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67 days is not 5 months, a solo ride out west

I wanted an ice cream cone when I got back to Winthrop, but the line was way too long. I ate a can of peaches instead. I saw this 1981 Seca 750 while I was walking around town.
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This is what made me want an ice cream cone.
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The next morning I rode through Cascades for the 8th and last time.
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From Washington Pass scenic turn out.
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Other motorcyclists are also enjoying the scenery. From my observations on this trip, adventure bikes are taking over Harley's traditional perch as the number one bike seen touring. Indian is also gaining a foothold.
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I stopped for lunch in the little town of Newhalem on the west side of the park. My lunch scenery
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I think this is Diablo Lake, but it might be Mt. Baker Lake. Anyway, It's pretty.
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Motel time. Mexican food take out time. Oil change time. Wash clothes time. Buy food time.

The next morning I got a late start, but headed up highway 9 toward Mt. Baker. I'll say up front that I believe Mt. Baker deserves national park status. The ski area set a world record in 1999 of 95 feet of snow. Along the way, I saw this cowch.
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The whole town smelled of cow manure. There are a large number of dairy farms in the area and they don't do like we do in Texas. The cows stay inside barns and stick their heads out slots to eat silage. I saw very few grazing cows. The manure, in a semi liquid form, is spread on hay fields by pulling a large black perforated tube behind a tractor/tank.

My first big tree, but only 8' in diameter.
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Baker has everything, including waterfalls. This one Nooksack Falls.
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Flowers
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I understand Cottonwood Creek, Bear Creek, Dry Creek, Alligator Creek and many others. Most creeks are named for a feature found or seen near the creek. How?? Why??
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Dinner was reconstituted mashed potatoes and graham crackers washed down with milk. I did have to ride back into town for V-8 juice just in case.

The road up
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The parking lot near the top
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Looking the other way
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The trail was called Chain of Lakes. About 12 miles total.
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There was a reason it was called chain of lakes.
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And my favorite
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This sign was at the parking lot at the top. There is only one way in and one way out. Why put up a sign warning drivers about the condition of a road they just drove up?
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Back to town for a very late lunch and then back to the top of the mountain where I could get a phone signal to call Linda. No signal in town, but a fairly good one 20 miles from a house????

A young fellow was just setting up a tent in a very poor tent site so I invited him to use a flat spot near my tent. His name was Harley, but not after the motorcycle. He was named after a character in a Henry Fonda movie. Harley had recently been released from prison. I didn't ask him what for.
 

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Outstanding ride report with beautiful pictures of incredibly rugged mountains and landscape. The diary form of your trip report gives us details that we relate to. Thanks!
 
what a great ride report, you did it right! How do you stay hydrated, do you wear a camel back?
 
:coffee: Great report keep it coming. That Blue Lake is beautiful.
 
what a great ride report, you did it right! How do you stay hydrated, do you wear a camel back?
I carried a small backpack on the passenger's seat. It has 3 twenty ounce water bottles and my lunch. It's mainly for hiking, but also for the stops I make. My gas tank goes 240 miles, but I tried to fill up before 140 miles. There are lots of places out west where it's further than 100 miles between towns, so a reserve is needed. My fuel petcock is from an ATV and only gives me about 15 miles on reserve. Stops for fuel, pictures and snacks give me ample time to hydrate. I use paper maps and rarely use my GPS or phone, and then it's mainly for stuff like directions to a campground, gasoline, etc. I get lost a lot. I like to think it's because of my philosophy, "You're not lost if you don't care where you are," but in reality it's because I can't remember turns. Lost=stop to look at a map and hydrate and maybe get out the GPS for my location.
 
Outstanding ride report with beautiful pictures of incredibly rugged mountains and landscape. The diary form of your trip report gives us details that we relate to. Thanks!
Thanks. The diary form may come from the fact that I take notes on most of my trips and those notes are leaned up against my computer to help me with names and places. I'm going to continue to call them trip notes instead of a diary.:-)
 
Fork seals and steering head bearings are done. Valve adjustment is due today. Talk to you tonight.
 
Harley's tent and car just slightly down hill from mine. He must have really abused that car to get up the dirt road. After several days of riding paved roads in the Mt. Baker area, I decided to investigate the loop road that I was camped on.
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What was easy for me and car beating for Harley.
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From my camp it got just a little rougher. Nothing that a street bike couldn't handle. It was hard for my eyes to handle this early morning beauty.
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I found these bee hives beside the road. Electric wires surrounded them. I'm guessing to keep out bears.
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12 miles later I realized my loop road had collapsed
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When I got back, my roommate was gone. I didn't stop. I knew that the only food I had was a can of peaches, tea bags, instant mashed potatoes and little else. It's time for a trip to a convenience store and supplies supplemented by cheesy pizza bread dipped in marinara sauce.

Back to Mt. Baker and a ride up Glacier Creek road, a partly paved, used to be paved, never paved and pot hole filled road. Very little traffic.:-D
But a pretty creek feeding Glacier Creek.
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To my surprise I met a Harley rider that used to be a motocross rider. He was breaking in his new bike with only 1800 miles on it. That's a pretty gnarly road for any street bike, much less a low riding Harley.
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Time to go back up the mountain to check in with friends and family.
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When I got back to camp, I found this rock in the fire pit. I hope its not to me and from my dope smoking, mushroom eating ex-con roommate, but how could I have missed this for 3 days even though I didn't build a fire in the pit.
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I reluctantly left Mt. Baker today. Big Foot is seen regularly in these parts.
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He has apparently found a mate. It's just another case of an invasive species being released by a well meaning pet owner, only to become a species that crowds out the indigenous species of humans.
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I rode less than 100 miles today until I found a small motel in Anacortes, Washington and it's again time for a bath and an oil change. This time, I opted for the local laundromat where I saw this Subaru Brat. I was always intrigued by this car and wondered why it didn't catch on.
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I called one of the Cyclegear stores in Portland and ordered new tires, knowing I would be there in a week or two.

I woke up early due to activity in the room next to mine. I was anxious to ride my first long ferry. I was excited to go to Orcas Island. Alas, the next ferry wasn't until 11:20 and it was only 8:00. The ticket seller at the ferry suggested Washington Park which was close. This Morris Minor was in the parking lot.
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My first view of the ocean on this trip
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If this isn't the same type of tree as the Madrone in Big Bend, it's a close relative.
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Time to get back to the ferry where I was put in the front of the line and got to load right after pedestrians and bicycles.
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I felt privileged until I realized motorcycles could be put into corners that were unusable for cars, thus freeing up a space for a higher paying car customer.
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I met Rob and Jean in the truck behind me. They are stuck in Washington because their 45 foot boat will not make it to Alaska without stopping for supplies and to refuel. Their annual vacation turned into cruises around the San Juan Islands in what I would consider a house boat, but turned out to be a trawer which they consider to be the perfect boat to take to Alaska. Covid hasn't just affected my travels. A wonderful couple that gave me lots of tips on where to go and what to see.
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They gave me their card and Rob said to call if I had problems. We met again at Deer Harbor on Orcas Island where they were going to tour a friend's boat. How big does a boat have to be before it becomes a ship?

We crossed paths with other ferries.
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I would guess that at least half of the roads on Orcas Island are private. I found three spots where the ocean was accessible and two of them were boat docks. The roads through the state park made the trip worthwhile, even though I was afraid to park and walk since I had refused to pay $35 for a parking pass. I got this shot of Mt Baker at the one spot that was not a boat dock.
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Interesting.
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I wonder if that little island is for sale. It is extremely evident that I am out of my financial class on this island.
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Camping was $60 per night plus tax. This was on top of the lodge of the campground that I stayed in. I believe this is from the graveyard scene in the movie Beetlejuice. The campground host assured me it was a replica as were several signs on the property.
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One of the poorer residents rowing his tender out to his yacht.
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I stopped to pick berries for tomorrows breakfast and found these partially hidden in the weeds beside the road.
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I found this kayak skeleton at Deer Harbor marina.
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It was held together with what looked like thin strips of rawhide, but I was told it was sinew.
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If you don't want the long ferry ride, you can hop on an airplane.
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I was looking at this picture on the screen of my camera and missed him catching a small fish. I did see him turn the fish and swallow.
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Two nights is all I could afford in Orcas campground so back to the mainland I went. I was expecting another $28 ferry fee, but was surprised that vehicles returning to the mainland were not ticketed.
I headed south on Whidbey Island and stopped here for lunch. It reminded me somewhat of Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Not all the protesters in Washington and Oregon are youngsters. This fellow beats me by several years. He can be seen on this same corner six days a week. He takes off Sunday.
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The Olympic NP brochures say Hurricane Ridge is a must see road. This road, Deer Park, is not mentioned. It's a very nice motorcycle road and nearly empty of cars.
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Hurricane ridge is not bad either. The road is wet, but it's not raining. In 67 days, I was rained on three times, once so lightly that I didn't put on my rain suit.
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Another big tree. My hat is added for perspective.
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A short hike from Crescent Lake will reward you with this pretty waterfall. Stop here and turn around. A strenuous hike of about 3 miles past this pretty waterfall will reward you with a view of a green scum covered lake about the size of my house lot.
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Beach access on the Olympic Peninsula is just about anywhere, although most require a hike. Rialta requires a scramble over a log jam.
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This is the reward.

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It's a violent beach and swimming would be very dangerous.
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There is also Whale Mouth Rock and Hole in the Rock.
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The National Park campgrounds near Rialta beach were both full, but I noticed Cycle Camp beside the highway and it turned out to be the best campground that I stayed at, for many reasons.
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The price for camping is: You must tour the facilities with Bob. You must tour his garage.
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Chevy Suburban
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You must see his 3 wheeler. He drives this.
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You must see his art
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He holds an annual benefit for breast cancer. The size of your donation is determined by which hole you partner fills.
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You must tour his garden. He has a medical prescription from his friend, an OBGYN, so he can grow his own.
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Bob, the proprietor of Cycle Camp and retired garbage collector. He will want to know your first name and occupation, where you are from and where you are going. He will add some places where you should go and I highly recommend that you take his advise. There is no paper work to fill out. Bob was a wonderful host and if you are ever in Washington, you should drop by and camp with him.
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I like Bob already. I feel like Bob and Rod might get along :)
Bob is in my memory forever. I've never stayed in a campground where they have a community kitchen with seating for maybe 50 people. Coffee and breakfast was available most mornings, again free.
 
Great trip, Great report.
Each shot of your Chain of Lakes is a postcard. I did some of the same NW sites a few years back. Yours brought back very fine memories.
Thanks HOTT
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Whenever I meet someone that's Native American, they are always Apache, Navaho, etc. Why nave I never met a Quileute? The reservation was closed.
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One of my major objectives on this trip was to see big redwoods. I never dreamed that I would see this tree just by following a small sign, "Big Tree ->." It's not a redwood or a sequoia.
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I never did find out what's going on with this sign.
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If you get 144" of rain a year, you are bound to have a few waterfalls and maybe three at a time. This one is Sul Duc, pronounced soul duck.
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For scale, here is my hand behind one of those leaves.
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Moisture breeds fungi.
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HOH rain forest
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When a tree falls, random seeds may fall on the downed trunk and germinate. As the nurse tree decays, the roots of the seedlings grow into the soil, creating a tree on stilts. The bigger the nurse tree, the taller the stilts.
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Offshore rock stack are everywhere along the Washington and Oregon coast.
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This beach requires a nice long walk through the woods. No sand or rocks. The waves break directly on the driftwood.
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August the 25th. My first look at Mt. Rainier. A mighty volcano. Due to it's probability of an eruption in the near future, Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanos in the world.
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Where there are 32 square miles of glaciers, there will be cliffs and melted glacier.
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A short hike yielded this view from the opposite side.
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My home on the east side of Mt. Rainier for the next few days.
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A canyon cut by glacial milk. The milk colored water is colored by ground up rock that is washed from beneath the glaciers. With the sand in the water, erosion of the rock creek bed is much faster than erosion of the sides of the creek due to rainwater without sand. Thus, a narrow, deep canyon.
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A six mile hike today took me to this waterfall and bridge.
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I found a marmot. Actually I saw lots of marmots.
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The trail went up well above the glacier line.
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The 14,411' peak is close, but that requires a partner, a permit, equipment and skills. I possess none of the four.
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The next day, I did a loop of the park just to check out the roads recommended by Butler maps. I wasn't disappointed. Christine Falls is a double fall, one mostly hidden and one visible under a bridge.
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On to Mt. St. Helens. It's been 40 years since it last erupted and the devastation is clearly visible. These standing dead trees were instantly stripped of leaves and bark even though they were 25 miles away from the blast.
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Spirit Lake is lined with logs blown over. Large trees were toppled as far away as 17 miles from the eruption.
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The mountain is not finished.
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I've reached the Columbia River Gorge close to Portland. Friends live there and work for Intel. The Columbia is a major route for salmon migration with tributaries in Canada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
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Indians are allowed to use nets.
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The gorge was created when large lakes were created in Idaho and Montana by ice dams from melting glaciers during the end of the last ice age. The collapsing ice dams sent water down the Columbia River at a flow rate that exceeded ten times the flow rate of all the river in the world. Sometimes the water would be 1,000' deep. These massive walls of water pushed rocks that carved a deep main channel while the tributaries remained higher. This created a large number of waterfalls in a relatively small area.
The event also created headaches for road and track builders.
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The floods also created a beautiful river.
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Great trip, Great report.
Each shot of your Chain of Lakes is a postcard. I did some of the same NW sites a few years back. Yours brought back very fine memories.
Thanks HOTT
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I ate a can of peaches leaned against the exact same rock while waiting for the ferry. I took my helmet off.:-P
 
I like Bob already. I feel like Bob and Rod might get along :)
I've only met Rod briefly when buying a set of aluminum ramps from him, but I think you may be right. The word raucous is in the description of Bob's camp and it is an accurate description. One night a group of about 15 ladies partied well into the night. I can say staying there brought back pleasant memories.
 
Really enjoying your ride report, not to mention your pics. Thanks for taking us along.

More please!
 
I decided to ignore this sign and climb Beacon Rock without a parking pass.
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Alas, it was closed to people with my skill level.
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Beacon Rock from the ground.
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Headed to Portland for new tires, oil change, a lens cap and food supplies. I changed my tires and oil in the parking lot of a motel. I spent 2 nights in that motel just so I could do my maintenance and do my shopping.

I decided to head west to ride some gold roads. Butler did not disappoint. This is along the Clackamas River.
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I stopped for gas and met these 2 guys. They have been riding together since high school.
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They even bought identical GL650s. One took better care of his.
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The other bought an Indian.
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I stopped at Mt. Hood and met these three guys going snow boarding.
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They have to hike up this to come down on a glacier. Dedication
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I got lost and ended up on this 2 lane road.
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All was not lost, I'm still lost, but I found this waterfall in the arid desert area of Oregon. I'm close to Shaniko.
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I'm found. In the small town of Shaniko, I stopped for a soda and held up my camera and asked the 50 to 60 year old man in the tiny convenience store if I could take pictures. He went berserk. I was ordered out of the store. He followed me out and told me to take pictures outside and leave his store alone. OK Nice horse sculpture.
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Tree sculpture with his store named on the hat.
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About the time I finished my soda, the man came back out. It was as if nothing had happened earlier. We discussed riding bikes and he suggested Antelope Canyon. Butler Maps had already suggested the same.
The start of Antelope canyon
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This is the second nicest campground I stayed at. It didn't have a shower, but it did have a river which I shared with Wiggles the dog and her owners. Wiggles would fetch thrown water, at least she would attempt to.
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The campground was $10 for residents and $13 for non residents, but an Oregon parking pass was required. There was a young man working on a panel and he came over and told me to go ahead and pick a spot so he could program the automatic sprinklers to not rain on me tomorrow morning. I told l him I didn't have a parking pass and he said, "It's just me working here. Don't worry about it.":sun:
 
I hope you are not tired of waterfalls or the length of this trip report. More coming, along with stunning beaches which my camera skills will only attempt to portray.
Yes please. Also, any more stories of grumpy men and getting thrown out of businesses like the guy in the General Store? Sounds like he had a short attention span. [emoji849]
 
Yes please. Also, any more stories of grumpy men and getting thrown out of businesses like the guy in the General Store? Sounds like he had a short attention span. [emoji849]
Funny you should mention this. Last night while the wife and I were walking the dog, I mentioned this part of @humanrace 's story and told her the guy probably didn't want his picture taken because he was likely either 1) in witness protection, or 2) running a front company for 'profitable & illegal' endeavors.
 
Funny you should mention this. Last night while the wife and I were walking the dog, I mentioned this part of @humanrace 's story and told her the guy probably didn't want his picture taken because he was likely either 1) in witness protection, or 2) running a front company for 'profitable & illegal' endeavors.
Or off his meds.

I like humanraces attitude,. No problem đź‘Ť
 
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