Western USA 2003
Sheldon NWR, Nevada to Lost Forest, Oregon
Last night was very cold and filled with hee-haw and coyote howling, the watering hole came alive at night like an African safari. Slept over 12 hours.
Left Sheldon NWR and crossed over the top of a mountain range into Oregon and stopped at a hand glider take-off point, the drop off cliff was unlike anything I have ever seen the vista goes forever and is a sheer drop off. I wish I could hand glide but I am also glad to safely walk away from the cliff edge, the soles of my feet tingling to grab the earth.
--Handglide Launch Overlook
Stopped at a few small towns that border along the Great Basin along rt.31 mostly seasonal tourist and hunting towns. While getting gas meet a group of very rough Harley riders from Idaho on the way to the 100th Harley Davidson anniversary at a nearby park. They were older, dirty, missing teeth, looked like the type to stick ya if you let them. The station attendant whispered "be careful". I entertained the idea of finding the Harley convention somewhere up in the mountains but these guys are straight out of Deliverance and I was best off skipping that adventure.
--From "Deliverance"
Further on in another town near Summer Lake (a dried lake bed) the grocery store guy recommended to stop and look for Indian petroglyph's at a nearby mountain pass so I hiked around the rocks looking for petroglyph's. It was off the track with no official signs, crossing barb-wired and private property on foot, but no luck. Used the Camel Back water-pack for the first time.
--Entering The Crack..
Continued through to the farming town of Christmas and then back roads to a place called Crack-in-the-Ground had no idea what it was or what to expect. Parked at a small parking lot no other cars, walked a short 1/4 mile trail and there was literally a crack in the ground caused by a fault that goes for more than 2 miles. It is about 10 feet wide and 20 to 70 feet deep, as if the earth was a piece of cheese that had dried and cracked open.
..hikeing through The Crack..
It is possible to hike along the bottom of the crack where the air temperature is very cool and even some ice crystals even though it was over 90 degrees above. Small hidden caves could be seen along the edges. It was very unusual and never experienced anything like it, caused by volcanic action. This picture from someone else shows what it looks like from above, a whole world down there.
..exiting The Crack.
Made for The Lost Forest to find a place to camp for the night. Took a back-road short-cut according to the GPS but it was a very rough road that in spots had heavy dune-like sandbanks, the 4Runner made it through, got really beat up on that road. Driving around The Lost Forest I came upon 4wheelers and they recommended a good camping site that was out of the wind and set up camp just at dark. The soil here is like sand but even more fine it is volcanic ash from ancient eruptions and gets into everything, the truck back bumper was covered with a thick layer of it for weeks.
--The Lost Forest
Food today is chips and sour cream for lunch, Hungry Man canned stew for dinner, orange and oats and eggs for breakfast. Feeling lonely in the Lost Forest tonight, very isolated spot, Memorial weekend and only see the one group of 4wheelers, but this is what I came here for to get lost in the forest.
--Tonights beautiful campsite.
