to the Volcano Scenic Highway. First park was Newberry Volcanic Monument. Newberry volcano, the largest in the Cascades. Started erupting 500,000 years ago, massive lava flows over 1200 sq miles with over 400 cinder cones. The last eruption was 1300 years ago. I LOVE volcanoes!

up to Lava Butte

erupted 7000 yrs ago, 9 sq mi lava flow below

looking into the cinder cone

lava flow!

Then we headed south into northern CA to Lava Beds National Monument near Tule Lake (sounds familiar because Tule Lake is the site of a Japanese Internment Camp from WWII).

Lava formed volcanic vents, underwhich are caves and lava tubes

stairs down to lava tube

inside a lava tube

Have you ever been stuck in the snow, in a remote-no cell service-area, as the day is wrapping up? Well, the Turk and I can answer YES!

I didn't get the clues that our googlemap road was isolated. It was paved, so... we didn't think the snow patch was a big deal, and we had an SUV, sooo. Ends up, this SUV is no higher than a sedan. And, the locals know the road is closed into mid June.

Thank goodness I finally got a 911 connection. While waiting the hour and half for sheriff, a nice German couple drove up in their RV and tried to help us dig the car out, with sticks. No success, but they made us nice hot tea and coffee.

Finally Modoc county Sheriff Jason Ferris arrived, surveyed the situation and proclaimed we had a problem. He did try digging out snow with his shovel, and we got to play with his K9 german Shepard, but car didn't budge. Seems we'd wedged the frame with packed snow and ice. The wheels didn't even touch the ground !

Officer Ferris called the tow truck guy. Hour and half later, a bear of a guy driving a flashing monster of a truck appears, surveys the situation and says, I've got this. And he did.

I sat in the SUV driver's seat, ready to slam on brakes when we got free, so I wouldn't hit the truck. The car fought any movement. I thought-youve got to be kidding! Then, pow! -we broke free, I hit the brake once we were out of the snow patch. And, $700 later, we were on the road...the right road, in the dark with a full moon lighting our way.