#Dee Wright Observatory

[dr-julius-sumner-miller]

More from Dee Wright Observatory and the lava fields

[spaciousreasoning]

A Day of Sisters

Today is the Summer Solstice, a day which has been culturally important since the Neolithic era. Many ancient monuments are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the summer solstice. Most cultures recognize the event with holidays, festivals, and rituals. In Sweden, midsummer is one of the year’s major holidays, when the country closes down as much as during Christmas.

Today is also American Eagle Day, Clean Your Drains Day, National Flip Flop Day, National Ice Cream Soda Day, National Take Your Dog to Work Day, National Vanilla Milkshake Day, and World Productivity Day.

On this day in 1782, the U.S. Congress adopted the Great Seal of the United States. Since 1935, both sides of the Great Seal have appeared on the reverse of the one-dollar bill. The front side contains the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum,” or “out of many, one.”

June 20 is the birthday of playwright Lillian Hellman (1905), actor Errol Flynn (1909), guitarist Chet Atkins (1924), Medal of Honor winning soldier and actor Audie Murphy (1925), actor Martin Landau (1928), actor Olympia Dukakis (1931), actor Danny Aiello (1933), recently-deceased Beach Boy Brian Wilson (1942), “This Old House” host Bob Vila (1946), singer Lionel Richie (1949), actor John Goodman (1952), novelist Robert Crais (1953), and singer Amos Lee (1977).

The rain began early this morning, then continued off and on throughout most of the day. The overnight low was 49 degrees, and the day’s high only made it to 57.

My blood sugar came in at 160 this morning, another tiny drop. Better than a tiny increase, of course.

After enjoying our coffee and playing the Friday brain games, we had French toast for breakfast.

Since the rain had started early and Nancy’s interest in picking cherries subsided, we decided to look for adventure elsewhere. Having seen that OR 242 had recently been opened for the season, Nancy suggested we take a drive out there.

We took off about 11:30 a.m., stopping for a nice hot mocha at Old Crow on the way out. Then we headed east along OR 126 until the intersection with OR 242, then we twisted our way until we reached the Dee Wright Observatory, is an observation structure at the summit of McKenzie Pass in the Cascade Mountains. The open shelter was constructed with lava stone and is located in the midst of a large lava flow. It offers an excellent view of numerous Cascade peaks.

Nancy stayed in the car while I climbed the steps and path up to the observatory, fighting the cold, a slight bit of rain, and a good deal of wind. I declined to take my new camera up with me, so I took a bunch of pictures with my iPhone. I was quite chilled by the time I made it back to the car, and we turned the heat up as we struck out for the town of Sisters, just another 15 miles or so away.

Nancy did some internet searching for a place to have lunch and came up with the Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill. We crept through town in the middle of a long line of vehicles, and we were lucky to find a parking pace right next to the saloon and got a table right away.

Nancy got a turkey sandwich with some homemade potato chips and a ginger beer. I got a prime rib French dip with their homemade fries and a cola.

Sitting in a place called the Sisters Saloon in a town named Sisters, I could not help but think of my own sisters, Deborah and Sarah. Because there were T-shirts for sale, I texted my sisters and asked if they wanted one. I’ll be sending them to Virginia in the next few days.

We started home along U.S. 20, then took OR 126 when it split off. Nancy took over driving along the way, and we got home a little after 5 p.m. We took a brief nap, then fiddled around with various things until 7:30, when we began our Friday streaming.

We kicked off with Colbert’s Thursday show, which featured Paul Simon. He and Edie Brickell, his wife, performed a tune from his new album to close the show.

Then we watched the first episode of “Outraegous,” a new offering from BritBox that is based on the story of the Mitford sisters, six sisters who refused to play by the rules and whose often-scandalous lives made headlines around the world. Set in the 1930s, it is a tale of betrayal, scandal, heartache and even imprisonment.

We finished the evening with another episode of “Death Valley,” in which a murder mystery party turned into a real investigation when a famous actor was found stabbed to death. John reconnected with an old flame while he and Janie investigated.

Tonight’s low is expected to reach 48 degrees, while tomorrow’s high will again be in the mid-50s. Rain is expected throughout the night and all day tomorrow.

Nancy is off tomorrow morning to church for some altar guild prep work for Sunday. Then we have a potluck dinner party with a number of church friends at one of their homes at 5 p.m. We are to take a fruit plate, which Nancy will look for at the Market of Choice near church when she is done with her altar guild duties.

[snuffymusthike]

Snuffy's 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Day 15

August 9th Destination: Minnie Scott Springs Today’s Miles: 6 Start Location: Lava Lake Camp Trip Miles: 226.5 I got up this morning around 7:30am, had breakfast and after checking the map, decided I had time for a short walk to the Dee Wright Observatory before Elizabeth arrived to hike with me. As I walked the red gravel road past the trailhead, I could see hikers slowly filling up the…

[peloblancophoto]

Dee Wright Observatory Sunset 3

[postingcards]

mt. washington and lava beds seen from the dee wright memorial observatory rppc by sawyers scenic photos, ca. 1940s

[thinkragelive]

2022 : Windows and Mountains [Bike Trip : OR]

The Dee Wright Observatory is built on the summit of the McKenzie Pass in the Oregon Cascades ... on a lava field ... with lava stones. The windows that poke the observatory are situated to highlight in each one of the mountains that surround the area.

[suttonrv]

Discover Dee Wright Observatory in Oregon - an architectural wonder built on an old wagon trail! 🌋🔭 Want to experience views from atop a structure made entirely of lava stones? That's Dee Wright Observatory for you! Unlike the usual brick or concrete, this viewing point...

[still-kathleen]

Dee Wright Observatory, Willamette National Forest

by Kathleen Marie

[atouristathomeinthepnw]

Sunset w/ Smoke

[dr-julius-sumner-miller]

This morning I woke up with the sunrise at Dee Wright Observatory. Built in 1927, it is a viewpoint for a bunch of the nearby mountains.

Surrounding it are miles of lava rock fields - a rolling sea of boulders and split plateaus of stone. As the molten rock cooled, gases released themselves forming little tubes in all of the stone, and flows of magma contracted and split apart, forming crevasses across the landscape. In one photo, there are two “islands” of forest that the lava flowed around in its flow across the landscape. A plaque I read said that this area is one of the youngest lava flows in the country - having occurred about 2,700 years ago.

I had a nice time clambering around those rocks this morning. I sort of felt like I was on a different planet. It’s wild to imagine the folks who were wagoning their way through this area - shifting stones to make a way, probably busting their wheels left and right.

[justenoughfocus]

Dee Wright Observatory

[whiskyaesthetic]

Colorado distilled and bottled, @breckdistillery finished their bourbon in tawny port casks. Yum! The port is more subtle than other port-finished bourbons, but holding it in your mouth for a ten count brings out the barrel spice and some dark fruit notes. . . . #breckenridge #breckenridgecolorado #breckenridgedistillery #portfinishedbourbon #coloradowhiskey #bourbon #whiskey #whisky #aquavitae #uiscebeatha #uisgebeatha #whiskyaesthetic #womenwhowhiskey #whiskywithaview #pnw #threesisters #canon @whiskywithaview (at Dee Wright Observatory) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz1wqz6HSZt/?igshid=cxxs7x0sw4fk

[peloblancophoto]

Dee Wright Observatory Sunset 3

[postingcards]

the dee wright memorial observatory, built into the landscape from the surrounding lava flow. mckenzie pass, oregon. rppc, date unknown

[thinkragelive]

2022 : This Observatory Rocks [Bike Trip : OR]

Dee Wright Observatory. Built in the middle of a lava field in 1935 in the middle of the Oregon Cascades, it focuses its viewing windows on several surrounding mountains. Summit of McKenzie Pass, OR.

[gshubin]

The luminous, silver stream of the Milky Way, the river of heaven, spills over the Three Sisters. . #45thphoto #milkyway #astrophoto #astrophotography #nightsky #stars #darksky #wherelumixgoes #lumixusa #lumixg9 #leica1260 #microfourthirdsgallery #oregon #oregonbeauty #onlyinoregon #pnw #pnwwonderland #roamtheplanet #willamettevalleylife #threesisters #night #mountains #nature #awesome #amazingplaces (at Dee Wright Observatory) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgkKwQ3BAEO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=