Journey Day 7

Mountains are Three Sisters and a field of lava from eruptions about 1700 years ago - so just a blip of time compared to the previous landscapes of last few days. The Sisters are in the string of volcanoes and mountains that make up the Cascade range, which runs from north of Washington and through to about Mount Shasta in California. All of these mountains that are full of potential volcanic activity include Mount Baker, Rainier, St. Helen’s, Adams in Wa. and Hood, Jefferson, the Sisters in Oregon and Shasta in Calif. And many smaller and less well known ones.

The other fascinating fact is that trees in the foreground are some of the stalwart pioneers that have gained a foothold as the lava gradually breaks into soil - determined survivors although tenuous, as so many forces are against them - hot dry long summers and bugs, and then winter with snows that pile 20 feet and more.

Highlights:
1. The town of Prineville where we found the liveliest coffee shop ever as I mentioned when I wrote from there yesterday!
2. The real honest to God cowboy store as Prineville is cowboy capitol of the west, and T found the snap button shirt that he is always looking for - he has a solid ranch hand cattle operation manager background. Does not like horses though, he worked form a truck.
3. Brief visit to National Newberry Volcanic Monument Visitor Center, long enough to read and look at more volcanic information - understanding keeps accruing - and to decide that we were done with hot.
4. So - over the pass on a narrow winding two lane road where I took this photo of the 50 square miles of lava flows from 1700 years ago, and then on down to an overnight spot to head to the coast tomorrow.
5. We have driven 800 miles so far! And been so fascinated with this John Day Fossil Area - the long past and all the related earth forming and changing forces. Climate change is real, change is real, we are not forever as a species - so clear when you look at the eons of changes and take them into your core. I have spent a lot of awake time just contemplating it all. WOW.