I camped on the John Day river in north-central Oregon. It was a highlight of the summer because it meant connecting with cool people in a special natural place.
Some memories include:
- The Perseid meteors (one every few minutes because we were there a little before the peak and the moon was bright) and the Milky Way
- My companions saw the comet NEOWISE at 0200 one night before I arrived. I think it was one of the last flashes of this comet before it disappears for good. I did not see it despite setting my alarm and scanning the skies.
- Hiking the dry hilly scrubland and scoping out isolated camping spots for next time
- Driving back on US Highway 26 and seeing changing landscapes and an unfamiliar eastern aspect of Mount Hood
- Frogs, brook trout, raptors, agates, sagebrush and bleached animal bones
- The painted hills
- Good camp food and comfort
- Kayaking, paddleboarding, tubing, cliff jumping and swimming
The exact site was the Priest Hole recreation area, on Bureau of Land Management land.
About the photo
It’s a slug I found
pseudoisaac 