01OCT07 - LaPine, OR

On Monday we continued down old US Highway 97 to LaPine, Oregon. This route and destination was also recommended by Bonnie and Steve Kiesel. A portion of 97 is a designated Oregon scenic byway. It also passes through the semi deserted “ghost town” of Shaniko. Dan remembered this place from a previous cross country trip with Corrie and the kids. So we stopped to find that not much has changed in close to 20 years, even though there are few more people in town and even a RV park. Dan even found the hundred year old jail where he took pictures of the incarcerated kids.

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/or/shaniko.html

LaPine is located in the high desert country of Oregon and on the edge the Newberry National Volcano Monument. After setting up camp, Dan took off in the toad to explore the Volcano Monument. Turns out this time of the year the Monument is only open Wed-Sun, before closing for the season. Therefore, the visitor center, the ice caves, the lava tunnel, etc, would not be open during our two day stay. However, the road into the south end of the monument and up to Pauline and East Lakes was open. So Dan drove the 18 miles up it and discovered a couple of inches of new snow on the ground. He even had to turn around on one of the snow covered roads, not wanting to get stuck.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/newberrynvm/

Meanwhile back at camp, Corrie was cooking up some white tail deer filets. Turns out on our departure from the Kiesels, that Steve loaded us up with deer, elk, and antelope, steaks, ground meat, pepperoni sticks and sausage. After our adventure crossing the Canadian/USA border, we can’t wait until we are stopped by USA Fish and Game!