“USA 🇺🇸 ~Road Trip’n in The United States: California, Nevada, and Now, Oregon”
After leaving Reno, and eventually, Lovelock, because we needed to enter Oregon, from Nevada on the eastern side, we would experience the dull drums of miles and miles of miles and miles, where the scenery never changed.
We would also lose any type of WiFi service, along with gas stations. We are consistent in our travels to always fill up at 1/2 tank… just for this reason. Yup, I call I-80, a big “nothing burger.” 😂
We continued our way on I-80 East, for many more hours, before switching to 95 North. We were still in “Nothing Burger Land.”
To add to the state of our current affairs, the smoke from surrounding forest fires made the air quality bad, and a contributor to the overall dreary look of this route. I feel so bad for the people and the wildlife affected by fires, every year.
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Once we finally entered Oregon, and traveling over 1,000 miles, since we left our home in California, our spirits perked up, right along with the change of scenery; from sage brush to evergreen trees, and the beginning of green fields.
Being born and raised in Oregon, she is special to my heart ❤️
Not having any internet, even in hotels, over the last few days has been a struggle to make lodging arrangements in advance. We might be sleeping in the car, unless we can find a place to pitch our tent in Burns, Oregon, once we arrive. This southeast town does not have a lot to offer, and with fires burning, hotels tend to get booked up, real quick.
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BURNS
⬆️ We pulled into Burns, very hungry and road-weary.
Burns is a city in Harney County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to the 2010 census, the population was 2,806.
Burns and the nearby city of Hines are home to about 60 percent of the people in the sparsely populated county, by area, also the largest in Oregon, and the ninth largest in the United States.
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The Days Inn Hotel had vacancies. Everything was booked we thought, in this town, (when I could finally check online), and the rooms that were not booked, were $150/night! BUT, come to find out, a whole two-story wing of the Days Inn caught on fire, very recently! Definitely problematic. I mean, Who wants to stay in a hotel with electrical issues? Well, we do! Come to find out, there is an infestation of stink bugs going on right now, in Burns, so pitching a tent did not appeal right then. So, yes, we ended up paying more than we wanted.
We got a ground-level (nice) room, with a working smoke detector, so we are good! Daryls brother; Jimmy lives within walking distance of the hotel, too.
Jimmy was not happy about being in a photo. I agreed to not posts him, so this is what I came up with.
Strangely enough, while Daryls older brother lives in this “out of the way” small town, I have a sister who does, too. Her and her husband have businesses here: a motor home repair place, and a flower shop. Most people have never heard of Burns, Oregon, let alone have relatives from both sides of their family living here.
Both my sister and bro-in-law are currently out of town, but might be back, for a short visit, before we leave, tomorrow.
⬆️ As hoped, we did get to meet my sister, Cheryl and her husband, Louie for breakfast, before leaving Burns.
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On the day we left Burns, the smoke from the fires had made their way in. I took only a few photos, as we made our way to La Pine, since the haze was not making many scenes attractive.
ROCK FORT
⬆️ Like a desert mirage, this National Natural Landmark rises huge out of the barren, immense flatness of Oregon’s high desert. An enormous near-circle of towering jagged rock walls make it seem like a fort. As you get closer, you realize it’s even bigger than it looks! The natural landmark is an old tuff ring set in what was a shallow sea in prehistoric times. The early American Indians canoed to and from what was then an island. Sandals found in a nearby cave are thought to be the oldest ever discovered; dating back around 9,000-13,000 years.
Fort Rock is a tuff ring is located on an ice-age lake bed in north Lake County, Oregon, United States.
The ring is about 4,460 feet in diameter and stands about 200 feet high above the surrounding plain. Its name is derived from the tall, straight sides that resemble the palisades of a fort.
Rock Fort Village Homestead
The Fort Rock Valley Historical Society, founded in 1984 with eight charter members, conceived the Homestead Village which opened in 1988 with two buildings, the Webster cabin and Dr. Thom’s office.
In the ensuing years, more land was acquired from the BLM and more buildings were brought in from surrounding homestead sites. Many of the buildings were considered hazardous to open range cattle and were scheduled to be put to the torch.
Since that time, several more homes, a church and school have been moved to the village, as well as pieces of vintage equipment. As this is an ongoing project, more structures and historical pieces will be added in the future.
Without the dedication and perseverance of the Fort Rock Historical Society’s members there would be very little evidence of the life and times of this chapter in Oregon history.
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LA PINE
From Rock Fort, we headed for La Pine. I have dear friends I met while living and working in Amity, back in the 80’s. Cathy and Dan retired and moved to LaPine.
We enjoyed a wonderful visit and overnighted with them. We saw big fat grey squirrels, and a mama deer with her babies.
I had not seen Cathy since we went to Ireland 🇮🇪 together, in 2016.
⬇️ Cathy loves her part-time work at this quilting shop in La Pine. We got to take a tour of this 100 plus-year-old building, which used to be the general store, back in the day. It included a butcher store, soda fountain, and grocery of its era.
La Pine is a small frontier town nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, surrounded by open meadows, lakes and rivers. Strikingly beautiful and with unparalleled access to the wonders of Central Oregon, La Pine is a community that is truly coming of age.
First settled by French fur traders in the 1800s, La Pine’s history spans more than a century. The City is the youngest in Oregon, incorporated in 2006.
Today, as in days gone by,
La Pine is proud, independent and affordable, characterized by people being good to each other.
La Pine has a deep sense of community and is a place where people go out of their way to help a neighbor and truly care about each others’ well being.
Approximately 1,700 people call the City of La Pine home, and the greater La Pine area includes ten-times that number. Mountain peaks, majestic pines, clear rivers, and over 300 days of sunshine annually offers endless opportunities for outdoor enjoyment and recreation.
I’m kicking my self because I forgot to take a group photo of the four of us, before we left LaPine. 😩
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REDMOND
After LaPine, we travel to Redmond for a family BBQ on Daryls side. ⬇️ I proudly call this group my family, too! We had a wonderful afternoon with them, and appreciated their effort to gather! Daryls brother, Jimmy has five children; three of which were here, today: Larry, Tom and Laura.
Daryl’s nephew Larry and his wife Miranda (hosts)
Daryls Niece; Laura and her daughter Lindsey
Miranda, Laura and Tracy (Tom’s GF)
Daryl and his nephew, Tom
Getting a group photo going
Centrally located in the High Desert, Redmond is a community rejuvenated with upscale restaurants, a growing beer scene, ample lodging, vibrant parks and a bustling downtown district.
With direct access to all that Central Oregon has to offer, Redmond offers visitors a true slice of Americana. Nestled in Redmond’s backyard, Smith Rock State Park; the birthplace of U.S. Sport Climbing, is a must-see destination. The park’s sheer, umber-colored cliffs attract rock climbers, while hikers and mountain bikers come for the diverse trail system.
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PRINEVILLE
Next up: We traveled to Prineville to stay with another sweet friend, Linda, where we will get to base ourselves for the week to slow down, visit, relax, and explore the likes of Madras, Bend, Sisters, and anything else that appeals.
Prineville ⬆️
Being welcomed into Linda home is like a breath of fresh air. Linda is also the salt of the earth and our kind of people!
⬆️ Linda and me
Like my friend, Cathy, Linda and I were friends and country neighbors in Amity. Linda has since retired and is living in Prineville, now. A huge bonus, are her three cats and a horse in the pasture!
With its roots in timber and ranching, Prineville, Oregon first boomed in 1917 when it built the country’s first and only municipally-owned railroad.
Today, Prineville is still a highly desirable place to live, thanks to its envied location in the middle of paradise.
The local economy is fueled by both small businesses and marquee names, including social media giant, Facebook and Apple who both have data centers near Prineville’s airport.
And, downtown Prineville is made for strolling, with welcoming shops, cafés and diners and other local businesses. Prineville is just 36 miles from Bend, 30 miles from Madras and 18 miles from Redmond.
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NEVADA
OREGON
CALIFORNIA
Archive Blog Posts of Our Country Visits
About Us

About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More