Yesterday we took a drive up to some of the higher elevation lakes to get cooler temperatures. It was 90 there and we stopped at a few areas by the lakes in the shade to cool off. The worst part was horrible bugs! Probably the heat and water brought them out. The traffic was heavy with folks coming home from camping and then the usual truck traffic for this major highway. There was a terrible truck accident going eastbound. A semi carrying plants and trees went off the hiway and tolled over 250 feet down a steep embankment. He didn’t survive the crash. The hiway was full of folks who saw it happen and were waiting for the police. When we came back through three hours later the truck was still over the edge. They said it would take several days to remove it.
When we got back to the park lots of folks were set up along the river with their lawn chairs and feet in the water. We headed that way with our chairs and a cool drink. We stayed till almost 8:00!! I think we were the last ones to leave. The fast flowing g water was very cold. I could barely keep my feet in! We met a very nice couple from Salem, ORE. They had been fishing up the 58 at a dry camp area. They were heading home when he had a blow out on his motor home. He had AAA service so he called and they were able to come put his spare on. They felt so fortunate that they could get a spot in the park for the night. They shared lots of great information about Salem ( our good friends the Ferris’ live there also and have given us lots of printed information about all of Oregon) and we exchanged information. They have a home that backs up to the river and offered to have us come over and maybe go for a boat ride! Anyway they were going to leave at 5:30 this morning to get on the road before it got too hot and head home.
I only heard from one faithful reader ( my daughter Tessie!) about my little quiz!! Zoey I haven’t heard from you but I hope your mom and dad helped you find a few answers. Tessie liked the Smoky The Bear photo best :).
I’ve got a few photos for you of things we have enjoyed.
We plan on leaving Oakridge on the first of July and will be to your place Zoey by July 2nd! I sure hope it gets cooler!!
We did hike in to the MaCreedy Hot Springs off Hiway 58. In the background there are a few folks across the way in their birthday suits! It was way too hot for us so our time there was short.
Our park has a soft ice cream machine !!! It’s on the honor system that you leave a dollar for your dish or cone. We had to try it , right? Scrumptious!
The clouds were unusual during the hot days. We took this over the river where we enjoyed a cooler environment.
Dan found this beautiful butterfly on the park road. Do you know it’s name? We tried to put it in a shady place thinking it was injured but as we did he quickly flew off!! It’s a Pale Swallowtail and we have a large lovely group of them at the park. Do you know what they call a group of butterflies that flutter together especially around mineral water??? A kaleidoscope!!
We took Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a guided tour of the Oakridge Historical Museum. I don’t think many folks stop in. It’s only opened Saturdays from 1-4.
A unique wind up toy! Zoey you would have liked the toy and doll section!
Their proud fire department display
A bath tub from one of the hot springs hotels! Looks like a splinter garden to me!!
This was as it says, a biscuit warmer used at the school cafeteria. Inside at the bottom was a section for boiling water to keep things warm.
Oakridge was at one time called Hazeldell and this was from the original post office.
A typical wood kitchen stove and typical ladies dress for the time period.
This stove was unique and I have never seen one before. It was a wood burning stove in the left, then gas on the right and then also had two electric plug ins along with an electric truck clock!
Did you know Oakridge was famous for this?
Can you see the spider on this wildflower? The flower looked like a kind of Phlox to me.
Dan got some very good shots of this unusual critter that was hanging from our canopy outside!
This unusual spider can change its color to match its surroundings and be camouflaged. It’s name is the Golden Rod Crab Spider. The female folds over a leaf , implants her eggs and then sews it up. She guards it till her death. She only has one egg laying. It is most often seen in the month of May and has been found in four countries and 14 states. It can take anywhere from a few hours to 20 days to change color from a white to yellow or vice versa.
Dan at Odell Lake yesterday when it was 115 in the valley!!! A lovely lake but too buggy and still hot at 90!
Note the temperature on the truck!!
Our feet cooling us off at the park!
Zoey this last photo is for you!! Cute ways for us to say good bye when we finish talking on FaceTime or on the phone.
Oh!!! And are you waiting for the answers to the previous quiz??? I never heard from you except sweet Tess but here they are!
Quiz answers
- Geo cache and it was for kids doing the loop as part of a scavenger hunt
2 it’s white because it’s a saprophytes and it’s lacking chlorophyll. It’s name is Phantom Orchid and it is a rare and endangered plant found in shady Pacific Northwest forests!!!
3 Oregon Grape
4 an elephants trunk ( just kidding!)
5 woodpeckers looking for insects
6 red fir or Douglas fir
7 Smokey the Bear
8 pink periwinkle
9 Fungus
10 Prunella. Also called common self heal and heal all. Used as an herbal remedy for throat ailments.
1 comment:
Love the little museum. That’s pretty cool. Sad news about the trucker. That road can be scary. Glad you all made it through the heat stroke.
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