Clarno Palisades

On the Road to Everywhere

We hit the road for a long weekend in Central Oregon.

11 AM on the road in Oregon and shockingly the only Brewery open is Full Sail.

A promising statement.

Beer on tap.

We tried a few tasters and got some to go.

Though we didn't get a chance to stay, this place looked like a nice enough spot to enjoy a beer.

“You Are Here” ... and it is a good place to be.

And here we were on the road and looking out at a small town nestled in the great Pacific Northwest.

We made it to The Dalles!

I really have no idea what Kate was doing here but I kept shooting photos anyway.

She stayed still long enough to snap one of these.

She made it.

... and picked up some dude along the way.

Happily ever after.

Back on the road under a big sky.

Our drive took us through an expansive landscape of wind turbines.

John Day Fossil Beds

This area is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the region between the late Eocene, about 44 million years ago, and the late Miocene, about 7 million years ago.

Marcille and I get to work looking for fossils.

I was hoping to find a trilobite or something.

Hmm, not a trilobite.

But this nice leaf pattern was pretty awesome too!

Palisades at the Clarno Unit

We went for a quick hike up to the Palisades.

What is now an arid, near-desert environment was once a tropical forest.

I didn't see any of those prehistoric creatures but I did spot a lizard.

Hey there little guy!

I also spotted a Gretchen!!

... and a Kate!!!

“Hey look over there, it's gorgeous!”

The Roundup Room

At the end of a long day we found a great place to eat in the small town of Condon.

Kate made herself at home.

A gift to Kate from her family.

I found a vending machine that sold toy monkeys.

There was a poker table in the back.

We played some shuffleboard.

I think we were all winners.