Down from Hood, drove 2 hours south – day vaca on Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

Indian casino?  Nope – resort day in the high desert between Mount Hood & Crater Lake.  Good fit, an unexpected adventure.

Woke Thursday in Kah-Nee-Ta, lil’ stiff from the prior day’s hike, but on a mission.  9-mile morning run on reservation trails up high desert bluffs.  Surrounded by sage and volcanic rock, heat kicked up & my energy level kicked in.

Eyes burned of salt, running sweat ’round my goggles.  An eagle hovered, motionless riding the wind current – then dropped directly in front of me.  VISION QUEST.  Super spiritual, centering moment.

Showered, reflected on my run – unexpected beauty trail-running thru Oregon’s high desert.  WOW day!

Similar to most Native Americans, Oregon’s tribes lost their land in the late 1800’s & were resettled onto a large swatch of high desert in central Oregon near Warm Springs.  Fish-gathering Wasco from the Cascades, nomadic Northern Paiute from the South & the Sahaptin of Warm Springs – all 3 tribes survived on Oregon’s abundant Chinook salmon population.

Visited the Nat’l Fish Hatchery where Ranger Mary Bayer educated on everything Pisces, Pacific Northwest – from dwindling salmon numbers to global warming.  Unfortunately nothing to see this day – fish were released 2 weeks prior because of rising river temps, a result of the California/Pacific West drought & increasing ground temps (up another 4° from last year).

Half day at the reservation’s Native American Museum – art, music, dance & local history.  Highly recommended.

Tomorrow, Crater Lake Nat’l Park – super excited.  On the 3-hour drive south (17 miles from the California border), stopped & watched bungee jumpers leap from Crooked River Bridge on Highway 97.   Hmm…someday 🙂