A few weeks back I took a quick trip into central Oregon with my lovely wife Christina. It was a great little getaway to take in some beautiful country.
Smith Rock, captured in a 180 degree panorama.
This was my first time up close to Smith Rock - I've passed by on the highway and seen it out in the distance, but for some reason have never taken the time to drive out to the State Park. It is impressive! When you visit be sure to bring some binoculars and watch the climbers in action, there were hundreds the day we stopped by. Better yet, bring your climbing gear!
Next, on to "Hole in the Ground," a mile wide crater created by a volcanic steam blast. Those are full sized pine trees down at the bottom. For a sense of scale, there's a little yellowish pixel across the rim, that's a car!
Can't find the little car? Here's a 100% zoom:
Just a few miles away lies Fort Rock, what used to be an island in the middle of an ancient lake. When it was inhabited by Native Americans the caldera shape must have provided incredible weather protection. It is an impressive site to visit.
Part duck, part elephant, but mostly rock.
Some really hardy wildlife.
Some really hardy grasses.
A bit on the whimsical side, at the center of Fort Rock, there are dozens of rock stacks. The abundance of loose rocks invite you to build yet another stack, or improve on an existing one.
And this is us, Adriel and Christina. Married twelve years and counting!
By Adriel Henderson