I left Ontario at 0700 local time. They're on Mountain time there. I headed west for John Day and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, but first I had to buy gas. When I pulled in at the Cenex station, somebody came running out and asked if he could fill my tank for me Not needed - but reminder, this is Oregon,
I passes through a long flat area growing wheat, corn, potatoes, onions (for a change), and alfalfa. I expect to see a mixture of these in all the flat areas throughout the day's trip.
Here's a tidbit for you. The Butte Baptist Church has a drive in Sunday service. Somewhere a little bit west of Vale. I saw a big muley with a really nice rack out in the middle of a field. Now I'm coming to the town of Brogan, I thought that was kind of funny name as a brogan is a shoe.
Soon I'm climbing into my first pass of the day. It's called Brogan Hill; the elevation is 3981. It takes me into somewhat higher Valley. In this valley, I notice there are no fences. They've been taken out and the rusty barbed and woven wires rolled up here and there. Past little town of Ironside, ahead I see a cloud bank building up through a pass in the mountains. I think I'm going to be heading that way.
Now I'm coming to my second pass of the day, El Dorado Pass. it's at 4623 foot altitude, and the time zone has changed. it was 0818, local time, and now it's 0718 Pacific Time. I pass a little place called Burnt River; it wasn’t much of a town, but it does have a. football field, sans stands.
I'm still on us 26 and I'm coming to another pass. This one's called Blue Mountain Pass. Its altitude is 5109 it's pretty and wooded for a change. Then I come to Austin Summit at 4566 and finally, to Austin Junction. On the other side of that, there's Dixie Pass, elevation 5277. The John Day River valley below is very enticing:
This carries me down towards Prairie City. I'm looking a little bit for a place to eat, but couldn't see any, and pressed on through. Neither did I find a place worth stopping at in John Day. So I headed on, Continuing west, of course, towards Dayville and eventually the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. But before I get to them, US-26 enters a big gorge. The river cuts through thick, thick, thick lava beds.
I turned north on OR-19 and headed up to the Sheep Rock unit of the John Day Fossil Beds. It has several sections to it, so I do a little hiking at one of them and take some pictures.
This is Cathedral Rock
Finally I return to go through the visitor center, which wasn't open yet when I got there. Then I press on, pick up US-26 again, and continue west to the town of Mitchell. I stopped there for some lunch at a little cafe on the edge of town called the Bridge Creek Cafe. There's only one other customer in there at the time, and she runs a local hostelry of sorts, so she was busy telling guest horror stories. I commiserated with her.
It was time for a two and a half hour round trip to the Painted Rocks section of the fossil beds. and, of course, I took some pictures there. a lot of pictures.
Ended up hiking over half a mile total. and it's a little warm, and it was hilly too. But it's really interesting colors there in pictures. I shared above.
Back into the gorge, I pick up OR-207, heading north. This road is mountainous with very few open areas. I finally crossed Butte Creek Pass elevation, 3789 - it was a very nasty one. I turn west on OR-19
to the town of Fossil without too much of a problem. I stopped, found my motel room. It's a cute little one, and with real friendly management, got a salad and some snacks, and brought them back to the room.
For the day, 285.3 miles, for the trip. 1,963.5
Tomorrow, it's on to Maupin via the Clarno unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.