Friday August 5, Frenchglen, Or

After a big day yesterday had a rather slow start, the air was so pleasantly cool and we dawdled around, even managed to do the laundry in the campground before we left about 10.30. Somehow these days, the temperature does play quite a part in our days, so this morning we did enjoy walking around the small town of Burns before we left.

We popped into The Book Parlor in the main street, a great little shop full of really good quality books and other interesting bits and pieces. Turned out to be a coffee shop as well and two ladies started chatting with us. On finding out that we were from New Zealand they said the coffee was really good and why not join them. An offer to good to refuse! And they were right about the coffee too. So we sat and chatted with Linda and Virginia for some time, they were both long time residents of the area and were able to give us some good info about the roads and the highlights. It was a very pleasant way to relax. The owner Maranda was delightful and asked could she take our photo as we were the people that had come the most distance to visit her shop. Quite an honour, and she kindly sent us on our way with some of her great coffee ground ready for us to use in the van.

Called into the Information Centre and met another really friendly girl (sorry have mislaid her card with her name on it!) and left with a heap of maps and information.

After picking up supplies at the local grocery store we headed south. We rose up into the high desert into country that I know geologists would delight in. The rock formations and the old lava flows created quite an interesting landscape. Stopped at a round wooden barn that was built in the 1880’s by a rancher to break and train horses during the winter. It is now being preserved by the state and is quite amazing.

It was late afternoon when we arrived in the small settlement of Frenchglen…read that it has a population of 12, and an historic old pub. Read about the Page Springs BLM campground on a small river, 3 miles up a gravel road, which sounded like a good camp for the night…and it is. Enough trees for shade and huge sites and only $8 for the night. Couldn’t believe it that we could also use the Verizon Modem and get wifi, a good chance to chat with the family in NZ on Skype.