Waimea Canyon, Hanapepe Swinging Bridge, Kauai Coffee tour

Day 1: Swimming!

Getting to Hawaii

Burney Falls

Our third waterfall "hike" was our favorite and a place called "The Eighth Wonder of the World" by Theodore Roosevelt. We took a detour from Dunsmuir, looping east around Highway 89 & 299 with a stop mid-way through at the McArthur-Burney Falls state park. Although it was hot (over 100) and busy, we escaped the crowds by walking the loop trail from the lake, across the river, and then back up to the top of the falls. Since the waterfall originates from underground lakes (see the left and right of the two large flows for how the water escapes from deep rocks), the water is constantly 49 degrees. And it felt like it! We all dipped our feet in until our toes turned numb. A last hurrah was grabbing ice cream from the main store & sending out a couple of post cards before zooming home.

Dunsmuir Railroad Park Resort

Our last night accommodations, a Southern Pacific railcar overlooking the stream and pool.

Sahalie Falls

Another great watefall stop, this time an even shorter hike off Highway 126.

McKenzie Pass - Highway 242

The McKenzie Pass highway makes a scenic loop, stretching east from downtown Sisters, up Highway 126, and circles back on Highway 20 East. Our first stop was at the "observatory" which is more a lookout made by found volcanic rock on the ridge of the mountain pass. Six miles before Hwy 126, we stopped at Proxy Falls for the short & scenic hike to a huge waterfall (the pictures don't do it justice). We could climb part way up, but spent most of our time hopping rocks below, eating lunch, and doing the "polar bear challenge", seeing if you can stand dunking your face in the water for 5 seconds...a 5th grade camp game, apparently.

Fourth of July

We spent the fourth at downtown Bend for the annual Pets Parade. True to the billing, anything and everything took part: mostly dogs, but also horses, chickens, goats, lizards, turtles, cows, geese, and rats. And as with every year, so we were told, the parade ended with a flying dog suspended twenty feet in the air by balloons. Afterwards, we met some friends who own a restaurant downtown, and then skipped the festival by the waterfront to get hydration and lunch at the McMenamins. That was it for us -- the Pilot Butte fireworks weren't until 10pm, and we heard the best part was watching the firemen put out the fires that always start around the butte. 

Horseback Riding!

Taco Tuesday...but on a Wednesday

Ochoco Reservoir

Since our tennis this morning was rained out by a thunderstorm (continued from last night's dramatic show), we headed east for more rock collecting. This time it was the Ochoco Reservoir that required several passes before we found the unmarked road, and spoke to one couple just leaving the area. A short 4-wheel drive up the hill and shorter uphill climb lead us to the rock piles containing jasper...red, green and smooth where other people had chipped away pieces. At several places, we could feel the cool air rushing from hidden caves beneath the ground and all the while heard the advancing thunder storm.