jstv – Page 16

October 1, 2023September 30, 2023

Covered Bridges

On a recent trip we passed an intriguing landmark.

We frequently use OR 58 and Willamette Pass to get over the mountains. A route that takes us right by an educational covered bridge.

The Lowell Covered Bridge, over Dexter Reservoir, doesn’t carry traffic, but houses an interpretive center.

Timber structure that is the bridge under the ‘covered’ part.

The building or cover over a bridge was to prolong the life of its rough sawn timber structure. As bridge building moved to weather resistant materials, the covers were left off.

A shell over rough sawn timber is evident from inside the bridge

Oregon has fifty-four covered bridges, the most of any state west of the Mississippi. But this is less a testimony to a cover’s protection, and more a matter of sentiment.

Most of these historical landmarks are located on the west side of the Cascades. Lane County having the most.

It would be easy to visit nearly all in a single trip. Maybe next year.

Lowell bridge was orginally built in 1907, replaced in 1945, added to the national register in 1979, closed to traffic in 1981, and refurbished in 2006.

The cover portion of the bridge is where you’ll find the interpretive center with backlit panels explaining covered bridge history, a model of the Lowell Bridge and information on the early settlement in the Willamette River Valley.

Pedestrian traffic is all that is allowed on the bridge these days.

This day was a bit rainy, but there is a great picnic spot which we’ll take advantage of on a better day.

September 24, 2023September 24, 2023

Summer’s End

By week’s end clouds moved into Central Oregon, daytime temperatures stayed in the seventies, and there was a chill to the morning’s air. Summer has come to an end.

There are still wildfires raging to the north and plumes of smoke continue to move over us. However, spurts of rain and cooler weather will aid in their demise.

Amid shifting forecasts we’ve managed to find spaces with smoke-free air and blue skies. This week one of those excursions was to the Crooked River Canyon.

Regardless of location, fishing gets better as summer turns to fall. There are fewer people along the river and it is no struggle to locate shade and stave off the scorching summer sun.

What’s not to like about the Fall?

As mentioned here before, the winter migration has started bringing with it more birds to the canyon.

River’s edge may still hold the last of summer’s green and buzz with insect life but just a few paces up the bank a season’s heat has taken its toll.

It won’t be long now for frosts to push the green out of the willow’s leaves and spread warm tones of brown down to river’s edge.

We start the day with puffy vests and hoodies braced against the brisk morning air.

Waders have again become required kit for fishing. But there’s still enough energy in the mid-day sun to warm you out of those top layers.

It’s inevitable that September will shift into October and our lunches will be accompanied by hot cocoa and a splash of whiskey. All too soon this pleasant Fall weather will get pushed out by winter’s chill.

Until snow blankets the roads, we’re getting in as much outdoor time as possible. We favor this time of year.

September 17, 2023September 16, 2023

Mosquitoes in September?

This week we headed over to Summer Lake. It’s a trek we’ll make a couple of times over the next few weeks as the winter migration gets underway.

It bears repeating . . . Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge offers the best vantage point for birding. To start, it’s on the Pacific Flyway.

More importantly, the marshes and ponds are bordered with a loop road and numerous turnouts. These two elements mean we are within easy viewing distance of a multitude of bird species.

There is one other, not so great, aspect of this wetland sanctuary . . . mosquitoes. Clouds of the little buggers.

I was under the impression that one encountered this pest only in spring and early summer. I was wrong. Application of some trusty repellent and at least the biting was down to a minimum.

We’d come in the late afternoon to take advantage of the evening light and perhaps capture the sunset. It was too early in the season to have the wetlands teeming with waterfowl. With the exception of mosquito swarms, it was a pleasant evening to be birding.

Photographers refer to this time of day as golden hour. The sun casts long shadows and paints a warm hue to the light cast.

We found some nice images and have plans to return in a few weeks when the activity increases. Hopefully, without mosquitoes.

September 10, 2023October 11, 2023

Stone Fruit & Steelhead

Rest stop outside Warm Springs, under an ancient pear tree

Finally . . . a break from wildfire smoke. With that, we headed outside.

The Fruit Loop is a semi-regular daytrip for us and this seemed like a good time to check it out. With a not too early start, we head to orchard country above Hood River, the city.

The intent . . . pick up tree ripened stone fruit.

Apple harvest is getting close. As we drive through the orchards we pass rows of trees ladened with fruit. It is worth the trip just for this image.

The bonus, however, is fruit stand shelves with half a dozen peach varieties and easily twice that in plums.

Choices were made.

Heading out from Parkdale the road cuts at right angles back through the orchards to Highway 35. We merge onto I-84 and a short jaunt up the Columbia Gorge.

At the far edge of The Dalles we catch US197 and climb hills though cherry orchards and freshly combined wheat fields. Well past Dufer, we drop into the Tygh Valley, turn onto OR 216 and end in the Upper Deschutes Canyon at Sherars Falls.

We’re here to check on the the steelhead run. This fisherman saw no Steelhead, hooked no fish, but did enjoy the walk along the river.

Temperatures were pleasantly below August heat. Rafters had all but vanished from the river, along with most campers.

We set out chairs on river’s edge in the shade of our favorite Ash tree. Tip got some final swims and a cold beverage, or two, was consumed.

Blackbilled Magpie soars over the Deschutes

In all . . . a very pleasant way to spend a day

September 3, 2023October 11, 2023

Up close . . . another Wildfire

An unexpected hazard on our way to Cottonwood Canyon. Wind gusts of 47 mph tossed mounds of tumbleweeds across the road, making one lane impassable

fireweatheravalanche.org maps fires of all sizes

Let me bring you up to date in case you haven’t been reading the blog these past few weeks.

Large sections of the west are on fire. Smoke chokes the air of an even larger region. And, there’s not been much relief from Ma Nature.

This week, hoping to find a space with clean air, we drove up to Cottonwood Canyon.

Months ago we put a reservation on a cabin at that state park. Looking forward to lazy time on the veranda and smallmouth bass fishing, the car was loaded and headed north.

Upon arrival a flustered Park Ranger informed us that we had to leave. Cottonwood was under a Stage 3 Evacuation.

We did not even get unpacked. After a two-plus hour drive, this was not welcome news.

View of fire from Cottonwood Canyon State Park

But this news was not completely unexpected. There was a massive plume of smoke roiling over the crest of a hill on the eastside of the John Day River.

To the north, upstream, a hillside was completely blackened and smoldering.