Day 24 – Redmond OR

It was another touring day, not quite as wonderful as yesterday, but still rather pleasant. We left the RV at 9:30 and got on the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. The first part of the drive was similar to yesterday – ascending through Deshutes National Forest up to Mt Bachelor. That was a really pretty drive. We have seen lots of bicyclists on all of our drives. Our first stop was at Soda Creek with a meadow vista, South Sister mountain, and Soda Creek meandering through the meadow. An older gentleman was dipping his feet in the creek. He said he was trying to see if the cold water would cause an old man a coronary!

The prettiest lake we saw was Devils Lake. We stopped at the Elk Lake Forest Guard Station built in 1929. Guards helped the rangers with various activities. Today it is staffed by volunteers who spend the summer here helping tourists. The gentleman who was there answered lots of questions and volunteered the info that they can sleep ON the bed in the station but not IN it, so he and his wife sleep in sleeping bags. We think it would be fun to spend the summer like that.

We continued on around to the Elk Lake Resort which was a small boat launch, restaurant, cabins, and gas. We got gas, and went a little further to the ‘beach’ on the lake where we had our picnic. The lake is quite pretty with Mt Bachelor looming over the far shore. We stopped at Lava Lake and then Cultus Lake Resort. The term resort has a much different meaning on this drive. They are usually small wood main building with wood cabins around, but the lake setting is quite pretty. Cultus Lake was the prettiest with lovely landscaping and summer flowers. The view of the lake was pretty. Bill wanted some dessert so we shared a piece of apple pie and then headed off again.

We were about maxed out on lakes and drive, so we cut across to US 97 and back to Redmond. We did make one more stop – the Crooked River Gorge and Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic viewpoint – just north of Redmond. Bill had found this the other day when he had gone to the fossil fields. It was pretty impressive! A smaller version of Royal Gorge in Colorado. Besides the beautiful view, I was totally impressed with the signs in the parking lot saying “Warning: Hazardous Cliff. Many dogs have died here. Put your dog back in the vehicle!” The 300’ vertical cliff did have a concrete wall, but I could see dogs escaping.

We finally made it back to the RV about 4:30. Seven hours on the road tired both of us out, but Bill headed over to the arena for tonight’s entertainment: some Jimmy Buffett tribute band. I decided to pass on that!