6/26/2017 - Logging Museum

Monday -  This morning's first chore was to find our next campground.  After the problems we ran into last week, with the dog show and the July 4 holiday filling all the campgrounds in the area, I expected we would have an easier job this time.  Wrong.  The big quilt show comes to Sisters the weekend of July 8-9, and everything is, again, booked.  I called all around the area and finally found a campground in Prineville, which is east of Redmond, that could accommodate the 3 rigs for 5 days.  So we are set for another week. 

When I got that done, and Dave finished his laundry, we went to the casino for breakfast, then drove to the Collier Logging Museum just north of Chiloquin.  I was expecting a big building with lots of photos but instead, this is "one of the country's best and largest collections of rare, antique logging equipment. This Park also features a Settler's Village filled with authentic log cabins . . ."

"The museum, most of which is in the open, displays logging equipment dating from the era of animal-powered logging through the early 1980s, and it holds the largest collection of McGiffert and McVay log loaders in existence. There are also steam tractors, a steam donkey, a steam locomotive, and a Corliss steam engine that ran Long-Bell Lumber Company’s sawmill for forty-seven years in Weed, California. Other early equipment includes several sets of high wheels, chain-driven Mack trucks, and pull-type road graders. Mid-twentieth century logging is represented by a collection of power saws, gasoline and diesel-powered tractors, a Weyerhaeuser truck reload, a log-raft tugboat, and two sawmills, one operable."

Lots of old equipment, most of which I knew nothing about, but Joe knew what most of it was, how it worked, what it was used for.  We spent a couple hours here, at least.

I was more into the carved bears.

And a bench with a lovely carving on the back.

There were huge logs, and several log cabins.  They have demonstrations here on Father's Day, which we missed, of course.

Joe found 2 dozers he had driven in the Army, in the Dominican Republic and in the States.  He said he drove newer equipment in Viet Nam.

Spring Creek runs along this museum, with a very nice arched bridge that takes you across to the campground and day-use area.  The water in the creek was crystal clear, and had some depth to it as well as a waterfall upstream.

 moss underwater

I can never remember to take a towel with me, so of course I had to put my toes in this cold water, then tried to dry my foot by sunning it on the bridge.  Joe stuck his hand in the creek to confirm that it was cold.

There were chipmunks running all over the place, and I finally caught one with my camera, even though he was hiding in a bush.

We finally left here, stopped by the RV, then headed into Klamath Falls.  Dave and I both needed haircuts, and Joe and I wanted to check out an electric broom like Mazie has.  So we did those chores, shopped the Oregon Gift Shop (didn't buy anything), came back to casino for dinner, and called it a day.  I decided to do my laundry, and we thought a storm was going to blow in, but we just got clouds, some thunder, and maybe a dozen drops of rain.

 Joe spotted a white egret (I think) in the river by our campground.  My Florida kids will have to confirm that this is an egret and not an ibis.  Andrew would know.

Tomorrow we are looking for a waterfall drive.  Then we are hoping to see the Brundiges on Wednesday.  Joe checked on Oregon fishing license for out-of-state residents, and they are $20/day (and you know Joe doesn't get to go fishing without ME) so at this time we are not thinking we are going to do that.  We really don't have the right equipment either.  We may elect to hire a guide on the Columbia River and do some serious fishing when we get in that area.