Taking The Long Way Home

 Oregon to Arizona - Summer 2020

The year 2020 has been plagued with Covid-19, causing financial and mental hardships throughout the Country and Oregon had another obstacle to deal with - Fires! (and other western States also)  

As we were getting close to heading back to Arizona we began to experience the smoke coming in from the California fires plus in the same week, a number of fires ignited in Oregon and Southern Washington adding to the already smoky air.

Our last day with relatives was September 9th (my birthday). The celebration was dinner at River's Edge Restaurant. We sat on the outside patio as the Rogue River flowed by to add to the ambiance by playing the background sound of water rapids. We ate like Kings & Queens and it was a great day and we all had a good time. Cheers!

The next morning it was time to start the adventure home. We found out that most places were being effected by fires or smoke from the fires. So the photos do not display the real beauty of the areas as we spent most of our travels in very dense smoke filled skies.

 

Leaving Grants Pass - Very smoky

We still found unique stops along the way, smoke or no smoke.  I had planned out a couple of geocaching stops along the way that turned out to be fun interesting stops.

Geocache stop: Found the geocache in a nearby tree in front of this old barn with sheep in the field and one llama on guard.  This is where we learned that a llama's natural instinct is to protect their territory and have an ability to bond with the sheep making llamas naturally effective at standing guard. This huge guy was laying down but as soon as we were closer to the fence he came to check us out and say hi... he seemed to like us.

As we made our way out to the coast a couple of things we like to do seem to be common to the same locations... we like to check out the coastal lighthouses and they seem to have geocaches at or near them.  

The Umpqua River Lighthouse located at Winchester Bay, OR was built in 1894 and stands 65 feet tall with a lens weighing 2 tons that can be seen for 19 miles.

Umpqua River Ligthouse

Current Museum and cafe, near lighthouse which use to be a coastguard station

While stopping on the side of road for a geocache we were surprised by this view of the Heceta Head Lighthouse just north of Florence OR.  Even through the smoke you can see the flash of the lens in the lighthouse.  We're not lost!

Heceta Head Lighthouse in the fog...no, smoke !

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon was built in 1871 and restored in 1996.  It is the oldest structure in Newport and the only historic wooden Oregon lighthouse still standing.  

Yaquina Bay lighthouse

We enjoyed a night at Newport, Oregon with beachfront accommodations. We even slept with the window partially open just to hear the roar of the Pacific Ocean as our 'lo-la-by'. Newport is known for its beautiful beaches, aquarium, old town and pier districts.  Yes - there were a number of geocaches to be found.

Newport Bridge

Boat going out to the ocean from the old harbor area

One big happy family until one of them tries to move.

 Well, it was time to start heading inland and home as we had to make directional changes daily as the quick fire flare ups closed roads and towns throughout Oregon.  Having to leave the coast, the majority of our route was straight east on State Route 30 from eastern Oregon through Idaho & Wyoming.  This route followed much of the original wagon track of the Oregon Trail, which took us by old bridges, waterfalls, deep canyons and bubbling brooks.  Below is a fast track of photos of our adventure back to Arizona.

Oregon

Lunch stop in Sankey Park
Weddle Bridge was built in 1937 & is 120 feet long. This bridge was disassembled in its original home of Scio, OR in 1987 and in 1989 residents of Sweet Home, OR (27 miles away) moved, reassembled and restored the bridge in Sankey Park.

Short Bridge built in 1945 over the S Fork Santiam River

Geocache hidden within these fake old town storefronts.

Historical marker on old storefronts. HaHa

Thinking about trading the Jeep Grand Cherokee in on this big wagon - NOT!

Near Baker City, Oregon we stopped to get some understanding of the 
hardship that the pioneers went through forging their way 2,170 miles from east
to west. 

Look at the number of pioneers that travelled the Oregon Trail for
a better life out west.

Actual photo in the Interpretive Center

Life size displays throughout the building.

Ruts of the Oregon Trail

IDAHO

Shoshone Falls - Twin Falls, Idaho. Called the Niagara of the West.  It is 212 feet high and flows over a rim nearly 1000 foot wide.  We were there during low flow.  I can't imagine how much more spectacular it would be with even more water.

Shoshone Falls - Twin Falls, Idaho

Falls complete with rainbow

Tourist

Soda Springs, Idaho - Known for numerous natural springs of carbonated water located around the city. It was a famous Oregon Trail landmark for the settlers.

Here we are at Hooper Springs just north of Soda Springs. We did 
taste a sample of  the water and let's just say I will stay with my
Mountain Dew for now.

WYOMING & UTAH

We ventured to Rock Springs, Wyoming so that we could follow the Green River through the Flaming Gorge National Recreational area.  Flaming Gorge encompasses both Wyoming and Utah. The part of the Green River was named Flaming Gorge in May 26, 1869 by Major John Wesley Powell after he and his men saw the sun reflecting off the red rocks. 

Above Flaming Gorge Dam looking up lake.

Flaming Gorge Bridge

Overlook at Red Canyon Visitor Center

Overlook at Red Canyon Visitor Center looking up lake.

COLORADO

Instead of going straight through Utah and then on into Arizona we decided to make a quick drive through the edge of Colorado for some much needed mountain time before reaching the desert of Arizona.

After traveling through 5 states and 2,200 miles we made it home. We appreciate all of you following along with us as we tell our story.  Until next time - Happy Traveling !

Jack & Deb