Bend and beyond

Malheur NWR is really a unique place. We are enjoying working in the visitor center. People do not just drop in, they are coming in to a destination for bird watching, hunting, fishing or taking in the history of the valley. To check out this area and the refuge, visit the Malheur Refuge web site.

View from the visitor center porch

The history of the area is quite interesting. Peter French came to the Blitzen River Valley (as in Donder and Blitzen) from California in 1872 with 1200 head of cattle and a team of vaqueros. He was backed financially by Hugh Glenn. The valley is very fertile and has plenty of water from snow melt off the Steens Mtn. His cattle ranch became the largest deeded ranch in the US by the time of his death in 1897 (killed by a homesteader in a land dispute). There are many buildings remaining from this period, including three barns, a bunkhouse, one of the ranch offices and the original fence at the northernmost outpost of the ranch near refuge HQ. You can find details on the refuge web site or do a search on Peter French and Blitzen Valley.

The Sod House Ranch - Peter French's northern outpost

We like to travel around the area where we are staying and there's no lack of places to go in Oregon. Our first out trip was to Bend. It is the largest town within 150 miles. Our trip was planned as an exploration of the area. The drive of over 120 miles was over rolling hills and immense valleys. The lack of trees in the area gives great views when driving over a “hill”, but pictures do not do it justice.

View across a valley (note gravel road - there are lots)

Bend is in central Oregon very close to the Cascade mountains. The city is a tourist spot - there is skiing in the winter and camping/hiking in the summer. The downtown is full of little shops and restaurants; we ate lunch at a very good Indian restaurant and walked through the downtown area. The mountains surrounding the town are absolutely beautiful. All of the area is volcanic, like Yellowstone, full of hot springs, fissure cavities and, well, volcanoes. The Sisters (a set of three mountains), Mt Bachelor and Mt Hood are all active volcanoes. People do not take notice they are on the east side of a natural disaster waiting to happen.

It's not a working example - just an exhibit at the High Desert Museum

We went to visit the raptor center while in Bend. It is a rehabilitation community for injured animals, mainly meat eating birds, but there are a few otters and other wildlife in the park. There are also exhibits of early life in the area. From Indian, to settlers to lumbermen, each has a demonstration of the hardships the people went through. There was a live animal demonstration. The Red-tail Hawk flew very close to the crowd.

Farm exhibits include this old Caterpillar

The red-tailed hawk

The tiny saw-whet owl

We have the luck of being in a fertile valley with many farmers and ranchers. Terri from the NWR told us of a farmer who brings fresh picked produce into town each week. We are impressed with his wares. We are regulars getting corn, tomatoes and melons. Once again it goes back to eating, and we are doing it very well.

Swans with their three "ugly duckings"

Well, we are on to other things, like taking a week off of traveling. We are just hanging out before we travel to Boise. Keep the faith.