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 🙂
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- BIA 26 to Kah-Nee-Ta
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- 1,019.385 sq mi occupied & governed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
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- 9 mile high-desert run – spiritual & centering
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- mow pesa mu ka yow we yoona
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- the Museum at Warm Springs
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- no Chinook salmon today
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- bridge bungee jumping — hmm, someday
Extra day off work, 5 hour drive south on I-25 = happy 3-day marathon weekend (no airport 🙂 )
Not being a hot weather runner, struggled with the idea of where to run New Mexico – only 2 organized marathons [in New Mexico], Shiprock in Four Corners (May) & Duke City in Albuquerque (September). Then – out of nowhere received notice of a brand-new event coming to Angel Fire, a small northern New Mexico ski town. SCORE!
Wait – New Mexico in July? Marathoning at 8800ft? Yikes!
Amazing arid landscape – love New Mexico – but not a lotta in Angel Fire during the summer (same as many Colorado ski towns). Bib pick-up, stopped by Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, then 45 minutes west thru Carson Nat’l Forest to Taos.
Shopping, open air markets, outdoor dining, large local artist community – day trip recommend. Fun, laid-back atmosphere.
Closest 4th of July firework display? An hour east in Eagle Nest. Argh, would have to pass this year.
Early to bed, early to rise – tomorrow’s marathon day at 8800ft!
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- holiday road trip to the Land of Enchantment
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- Mexican Bush Sage
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- adobe architecture reflects the heritage of New Mexico
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- open air markets, art galleries, outdoor dining & whole lotta shopping
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- 4th of July holiday weekend
What is the proper way to pronounce the word “Mackinac”?
The French Pronounced it “aw” but spelled it “ac”. The British heard it pronounced “aw” so they spelled it that way. Whichever way it is spelled, it is always pronounced “aw”.
Lasagna, 45 minute drive north & a quick 20-minute power nap after finishing marathon #33 – and I’m boarding an early afternoon ferry to Michigan’s Mackinaw Island. Berthed downtown on Main Street, bought a carriage tour ticket & hopped aboard within 5 minutes of arriving on the island. BAM – awesome timing (next tour not for 2 hours).
Traffic on Mackinac Island is limited to bicycles & horse-drawn carriages – automobiles prohibited…pretty cool, huh?
Targeted a visit to Mackinaw & its Grand Hotel because of a sappy 80’s movie starring Jane Seymour & Christopher Reeve, “Somewhere in Time”. Re-watched the movie last week online before marathoning in Michigan.
Don’t think the love story itself drew me in – it was the ability to go back in time & live another era. What would life have been like if I were placed in the early to mid- 1800’s in the American West? Hmm.
Mackinaw’s Carriage Tour hit all island highlights. Started downtown, rode past residences built in the 1910s & ‘20s, the Governor’s ‘Summer Residence’, and – the Grand Hotel.
Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel still looks much like it did a century ago. There are newer hotels with modern facilities on the island – but give me history & creaky wood planks any day. Nothing rivals the Grand Hotel’s long wrap-around wood porch, overlooking the Straits of Mackinac (Lake Huron). Spectacular.
Tour resumed at the island’s working stable (Surrey Hills) where we switched carriages & travelled thru Mackinac Island State Park, stopping briefly at Arch Rock (rest break for the horses).
Tour concluded at Fort Mackinac, built by British troops during the Revolutionary War. I hopped off at Fort Mackinac & walked the trip remainder, down historic Market Street, past “Somewhere in Time” gift shop & multiple fudge stores.
Beautiful day.
Ferried returned, hotelled the night across from Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
Early 230am start for the trip home – 4 hour ride to Grand Rapids, 8am Denver flight.
“Come back to me” – Elise McKenna, ‘Somewhere in Time’
I’ll come back to Mackinaw & the Grand Hotel.
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- early afternoon ferry to scenic Mackinaw Island
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- Mackinac Bridge, Lake Michigan
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- bicycle or horse-drawn carriage — automobiles prohibited
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- carriage tour down Main, thru historic Downtown, to the Grand Hotel
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- Arch Rock, Mackinac Island State Park
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- Straits of Mackinac (Lake Huron)
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- British outpost, Fort Mackinac
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- lighthouse sunset (moon visible)
“Somewhere in Time”
