Let me bring you up to date in case you haven’t been reading the blog these past few weeks.
Large sections of the west are on fire. Smoke chokes the air of an even larger region. And, there’s not been much relief from Ma Nature.
This week, hoping to find a space with clean air, we drove up to Cottonwood Canyon.
Months ago we put a reservation on a cabin at that state park. Looking forward to lazy time on the veranda and smallmouth bass fishing, the car was loaded and headed north.
Upon arrival a flustered Park Ranger informed us that we had to leave. Cottonwood was under a Stage 3 Evacuation.
We did not even get unpacked. After a two-plus hour drive, this was not welcome news.
But this news was not completely unexpected. There was a massive plume of smoke roiling over the crest of a hill on the eastside of the John Day River.
To the north, upstream, a hillside was completely blackened and smoldering.
We had been looking forward to this two-day stay, now we were driving back down Highway 97.
By mid-week, past our reservation window, the park had reopened with little or no fire damage.
We have two days reserved in October which should be outside wildfire season.
Until then it seems smoke-filled skies will continue to disrupt our summer plans.
Too bad about the Fires and smoke. When are you going in October? We’ll try to get there too. At the beach this weekend and having fun.
Would be great to see you guys, we’ll send info via e-mail.