by Robyn Eggs
Including Oregon's Historical Camp Adair
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Camp Adair
Camp Adair is an old military camp. There are miles of overgrown pavement that used to be roads. 2-3 really long roads travel from one end of the camp to the other, with many little connecting trails in between the main roads. This road we are on in the picture is over a mile long! Looking North, the old mess house (as I presume) is on the right.
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South of the mess house is a looming smoke-stack. Could it be a vent for operations down below that I don't know about? It looks like an oven, one they might have burned trash in. But I do not know for sure because I can't quite make out the enclave where objects would have be tossed in...What do you think it was used for? It's awfully tall!
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On Camp Adair, wild cherries grow. I say wild, but they line the road by the mess hall and can be found all over Camp. They were probably planted there, long ago, to help sustain the troops. The trees that bear these cherries are very old and covered with moss. And, even though the cheeries are small, they are plentiful. Even though the trees are old, the cherries still taste amazing! I filled my belly full! The kiddo was not interested in having anything to do with eating them...
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But there are also crab apples! These apples are small and bitter but still edible. They make an excellent pie because they are so tart. These trees are also so old they are falling over, covered in moss, and only produce a handful of apples each. Still, their proud majesty is a testament to the old Camp's former dignity.
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Corvallis Riverfront
Next comes the artful duck. Another of our popular haunts is the riverfront. We like to go throw rocks in the river on our evening walk. The duck population has erupted this Spring, and I can tell that people have been feeding them. They swam straight for us - as if our rocks were bread. No, we are not here to feed you, little Drake. We even saw little baby ducklings, trailing their mothers in the water. The way the water parts for their little boat-like bodies is wonderfully cute. It was about 8pm and the sun was setting when I took this photo. You can see why it got popular on Flickr.
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Two Mama ducks were herding four babies around. Here a mother can be seen on duty. They still think we have food. We don't. The riverfront is easily accessible from where I live, lucky us.
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Bald Peak State Park
I stopped to use the restroom at another one of my favorite places. The top of Bald Peak is surreal. And this morning, it was covered in fog. I took the back road to Hillsboro, where I had an important meeting. I left early so I could swing by here and get some pictures. I had no idea it would be so foggy. Luckily I knew the road well enough. At one point, the fog was so thick I had to drive 10 mph! :-O I stopped the car and ran out. I had to go really bad. When I got back to the car I took this picture. Theer was only one other person there, in a truck, off to the left of the frame.
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I snapped this shot walking over to the tiny trail, on the edge of the park. There is a drop-off and you wouldn't want to stumble and fall. A wee trail leads straight down the mountainside and around a bush or two so people can feel like they are at the edge of the cliff. What a view when its not cloudy or foggy. This big tree must be over 300 years old. Most of the trees in the park are huge. When the view is clear you can see the entire valley. I think it's the Tualatin valley, but I am not sure.
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Here is an epic fog panorama...
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William L. Finley Wildlife Refuge
This has been our favorite place to day hike lately. They have 3 or 4 trails that wrap around a resevoir. The elk cross here. With 650 acres of reserve, there continues to be a working farm. It is watched over by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife team. The old Finley farmhouse and red barn still stand for tourist viewing. This is a real treat to visit if you ever get the chance. I took this picture on one of the eastern turnouts, by the Woodpecker Trail. Nearby is the overlook, where you can see the fields and upper reservoirs used strictly to water the grass (grass to feed cattle, not the green stuff). The sun's rays peaked into my camera lens. Everything in life in that moment was perfect...
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Thanks for reading along!
Which one is your favorite and why? Cheers!!! XOXOX Can't wait to share more of my favorite places with you on Steemit!
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