It’s early afternoon as I turn east towards a timeshare I have reserved in Redmond, near Bend. It’s a fairly boring drive until snow capped mountains appear on the horizon dominated by Mount Washington! Driving the curvy mountainous road is fun for me; a part of another scenic byway - Over the Rivers and Through the Woods. I’m not kidding about the name!
After unpacking, I finish my grilled cheese for dinner. The timeshare is beautifully decorated and my decks...one off the main area and another off the upstairs master bedroom...both overlook a canyon and stream.
I’m ready for a relaxing evening until the explosions and thumping through the wall begins. I feel like the room is vibrating and decide my neighbor must be playing a video game on their tv with a shared wall. I try to do battle increasing my television volume. Debating whether to knock on their door...or the wall, I call the front deck to complain. It quiets slightly or maybe I just add this sound track into my sleepy fog on the sofa.
Heading out in the morning, I stop in Sisters, a small western town that makes me think I’m in Wyoming not Oregon. In fact, the annual Sisters rodeo starts this week.
My plans to drive scenic McKenzie Pass is thwarted by...snow! It’s June 3rd, but the mountainous pass doesn’t open until after Father’s Day in mid-June. I’m definitely not in Virginia anymore!
The road is open, however, at the base for 9 miles so I head out to capture some photos of snowy peaks.
Returning to Sisters, I wander through various stores including an antique shop and ReStore on the main street. I’m amazed at all the western wear and cowboy boots at the ReStore and purchase a Christmas wreath made from a lasso rope and saddle stirrup. I don’t think the antique mall in Williamsburg will have many of these!
The door to Sister’s Bakery magically opens...Ha, ha!...with the scent of freshly baked fluffy loaves of bread and marionberry coffee cake. I’ve never heard of this berry which is a combo of a blackberry and a lingonberry. Discovering new tastes are so exciting...and delicious!
Lunch/dinner is the recommended French Dip at Sisters Meat and Smokehouse - advertised as “an artisanal butchery and eatery”. My morning yogurt is long gone, and I’m hungry for a full meal rather than a sandwich, but this small business is interesting. A display case dominates the room with a gorgeous display of beef, chicken, jerky, and cheese. I suspect these are all products of the real business in the back!
The sandwich is fabulous with tangy spicy mustard, thick beef and a pillowy soft bun. I want to sleep on this bun! It is accompanied by the best baked beans ever with chucks of ham. Wonder if I can buy a quart of these beans?
Although I have been pleasantly surprised at the beauty in Oregon, the entire reason for my trip to the state is tomorrow. Crater Lake National Park has been on my bucket list for years! I had planned to visit for two days to hike, take the boat ride on the lake, and absorb the atmosphere of this creation.
That is until I discovered that most of the rim roads surrounding the lake are still snow-bound! The northern and western entrances are closed, hiking trails are covered with snow, and the boat tours don’t start until July! However, the distant southern entrance is plowed and open along with a visitor’s center and Crater Lake Lodge. I don’t think this will garner a 2-day visit but even with the 3-hr travel time each way, I want to go.
Tomorrow!
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