Much Needed Time Alone

Ah....a lovely day spent alone with Mr. B. Much needed time alone together! It was just wonderful to kinda reconnect as we walked together and talked!

We drove through Eugene heading east looking for the McKenzie Pass on Hwy 242. One can get to Sisters if the road was totally open. Unfortunately, 11 miles from where we parked our car, the road was closed to cars due to 5 ft of snow.

The road was gated off at this lovely recreational area!

We parked, had a picnic lunch, and started walking the road looking for a particular viewpoint of the 3 Sisters as marked on our map. The road was narrow, uphill, and extremely curvy! It was a lovely walk. We went for 4 miles up and then the 4 miles back. (I know it was 4 because i had my iPhone in my back pocket. The NIKE app was on that has a lady telling you how far you have gone, how fast, etc. We were walking and she became very rude. I told the bitch in my pocket to shut up!! heeeheee. hey. i was hot and kinda tired by then.)

The road was open to walkers and bikers! Boy, what a ride for bikes! There were a lot of them out there too. Wow! Can they fly down the hill! We had to really watch out for them. I imagine that they had a great workout! (notice the sign in this photo!)

I took way too many photos of flowers! But they were so pretty.

Bear Grass

a Rhodie

Currant

a very patient husband!!

Columbine

Vanilla Leaf. Run, Jim, Run!!!

I loved the lava flows. The landscape and the flows

changed with elevation. On our walk up we gained about 1500ft.

Now, I know...to the normal person, lava is just rock...dirty rock.

But if you hold that dirty lava in your hand, fathom the age, the history,

the turbulent violence that created it! To me, it is so extremely fascinating to hold a rock that might be 100 thousand years old. What else can one hold that is that old? Imagine what might have walked on it over the years? I just love looking at the geological twists and turns in each road cut in the basalt and andesite!

More rocks to add to my collection.

Pahoehoe and obsidian.

The middle sister.

Broken Top

A rocky creek bed?

The snow really wasn't that impressive. But we only made it to the 4500ft level. I am sure that there was a lot more at 5000ft.

A trillium

A mountain strawberry

A lovely lily

Have a lot more photos of flowers! Hey! Is it my imagination or are most of these flowers white? It seems that the first blooms of Spring are indeed white!

Well, that was our day! Walking, talking, laughing, being silly, just enjoying each others company in the sunshine and fresh air.

WE are ready for our backpack trip next week! Leaving on Sunday! Our packs are packed and by the backdoor!

That snow better be gone!!!