Was It Worth It?

Owyhee ~ Beautiful Oregon!!

 A trip in the planning for months, almost did not happen. The main purpose and itinerary was for Miko
and I ... to adventure the back country of Southeast Oregon. Areas of which I’ve enjoyed via my motorcycle, but with a street bike ~ the back-country ... does not happen. So … to capture the ‘Hart Mountains’, the ‘Steens’ and ‘Owyhee Canyon’, were our targets.

Only twenty miles south of home, we were struck with our first trip delay. Two hours of attempting to resolve a ‘Climate Control’ issue on the F150, were met with unsatisfactory results. With temperatures projected to have an unseasonably high forecast in the upper 80’s and lower 90’s … should we continue? With paragraph one above ~ absolutely! The manual windows will have to be sufficient. Ha!

It would be the first of three VERY potential setbacks. Though, the most favorable. This is due to the fact that later that very afternoon, the control spontaneously corrected itself, and wala … Cool air and AC were once again gratefully appreciated.

A second purpose to this trip was to capture some on our Oregon ABCity Tour list. Successfully, we enjoyed the likes of LaPine, Lakeview, Lime and Lawen. Likely, many have visited the first two ~ but Lime and Lawen. Where in the world is Waldo?

Hart Mtn Sunset

Visually, the majestic wonders of the ‘Hart Mountains’ and ‘Owyhee’ were more than can be imagined. The ‘Steens’, unfortunately must wait for another day. At over 9,000 feet, and with the heavy Pacific coast snowfall in 2023, yeah … the road was closed.

Our route then drove us along the most picturesque west side of the Steens. Always with phenomenal beauty. After a belly stuffing ‘Fields Station’ milkshake, we made our way to the ‘Alvord’ desert and a night at the Hot Springs. After a quick hike along ‘Pike’ creek, we returned to camp, where I enjoyed both the sunset, and the following morning, the sunrise from the hot springs. Cool indeed! Well, perhaps … ‘Hot’ indeed!

BTW … By the way … the Alvord Desert is home to the fastest women on four wheels. Jessi Combs reached 522.783 miles per hour in her Supersonic Speed Challenger. Said to be essentially a ‘F-104’ jet. Sadly, Jessi died obtaining that record four years ago today, on August 27, 2019. Doing so, she was able to break the previous record by Kitty O’Neil’s 1976 of 512 miles per hour. Yikes!

Alvord Desert

Our next stop was a brief, but well worth view of the ‘Pillars of Rome’. You haven’t heard, nor seen them, have you? Most have not! Yet, once again, a delightful site to see. After a wonderful burger at Rome Station, Miko and I were off to the highlight destination of the week …

Having driven along the ION (Idaho-Oregon-Nevada) Highway a couple times now, I greatly wanted to visit this place called ‘Owyhee’. Tom & I had made camp once along the Owyhee river, but not even the photos online were about to prepare me for what was in store. But first … our second trip delay would occur. Fifteen of twenty-five miles along gravel roads into the Canyon, I caught a glimpse of one of those unfortunate ‘idiot’ lights. Fortunately, this ‘idiot’ took heed to make a quick check. Only two weeks prior, had the same light, for the tire sensor, had illumined. For that one, a quick repair at Les Schwab, discovered that the value stem on the back right tire was the culprit. Much to my surprise … it was the same tire. But, ironically … a totally different problem. Nope, this time … a definite screw had found its home within that very tire. An hour change, that included videoing my endeavors, (for a future post) and we were rolling again.

The ‘Slocum Creek’ campground is nothing to write home about, but the drive into, the hiking around and two wonderful kayak adventures on the Lake/Reservoir … yeah, priceless! I kid you not, when I say that this may be the MOST beautiful place in Oregon. I know … that is saying a lot. For this State ~ oh baby, is simply the MOST beautiful State in the Union. This I know to be true. Indeed!

Early in the morning, Miko and I spent more than three hours heading southward on the lake, attempting to arrive at what I was told, a spectacular hot springs. Though with surprisingly strong intermittent winds ever increasing, this old dude decided that we should return. Arriving at the campsite, we discovered some new guest. With rambunctious … just having fun … kids, Miko decided that we should move on and discover more beauty. But … as we were quickly to discover … this would almost immediately bring about ‘trip delay’ numero tres. Ouch!!!

Less than ten minutes from our campsite, while enjoying the immense beauty of majestic rocks … and heading along a 1 ½ vehicle width area … someone, yes, someone … may have not been paying attention to the extremely very soft shoulder. Did I say very extreme … or, extremely very … does it matter? The result … a five hour delay of plans … a thirteen hundred dollar tow bill … yep, you read that correctly $1,300 … and a nights stay at the Motel Super 8. And why is it called ‘Super’? BUT ~~ thanks be to God … the F150 did not roll! Miko does not have PTSD, and ‘Code Red’ towing, masterfully pulled that puppy out of an otherwise non-apparent ditch.

The title of this blog … “Was it Worth the View”? I need to credit one of the ‘Super 8’ front desk ladies. And though … never … no, never … do I want that near roll experience, yes, it was worth the view! Ha!

Crane Hot Springs

But Oregon … as always, keeps providing more beauty. Such was the case for our last couple of nights. A stop at Crane Hot Springs and finally a lone stay on the shore of Delintment Lake, brought our most wonderful week trip to an end. A definitely wonderful site and three excursions in the kayak just continue to bring delightful beauty, rest and joy. And to think, only five minutes before, on our fifth kayak adventure of this week-long trip … I was surprisingly thinking how little Miko had not fallen into the water. Even then … someone might have missed part of his adventure. Glancing, I saw his head on the right side of the bow. It was his back paws … where were they? Oh … the little fella had slid off and his back paws were somehow tangled a tad, in the bungee-cord, which I had attached to the bow in order to hold a mat on top of the kayak. All week he had been amazingly successful to remain at top … at least until he wasn’t. Fortunately for the puppy, we were only twenty yards from the shore. The great news … for a dog at least … again, no apparent PTSD.

Delintment Lake

I believe that even with our trip delays and mishaps … Miko would say as well, if he could … Indeed, it was worth it!

 

 

 

 

I Don’t Do Diapers!

I know a guy … while performing emergency medical procedures on a cardiac arrest victim … saw the intense display of anguish, in the tear-filled eyes of loved ones who prayed for another day. He saw the horror of fellow comrades, as they extinguished the final flames that incinerated four unsuspecting laborers as they were driving home from their job site.

This same guy timed an amazing group of paralyzed veterans, who pulled themselves through the water, no legs propelling them, as they raced toward the finish line. A personal record perhaps, yet no fanfare the following morning … not even an honorable mention in the local newspaper. Or, the other vets who plowed their adaptive wheelchairs into to each other, as they scrum in pursuit of another goal.

Earlier in the year he gathered vital signs, a medical history, and listened to their stories. Mothers, and their children, living with daily fear, knowing that their cartel husbands would one day be released from prison.

He smiled, and he cried … watching Isabel, who returned for her second year of baseball camp. Never to become a ballplayer. But this is why he brings baseball to the children of Mexico. She listens intensely, to capture every detail from her coach. And then … a swing … the ball dribbles down the third base line. She runs … a smile, her hair lifting in the wind as she crosses first base. ~~ Two days later he arrives at her home, delivering an awesome chicken enchilada casserole. Steam still escaping from the corners of the foil. She greets him outside … a younger brother … a kid sister … playing amidst the debris in which is their yard. Less has been seen from the dump near his own home. Their house … four walls, a door and a window. Its’ size … less than his own master bedroom. They smile, they survive … they’re grateful!

Four ‘Zephyr Valves’ placed. And now … three days required to reach the other side of the worst of complications. Conversations enjoyed … beating his kid brother in a game of cards. Living on the positive side, all while residing in University Hospital.

There have been … and will be … others who have seen … who have experienced … life with greater significance. But … what has been his life … Has been a path of seeing the world ~ in their worst of days.

This guy … he recently received a series of correspondence regarding a club that he runs. There are a few grumbling about some silly and overly insignificant rules. The drama of it all … when …

I ask … How is it … When our world is filled with so much broken … That some … they can be more about the drama … More about whining over such things of insignificance … Than seeing and being the significance for others ~ in their moment.

He challenges you … set aside the game. Be grateful for the simple beauty … that can be found in a game. Play for the joy! Realize what is yours … and maintain your compass on life’s true heading. That’s what he has discovered. And in doing such … he has determined that he no longer does diapers. You can wallow in your own crap if you so desire. But for me … ‘I Don’t Do Diapers’!

 

 

Today is the two year anniversary when the Biden Administration abandoned in Afghanistan the precious lives of David L. Espinoza, Nicole L. Gee, Taylor Hoover, Ryan C. Knauss, Hunter Lopez, Rylee J. McCollum, Dylan R. Merola, Kareem M. Nikoui, Daegan W. Page, Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Humberto A. Sanchez, Jared M. Schmitz, and Maxton W. Soviak … they were determined to be of little significance. Today ... they should be two years older. Instead, their families continue to ask and search for answers. Only weak apologies offered. Let them not be forgotten! ~~ Let us live in such a manner that we correctly measure life according to the significance of others … and not … of things.

 

Nope, Not Anti ...

Always a beautiful setting, Minto-Brown Island Park, provides pleasure to wonder about the 1200 plus acres, whether you choose to walk, run or bike. On this particular Saturday, a young friend and I were directing participants in the Hope Pregnancy Center ‘Walk/Run-a-Thon’. A simple job, made fun as we encouraged and chatted, both with participants and those leisurely enjoying the mild August morning.

One such elderly lady strolled up to us and looking at our shirts said, “Pregnancy Clinic”. With a quizzical look, she continued. “Are you anti-abortion”? Without skipping a beat, I smiled and responded with, “Actually we are about supporting women who have found themselves in the midst of a ‘crisis pregnancy’.” Lifting her head slightly skyward, she let out with an ahhhh, and then continued on her slow, but determined walk.

Sixty-five years ago, my very own mother, at the age of sixteen, found herself in a ‘crisis pregnancy’. I’m pretty sure that there were no such organizations that were available to provide such caring support. Though I know that my grandmother, Nana, was that very support, beside her along the way.

And now, in August of 2023, I’m grateful for the care, the compassion, the guidance, through emotional, mental and physical means, they … we are able to encourage these young women of the immeasurable value of that the life that is growing within them.

No, I am not ‘Anti’ … rather, I’m for the life of each that grow within that very amazing space, called a womb, which our Creator has specially designed for each baby to begin their journey.

Perhaps better words have not been spoken, than by David in Psalms 139, where he says, “For You (God of Creation) formed my inward parts; You knitted me in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, my soul knows it very well.”

I’m grateful that I was wonderfully knitted within the womb of Elizabeth Ann. I know that my soul … it knows it very well!