More outings in the Bend area

Our stay at Thousand Trails Bend is just about over.  John and Sissy left a week ago but before they left we had a couple more outings…we rented canoes here at Thousand Trails and paddled the Little Deschutes river to the Deschutes river.  We had gone on this canoe trip before, but it was definitely more fun to go with friends.  The trip is organized by Thousand Trails, you paddle along to a designated point and then a staff member picks everyone up and drives everyone back to the campground.  A total of 6 couples signed up for the trip (including the 4 of us) so we had lots of company.

On the Little Deschutes  (Sissy's photo)

Took this by pointing the camera over my shoulder...not too bad!  :o)

John and Sissy

John and Sissy about to crash into some brush

Sleepy spectators (good pic Sissy!)

That's Dave and me on the left (again...Sissy's photo)

Pretty scenery along the way

A couple days after the canoe trip we drove up Lava Butte.  Quite a view from up there!

At the base of Lava Butte

That's the highway way down there

Mt. Bachelor and some of the Three Sisters

After taking in the views at Lava Butte John suggested we go to Paulina Lake and drive up a dirt road to Pauline Peak, so we did.  Not a drive for the faint of heart!  The road was very washboard and there are no guard rails along the steep narrow road. ..however the view is fabulous!

Paulina Lake

Paulina Lake on the left, East Lake on the right, see the lava flow just above the green shrubs on the right?

Family photo

Paulina Falls

Since John and Sissy left the only outings we’ve had were to LaPine to grocery shop and then Saturday we went back to LaPine to visit with our friends Steve and Elaine.  We met them up in Randle, WA this summer and found out we’d be in the area about the same time.  We had a nice visit and a yummy dinner at a restaurant in the campground they are staying at (Cascade Meadows).   All-in-all a great visit to the Bend, OR area.

Crater Lake and the High Desert Museum

Our visit to Crater Lake with John and Sissy was fabulous.    Great company,  wonderful weather and beautiful scenery.  I wish the photos were as beautiful as it was in person!

The lodge at Crater Lake

Inside the lodge

A boat out on the lake

Dave and me

Sissy and John

Cheye spotted a Chipmunk

The rock formation is called the Phantom Ship

The day after our Crater Lake trip we visited  the High Desert Museum.  I’m really not a big museum fan and for the price ($14.00 per person)  this one seemed a little pricey for what was there.  However, it was a good outing with friends!  Here are a few pics:

one of the scenes set up in the museum

A stagecoach

Dave and John listening to a "doctor" talking about some of the old snake oil medicines

A sawmill display

A bronze elk statue

Time to catch up…

Let’s see…last time I blogged we were in Washington staying in Dave’s brother’s backyard in Rochester…which is were we stayed until Aug 17th.   Well, there were a couple side trips,  I rode the train down to Vancouver, WA and stayed with my Mom a couple times and we went back to Randle, WA for a few days.

The Randle trip was to attend our friend Keith’s surprise birthday party   Keith knew family and a few friends were coming, but around 40 -50 people ended up at their property.  We stayed 3 days, some were there longer, some just for the day, but I think it is safe to say everyone had a terrific time.  Here’s a few pics:

A bunch camping at Keith and Bobbi's

Dave in the horse shoe tournament

Since I stole some pics from Sissy I thought I should post a pic of her in the horse shoe tournament too!

Birthday-boy Keith cutting the cake

Birthday lunch

Evening fire

Gathering for an evening fire

Enjoying the evening fire

Cheye liked it too!

Some of the kids took a raft trip

From Randle it was back to Rochester  for a little more visiting with Dave’s brother & sister-in-law…then we were off  to Seaside, OR for 2 weeks.  We met up with our friends Mike & Joan and John & Sissy at the Thousand Trails park in Seaside.  Both couples were at Randle too…it’s been great to meet up with friends all summer.  We had a good time in Seaside, even had “happy hour” down at the beach a couple times.

Seaside, OR

A skim boarder

Not sure what it's called but it looked fun!

Our group at the beach: L-R  John, Sissy, Mike, Joan and Lori

Second trip to the beach: Dave, Lori, Sissy and John

A Seaside sunset

Currently we are at Thousand Trails Bend which is about 20 miles south of  Bend, OR.  John & Sissy are also here and we’ve been busy.  Yesterday we all went to Crater Lake and today it was the High Desert Museum and lunch/dinner at Anthony’s.  I’ll  post some pics of our excursions either tomorrow or the next day…I haven’t had time to sort through them yet!