Oregon Outback

Looking across the fields to Table Rock - a beautiful part of our country

The Turbyne Cousins - Rebecca Roth Miles (3rd Cousin to our Jennifer and Will, Robert Chapman and Janette Roth (2nd cousins to Jim) - Do I have it right???

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The Miles Family - Lloyd, Andrew, Becky, Daniel and Katherine (Daniel, Andrew, and Katherine are 3rd cousins to our Catherine)


The next morning we headed directly north to Oregon for our visit with the Miles Family and what a good time we had. Lloyd and Becky and their three children live in a beautiful home between Silver Lake, Christmas Valley, and Fort Rock in the 'Outback' of Oregon and we had a chance to explore all three villages. Becky prepared a delicious venison dinner for the first night and it was such fun visiting around their dinner table and getting to know the kids.


Lloyd and Becky set all their responsibilities aside and the next morning gave us a tour of the countryside. Lloyd showed us the farm - the fields, hay, cattle - and then we drove to the top of Table Rock, another white knuckle drive - fortunately, Lloyd was behind the wheel. This gave us a beautiful view of the whole area and Lloyd was able to point out his various fields. Everything is so huge and open in this part of our country.


Becky's folks, Janette and David Roth entertained us for lunch - delicious soup, bread and raspberry pie! We met another cousin, Robert Chapman and his wife Roberta. And then it was time for the cattle drive - absolutely awesome fun. It was fun watching the moms and babies trying to keep together. That evening we all gathered again and went to dinner at 'The Cowboy Dinner Tree' - what a meal - salad, cowboy smokey bean soup, beef stew, yummy homemade rolls, and then the main course - a HUGE steak and a HUGE baked potato - followed by dessert. Needless to say, everyone left very full and with very large doggie bags.

The next morning, Becky gave Jim a lesson in bread-making - he wants a Bosch mixer just like the one she has! With seemingly little effort, four loaves of bread appeared. We were amazed.

After a tour of the 'Fort Rock Valley Historical Society Homestead Village Museum - a collection of homestead-era structures including homes, a church and a school and another visit with Robert and Roberta, Lloyd and Becky took us to Crater Lake National Park. This five mile wide lake, rimmed by steep cliffs, rests in the remnants of a volcano - it is 1,943 feet deep, the deepest lake in the United States. It was a cold day and we even saw a little snow. Another beautiful sight.

That night Janette joined us for supper and we all reflected on a very busy and enjoyable visit - such fun sharing our memories and our love for Scotland. We are already looking forward to coming again.

Lasser National Park

"Miles of its flanks are reeking and bubbling with hot springs, many of them so boisterous and sulphurous they seem ever ready to become spouting geysers . . ." John Muir "Mountains of California", 1894

Lassen Peak's May 1914 eruption launched three years of sporadic volcanic outbursts and the area was made a national park in 1916 because of the active volcanic landscape. It serves as a century-long example of how Mount St Helens might recover from its eruptions in 1980.

We spent a full day driving around and thru the park. The narrow black-topped road twisted back and forth as it took us up to 8,500 feet (Lassen Peak measures 10,457 feet) and offered beautiful views of the area. We stopped here and there for quick walks, a picnic, and explorations of the various rock. We saw hundred year old rock side by side with rock thousands of years old.

We worked our way back to Susanville for our second night there. Tomorrow we head to Oregon.

Susanville

We left Santa Rosa on Tuesday, the 28th, to explore northern California following several parts of 'The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway', one of twenty-eight 'All-American Roadways' in the nation. The Feather River Scenic Byway follows Hwy. 70 from the North Fork of the Feather River's deep canyons up into the Sierras - beautiful views and no guard rails! Our goal was Susanville - Jim found a delightful B&B online and we spent a pleasant two nights at Roseberry House.

Susanville is the Lassen County seat and a rough 'n tumble town full of history, lumber mills, loggers, and cowboys. Pioneer Isaac Roop built the first home here in 1854, naming the town and river after his daughter Susan. We missed the annual Susan's Birthday Celebration which celebrates all Susans and their birthdays with the annual Susan Parade - Guess we will just have to come back!

Greetings from Santa Rosa

We arrived here in Santa Rosa, California, on the 22nd of October. We are visiting with our good friend, Nancy MacDonald, and having a wonderful time. Nancy has just purchased a new home so we have had a good time helping her get settled - installing knobs and pulls on the kitchen cabinets, painting the fireplace mantle, hanging artwork, and moving every piece of furniture here and there for the perfect look - I am in my element! Her home and surrounding yard are absolutely lovely.

In our free time we are having fun exploring the area - we have been antiquing (Our best finds were Millard and a hall tree), eaten at our favorite Mexican restaurant (El Coronel in Sebastopol), walked around Healdsburg, and visited several wineries. Nancy has a great walking route here in Oakmont so we 'try' to do that each day. Nancy's daughter, Kris, lives 10 minutes away with her husband Jim and baby daughter Lexi so we are enjoying visits with them as well. So far this has been a great vacation!