Camping With The Cows

One of my favorite things about camping at the Burnt River is living with the cows.

 They are roaming the countryside for the summer. It's fun to wander over to the fence in the morning and watch them ~ they are beautiful. 

The little guys were so curious and full of character. The momma's were a little more suspect but hey, as a momma myself, I totally get it :)

My Dani girl ~ I miss her so very much! She's doing very well and just got a job!

It's been a hot, dry week here in Utah. Wildfires going on all over the state ~ not good.

 Praying for a good rain soon!

More of our Burnt River Trip

Mom and Dad enjoyed riding our Sportsman 500 ~ they miss theirs and hope to get another ATV soon!

Heather and Ben were only able to be there Saturday and Sunday. DJ and Dani rode out to the main road to meet them. Ben rode back into camp with Dani.

We were so glad they could join us even for a short time.

Dani was so proud that she learned to ride Ben's motorcycle.

Mom and Dani secretly planned a birthday celebration for Dad and I. It was awesome :) They told each of us separately to take the other for an ATV ride so they could decorate.

I love my dad :)

Our last morning there DJ, mom, dad and I took a little drive up the hill by our campsite.

Oregon has awesome ATV trails!

Heather learning to ride Ben's bike.

The kids headed out of camp for a ride.

The kids with Grandpa and Grandma.

We've been getting fresh spring water here for 37 years. It's just down the road from our campsite.

My next post will be about the cows we camped next to :) 

Tradition ~ Driving To The Fire Lookout

Camping at the Burnt River always includes a drive up to the fire lookout up on Table Rock. It takes about an hour. The drive itself is beautiful.

Dani and Dad rode the ATV's and DJ rode the motorcycle. Mom and I followed with the dogs in my Yukon.

The mountain pine beetle is responsible for these trees no longer being green. It's the most destructive tree-killing beetle in Oregon.

This meadow is about 4 miles from the lookout. We usually stop and eat here. There used to be a big trough that was full of icy cold water. One year my dad, DJ and both my brothers dunked their heads in it.

I love to see new growth.

Between forest fires and the beetles there are patches of bare or brown trees scattered all through the forest. The lookout is ahead of us at that highest point.

The views from the lookout are amazing!

It would be an interesting job manning a fire lookout but I wouldn't want to do it alone.

This lookout is manned from early summer until early fall. Elevation is 7,815 ft.

The dumplings are a little blurry but if you could smell them you wouldn't care! We came back from the lookout and cooked up a pot of chicken and dumplings. Yum! They hit the spot.

I'm grateful for all the men and women who man fire lookouts. It's not always an easy or exciting job but it's appreciated!

It was another great day spent with people I love and soaking in God's beautiful Creation!

Burnt River ~ A Homecoming Of Sorts

In 1976 ( I was six ) my mom and dad piled us kids in the car and headed to Montana ( from Oregon ). My dad worked at a paper mill and was on strike. We were headed to Montana to check out a job at a mill there in Missoula.

On the way home we became weary travelers looking for a place to pitch a tent. There was a small hole in the road town called Unity. Just out of Unity, OR there was a beautiful river called the Burnt River and on the map it showed campgrounds along that river. That was good enough for my folks and we called it a night. We pitched our tents there again in 1977, 1978 and every summer until I was 19 in 1989.

The next time I pitched a tent along the Burnt River was in 1992 when Heather was 10 months old. Then 8 years went by and it was 2000 before we piled all 3 of our kids in the car and headed to the Burnt River. We camped with my folks, one of my sisters and my two brothers. We went most every year until 2004. Our kids loved it! They played in the river and ran around with their cousins.

Then life got busy and we didn't go back. Until last week......

None of us realized how much we had missed it until we got there. The air is so clean and fresh. It's beautiful. It's quiet except the babbling of the river. 

The stars at night are AMAZING! You'll see shooting stars and satellites cruising along (or moving stars as Dani calls them :)

DJ and I went over on Thursday and met momma, dad and Dani over there.

It was raining on and off the day we got there.

The Burnt River ~ such a peaceful place to be.

setting up the camp kitchen

We love our Coleman coffee maker :)

It wouldn't be camping without a campfire!

 

Dani, momma and dad

The view from the morning campfire ~ perfect :)

Which way to go? I think the road less traveled leads to more adventures.

DJ went for a ride and came back with a log for firewood.

DJ, Dani, momma and dad.

Morning sun.

Koda had SO much fun ~ I don't think he's ran so much in his whole life!

Koda and Max drank from the river. Koda was in and out of the river the whole time we were there. Poor Max jumped in the first day we were there to follow Koda and he got carried a few feet downstream. That was the end of his river adventures.

Dani and DJ playing Cribbage.

Unique stump design.

Our campsite is off to the right.

It was really good to see Dani and spend time with her and my mom and dad. More pictures to come.....