Top 5 (or so) - Roadside Oddities

Alright people, it’s May 2020 and we all know/remember what that’s like. Some or most days are kinda dull as we stay home a lot. Since we can’t travel at the moment, we decided to revisit some of the more surprising places and things we have encountered on our grand life journeys. Get ready for some excitement as we count them down!

#6 - Hot Lake Springs Hotel

On the road to Union, Oregon

This was a luxury resort and health spa retreat, featuring a thermal spring lake during the last thirty years of the 19^th century.  We happened upon it while exploring a side road on our way to Baker City.

Recently restored by the new owner

 We went in to explore some more and saw some unusual taxidermy, bronze statues of John Wayne, and an earnest effort to make the place interesting to modern day travelers.

His hobbies include bronze sculpture.....

...and shooting things

#5 - Utah Rockets

Space Shuttle boosters and Polaris missiles in Northern Utah

One day we were on our way to Golden Spike National Park, following Google maps on an otherwise boring road. Driving around a bend, we came upon the ATK Rocket Garden in front of their factory. We’re talking about “going to outer space” rockets, AND “blow it the hell up” rockets. We had to stop and take a look.

Navy Surface to Air Missile

Jan filling out the "win a rocket sweepstakes" entry form

#4 - Sumpter Dredge

Near Sumpter, Oregon

Driving west from Baker City, through central Oregon, we were directed to a real curiosity.  Living in Oregon our entire lives, we had no knowledge of this man-made creation, put to use to dig the gold out of Cracker Creek.  One suggestion for future visits and visitors:  restrooms come in handy out in the middle of nowhere.

Scoops for digging out gold, along with everything else in the creek

Even though it stopped digging in 1954, you can still see the damage it left behind

#3 – Flintstones Bedrock City

One of the few powered rides at Flintstone Bedrock City in Hope, British Columbia

 Traveling with our children is and was always fantastic and they are great on a car trip. We were heading west to Vancouver B.C. after camping in the Grand Coolie when we came upon this place, and we all just fell in love with it.  It’s an amusement park featuring some of the fun aspects of the old Flintstones TV show and their way of life.  We enjoyed it so much, we went back a few years later.

Our first visit, summer of 82

Our second trip, just prior to visiting Expo '86 in Vancouver BC. Using pedal power to give mom a ride

Not the Magic Kingdom, but lots of fun

#2 - Frogs of Milton Freewater

Every business in Milton-Freewater has a frog in front of it

 Exploring again, this time in Eastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington. Go to Milton-Freewater and look around, walk around and drive around. That town celebrates frogs all year long.

Betsy Frog at the No Public Restrooms sewing center

Changing tires is good for the quads

#1 - Afterglow Vista

Near the Hotel De Haro in Roche Harbor WA

We found this very special place while on our honeymoon (fifty years ago) on San Juan Island. A mausoleum built by the McMillin family, who owned much of the island at the time. Each family member has a seat at the table, which is also a crypt for their ashes.  It was designed so that on Mom and Dad’s anniversary, at sundown, the sun shines down a trail leading from the ocean, through the partially missing column and onto their chairs. Lovely, but a bit spooky at the same time.

According to the brochure, the broken column represents the incompleteness of man's life

The crypts of the McMillan family

Fred was a joiner

We hope you enjoyed this visit to the cobwebs of our minds.  We hope we can get back on the road soon so we can blog our next adventure.  Be safe and be well. T&J