Michelle and Bjorn's roadtrip photo essay - Day 5

It was time to turn our attention to how we were going to get home. I knew I wanted to show Michelle the lava fields at Sisters and we both wanted to be back Friday night. We had two days to find our way home.

So we headed straight west and up to the lava fields.

When Jerry and I passed through in August we went East to West and never stopped at the eastern edge of the fields. Michelle and I made it our first stop.

At the edge:


A great view from some of the rocks and shale pushed to the edge of the lavaflow



I hiked along this edge of the lava fields for a bit to get some additional photos and to get closer to the actual edge


It's truly like something from another planet, with the odd plant trying to gain a foothold as the only life to be seen.


After a while it was time to hike back to the car and drive on. We pulled in at the observatory, build entirely out of lava rock. The climb up is pretty short and Michelle was not far behind


They build little cutouts to point out the peaks surrounding the lava fields

This day the sisters were hiding in the clouds and we never did get a good look.



Another view from the inside


At the top is a large cast disk to also point out the peaks


One more of Michelle


There are a couple of pockets of trees, basically islands in the original flow


We checked out some of the informational boards, but really, there isn't very much to say -- it's all dead.


One final set of photos, the eternal game of colour


... vs. black and white


After this we did stop once more, but I shot medium format film only and as per the previous post, that's not developed yet :)

It was amazing how tight the road felt in Michelle's small car, when compared to riding it on a motorbike. The descent was fun, but I was of course concerned about oncoming traffic. Unless you've driven the road it's hard to describe.

After a good lunch we went off to explore, got onto some small gravel roads I was unwilling to risk going further on and eventually decided to take the major highways to I-5 and to head north.

Some shopping and a late dinner and we had a fairly full day.

I'll have some final thoughts for the Day 6 post, but this is pretty much it for scenic photos. Hope you've enjoyed it.

Bjorn

Michelle and Bjorn's roadtrip photo essay - Day 4

We started the day heading south from The Dalles. The weather was starting to look a bit uncertain, but we were hoping for the best.

As we headed into the desert, the volcanoes were left behind


Two takes


Michelle was great at spotting signs and pulling in to check it out. This time we found a great small set of waterfalls and an abandoned hydro project.

I found the decay more interesting than the waterfalls themselves








Michelle for scale on the right


We went further east. The route was the smallest roads we found on the map. It's really an excellent approach if you want to see what an area of the world is truly like. No one ever learned much on the interstate.

Burnt desert


After some very lonely miles, we ended up in Shaniko and grabbed some snacks

I like stopping and spending some money at the small, out of the way stores. If we want these places to continue to exist, we have to spend money there.

We didn't stay long and drove south into Antelope


Unlike my trip a few years ago where I saw deer outside Antelope, this time we actually saw 3 antelope. We were too far for me to get a decent photo.

The scenery continued to change. Still desert, but now with more trees ;)


John Day - Clarno, Palisade cliffs


What an absolutely stunning place. We hiked up to the very bottom of the cliffs.


I think I could have spend weeks photographing there... if it hadn't been for the heat


Swallows nests and petrified tree


Untitled


The power of water - The Arch

I finally broke out the ultra wide angle lens for this shot.

Michelle taking a break and enjoying the view


Fighting vertigo


Rock ... no leaf ... Rock-leaf


Who's watching who?


We stopped in the town of Fossil for a bite to eat

... and had quite an interesting server. She seemed glad to have some new people to tell her stories to.

Apparently the gentleman from the to left corner of the mural walked past while we had lunch.


A very small pickup truck pulled up and more people got out of it than should have. The two younger ones were 'hunkered down' under the low canopy, lying on the truck bed. It looked to be an uncomfortable way to travel. These were some of the folks


Main street was not exactly busy.


Michelle waiting patiently while I tried to get a certain shot.

I never did get one I was happy with. It happens :)

A sign of what's to come.


I think the mountain in the foreground looks a bit like a dinosaurs back.


Lone rider.


The painted hills ... in black & white?

You need to take a chance now and then. I still think it's an interesting photo.

But, most of you will enjoy the colour versions more. I'm glad I got another opportunity to visit here. It's a pretty amazing place. We got rained on a bit, but not enough to matter. It did keep the snakes out from under out feet :)


I worked on the processing to try and make it looked like it looked to me. The software wants to go wild with the colours.


We took a bit of a hike and I was almost as intrigued with the dead trees as with the 'main attraction'


The view people come to see




A different angle with a bit different "treatment"


Abstract


If you look carefully, you can see the road we drove in on in the background.


Did I mention I enjoyed the dead trees quite a bit as well?


After this we went to a different spot and hiked a bit more. I shot some film (black & white) but it's not developed and scanned yet.

Then it was west to Prineville, not a place I enjoy visiting very much. But it got dark and we were ready to rest.

What an amazing day.

Bjorn