Oregon Road Trip

 We took a much-needed vacation after the occupancy inspection, and explored a corner of Oregon unfamiliar to us. We explored just a little bit of the Elkhorn, Wallowa, and Blue mountain areas. 

Cows out in the middle of nowhere. I think they were social distancing. 

Sumpter, Oregon had some interesting history, including this gigantic dredge. 

It is as big as a hotel!

This thing was worked constantly around the clock. Can you imagine the noise echoing through the hills? It dug up more than $4 million dollars of gold. The dredge started in the Powder River, but machinery this big could dig its own river channel, so it was always making its own place to float in. It was helpful to see this first before going down river, because it explained the strange heaps of rock everywhere!

After so much construction experience, the inside of this monster was very interesting to look at. 

As if we were visiting a foreign country, we came across mysterious road signs. I still don't know what this means. 

Part of the Lostine River 

Wallowa Mountains. 

The Lostine River

Wallowa Lake

Such a beautiful part of Oregon! We wish we could have stayed much longer. 

On the way home we saw interesting geology near Monument.

It wasn't all bleak!

I often say that other places "look like Oregon" but at this point, Oregon was looking like Texas where temperatures were concerned. It wasn't long before a river was found, and then plunged into by the travelers!