Badlands, you gotta live it everydayLet the broken hearts standAs the price you’ve gotta payKeep pushin’ ’til it’s understoodAnd these badlands start treating us good
— Bruce Springsteen, Badlands
Two weeks ago, Clan Cornelius was in a temperate rainforest getting soaked and buffeted by coastal winds. Yesterday we were rambling classic Central Oregon high desert terrain.
Lady Marilyn and I headed east of Bend to the Oregon Badlands Wilderness — 29,000 acres of ancient Western Juniper and Columbia River Basalts. There’s something like 50 miles of trails criss-crossing the designated wilderness — smooth and mostly flat — which makes it a perfect place for Marilyn and her bum knee. Even though it’s a popular area, accessible right off Highway 20, there’s enough terrain to keep people spread out, so it doesn’t feel crowded. That’s getting to be unusual in Central Oregon’s featured attractions. On the same day, Ceili and Jarod hit Smith Rock State Park, and it was overrun.
We did a nice, slow three-miler, which is about as much as Marilyn’s knee will take. The ancient (300-500 years old) junipers make for an intriguing landscape — they have personality.
I am fascinated by the derelicts.
For some reason, this kind of country makes me think of the Louis L’Amour novels I chowed down in my younger days. It just feels so West.
Oregon has changed a lot in the 30 years we’ve been here, and often not for the better. But the variety of country accessible to roam is remarkable, and it’s good to be reminded that there is still much that is great and good to experience here.
Sue says
Nice! Looks great out there not too peopley!
Poor man wanna be rich
Rich man wanna be king
And a king ain’t satisfied
‘Til he rules everything
JimC says
Not crowded at all.
I’m gonna go out tonight and find out what I’ve got.
Arthur Devor says
I love Louis L’Amour. Great author. Still enjoy reading his books.
Jim
JimC says
I revisit every once in a while. Particularly the books early in the
Sackett chronology.
John says
I recently re-read a couple of his non-Western novels – Last of the Breed and The Walking Drum.
Great stuff. I highly recommend them both.
Hawken Horse says
beautiful country!
lane batot says
Incredibly diverse state! No wonder film companies like to shoot there!
Monk says
Got one for you Lane: Jules Howard_Wonderdog.
Oh, and Dingoes are different man, they are just in a different realm,
not like any dog I have ever encountered before.
lane batot says
Yeah, thanks–looks like a fascinating read–I’ll havta git me a copy! And you bet Dingoes are in a different realm–The Dreamtime! I’ve recently been informed by another Critter Geek of numerous Dingo books I had no idea existed, and have been splitting my spleen acquiring and reading them! You can never have too many Dingo books……..