RimRock PowWow with canyons, shooting stars, dogs and oh yeah, humans

What prompted me to move to Oregon was the discovery of its breathtaking coast, followed by three days in Portland.   After moving here, I slowly discovered many of the incredible sights (and sites) Oregon has to offer.  I explored different areas of the coast, made it to Bend, Three Sisters and Crater Lake.  I fell in love with the Gorge, and on and on and on.  I had even been through the far southeastern tip of the state on a trip from Reno to Boise years ago.  That was gorgeous, too.

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I took a trip to Joseph and Hells Canyon in the Wallowa Mountains.  Oregon just doesn't stop pouring it on.  That area could actually be the most beautiful.   But when you mention it to Portlanders, they say, "but it's so far."

Seriously?

So, I decided to take my third trip to the region around July 4th  Or just after, actually. I just seem to have a constant yearning to be on the road these days, even though I just got back from my train trip across the USA.

I wanted to make a return trip to Barking Mad Farm, where Austin and I had stayed the previous year.  We made new friends and went hiking with them, and the hosts were fantastic.  (Images from last year)

But somehow in my surfing for that, I found the RimRock Inn, about 40 miles north of Enterprise.  The pictures of the inn overlooking a spectacular canyon, and tipis--spelled differently than I had remembered from my elementary school years -- enticed me to find out more.  I thought I had remembered seeing this place when Austin and I had traveled from Joseph to Spokane a few years ago during our first trip to the region.  The area just after the Rimrock was spectacular.  This would get me close.

The owner, Becky, informed me that the Chief Joseph suite -- appealing for a very reasonable $95 a night -- was only available for Friday night, but that I could have a tipi on Saturday.  OK, I'm game for that.  A tipi experience, saves me some money, and of course, they are good with dogs.  I booked the room and the tipi and then on July 4th made the decision to have an early BBQ with the boys and buzz out of Portland in the late afternoon and stop in Pendleton for the night  That would split the drive up and get us out of Portland when all the firecrackers were going to freak out Oakley.

I had never driven the Gorge eastward at that time of night.  It was fantastic.  No one was on the road, and I had the windows opened, tunes blasting and any worries I had were completely gone.  And so was I.  I didn't do my usual stopping to take pictures.  I was on a roll.

I wanted to keep the night cheap in Pendleton so we stayed at the fairly decently reviewed Motel 6, which sported the new design for Motel 6s, including wood floors and upgraded bathrooms, along with a flat panel TV.  It worked just fine for $50.  It IS a Motel 6, but it is clean and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the idea of spending $50 on a hotel room when they're just stopping to sleep.

Oakley and I blew out of there at about 8 and made our way toward Enterprise.   The Hells Canyon scenic byway passes through a few small towns, traverses prairies, then swings down into a canyon carved out by the Wallowa River, and then across farmland framed by the Wallowa Mountains, otherwise known as "Little Switzerland."  

We came across a riverside park and took a breather, and heard a little friend, and then three, pecking on this tree.   Stopping and smelling the roses.

I stopped for a little breakfast muffin at a coffee shop, The Blonde Strawberry in Wallowa, which was actually delicious and like the best deal ever.  All you need for breakfast.

I stopped and took a few shots between Enterprise and Joseph.  It's too beautiful not to.

The drive was breezy, and we got to Enterprise early enough to make a trip to Terminal Gravity for a beer Weedwacker) and a burger for lunch with barely anyone there (which I like).  Dogs allowed.  Both the beer and the burger, made from fresh locally raised beef, were super.

And then we made our way up Route 3 to The RimRock.  Passing first through farmland.  Cows and sheep and beautiful vistas, before you get to the Wallowa-Whitman Forest.

About 3 miles before the Inn is the first scenic viewpoint of Joseph Canyon, a preview of what I would be seeing for a few days up the pike a bit.

What you don't see here is the family of five who locked their pickup truck (they were the only ones there when I pulled in) with their kid in it, who tripped the alarm.  So, here I was pulling over for this idyllic, serene vista, and well, you can't escape idiots.  The alarm went on for about a minute before Daddy-O figured it out.  He let his kid out and then locked the truck again.

After the 45 minute drive that seemed more like 15, we arrived at the Rimrock.  

I use "we" because Oakley really is a perfect travel companion.  He gets out of the car, lets me shoot my pictures and sniffs around, and then heads back to the car with me when he seems me doing the same.  He's great off-leash, aside from the occasional protective bark.  He displays happiness, and doesn't mind sitting in the car while I do my thing.  I've gotten good at looking for shady parking spots.

I truly enjoy giving him a life where he can take in the smell of the ocean, the serenity of canyons, and experience different places and things.   His life is too short, and he has given me, and so many other people, priceless joy and happiness.  I may as well make it fun for him.

I was greeted by Mike, who introduced himself as the husband of the woman who handles the front desk, later introduced as Lindsay.  We got into a discussion about our kids, some parallels we had with sons at age 3, and I shared some of my experiences along the way to today, when my oldest is gainfully employed and has done so well.  

Mike runs the kitchen, and Lindsay runs the Inn, with both chipping in to help every facet of the RimRock run.  This is the first year of it being run as a bed and breakfast, and for it being about a month into this phase of its life, they're doing a marvelous job running it.  They had previously been on a huge farm in Indiana, caretaking.  

The chief Joseph Suite is absolutely fantastic, recently done up by the new owners in an effort to transform the RimRock from a remote restaurant destination to a B and B, with a nice restaurant at dinner.

I had given Oakley a rawhide bone, and he didn't touch it.  Left it on the deck.  When we went to explore a bit, he took it with him.  It was a little hot and I wondered why Oakley would want to take the bone with him (He had already been seen wandering the property with it in his mouth).  And as it turns out, he wanted to bury it.  He never went to pick it up.

The Hostetters, the owners of the RimRock, had a Friday night family gathering.  And they do have a family!  Their son-in law, granddaughter were singing, and a rather huge clan of Hostetters joined in.  Oakley really enjoyed the attention of the little girls, and was offering his paw to keep them smiling.   I was seated with Becky and Ron on the deck overlooking the canyon.

We enjoyed ribs and some really tasty cheesy potatoes.  (I would say Mike does potatoes better than anyone I know.  His mashed potatoes the next evening were the best I'd ever had.)

Dinner was delightful. Ron invited me to enjoy my once a year cigar.  This is just the setting in which I would partake.

The bedding is dreamy in the Chef Joseph Suite.  There is a shared shower and bathroom down the hall, but I never saw (or was aware, I should say) anyone in them.

The next morning, I awoke and saw the sun rising.  Got out of bed, took this shot, and then looked at my clock.   

Back to bed, and then awoke again to this:

We had a nice breakfast of French Toast (unusual but excellent version), and some meats and cheeses, and then took a 2-mile hike onto some private property adjacent to the RimRock.

This afforded views back to the RimRock

We then got in the car and headed north into Washington. 

Travel dog reflects on this beautiful canyon land.

I turned around at the 7-mile marker in Washington and headed down to Joseph/

Arrowhead Chocolates.  Really fantastic.  
I had an iced Mexican Mocha and some lime salted caramels.  Oh, yeah, some ginger cookies dipped in salted dark chocolate.

All almost worth the trip out to Joseph just for that.

After trying one of the caramels, I walked back in and bought ten more to bring back to the boys.

Then it was back to the RimRock for dinner and a night in the tipi. Coincidentally, I ran into the folks from Barking Mad Farm at dinner.  Their place was full up with a wedding.  They brought the new bride and groom to the RimRock for their first dinner as a couple.  I really enjoyed talking to all of them.  There was another couple there for dinner only who were celebrating their first anniversary.  This was a very special night for many.

The highlight of staying in the tipi, while they are comfortable and nicely appointed, was being out there on a crisp, unusually balmy night to see the beautiful unspoiled night sky.

I saw the most amazing shooting star I'd ever seen.  It was so thick and covered so much of the horizon that Oakley barked at it.  Then came two satellites, another shooting star, and then something the people in the tipi next to mine corroborated the next morning--explosions in the sky.  Three of them.  It was as though stars exploded.  I would love to know what those were!   This was all in an hour.  I was to bed by 11:30.

Sorry.  no pics!  I put my phone down for the evening, but waking up in a tipi was delightful.

My neighbors from Portland did a bonfire the night before.  It wasn't that cold, so I didn't bother with mine. Besides, being by oneself just isn't that romantic.

 

And they drank wine 

Those were the seats off to the right where I lounged watching the amazing sky far from light pollution.

I was the first one out of the three tipis, and I walked up to the front of the Inn before it was open to steal the wifi signal.  I got into a conversation with one of the other guests (who displaced me from the Chief Joseph Suite!) who proceeded to tell me he liked larger dogs, but the little terrier his wife insisted upon had taken a liking to him.  Every time he referred to this dog that loved him, he called her "it."  I do not understand how people who claim to have an affinity for dogs can refer to them as "it" and not their gender.  

People.  (Generally speaking, I like dogs better).

 Still very early, some old cowboy in a 30 year-old diesel pickup drove up to the front of the building, and then down by the tipis.  It was 6:20am.  He proceeded to idle the damn diesel, and blast his country music, while sitting in his truck.  I walked over to inform him that there were people trying to sleep, but by the time I got there, the woman in the tipi next to mine got to him to ask him to shut up.  As she walked away, he turned off the music, but the diesel engine just kept on clicking away (it was loud as hell) until the guy got out of the truck and walked slowly to the edge of the canyon.  When he returned, he let the truck idle for another 10 minutes, waking up the second couple, and then left.  Thanks cowboy!

I had a nice breakfast of biscuits and gravy that Mike prepared under some rather challenging circumstances.

And hit the road.  Jack.

This is an amusing video.  I wanted to capture the chorus of whining sheep on the west side of Route 3, and so a funny thing happened.  

As I viewed the scene through my phone, I thought I saw my Oakley in the middle of the field.  I called out to him, only to realize it was a giant lab out there, and then, well, Oakley then took off to meet his new friend.  They hung out with the sheep a bit, and when I called Oakley, the two dogs came back and slid under the barbed wire.   His friend wanted to come with us.  He left me with plenty of slobber.  (I am happy Oakley doesn't get slobber all over everyone.) 

The drive home was delightful.  Windows wide open, breeze through my hair.  Yes, in case you were wondering, that's where it went!) I loved this little trip.  By the time we hit Pendleton, we needed some AC.   Four hours from there, I was home.  I felt like we were away for a week. 

Now, one last little story:

On Facebook, I posted my picture of the tipi ceiling, above, and one of my best friends from my childhood recognized it and chimed in.  He and his wife had been at the RimRock IN the Chief Joseph Suite, (in the only bed in the suite) just 12 days earlier.  These are not Portland friends.  This is my friend from elementary school, who happens to live in Vancouver BC now.

Small world.  

Mine, and welcome to it.