(Click any image for a larger view)

The forecast today promised clear skies, light winds, and hot temperatures.  We left Unity OR in the morning cool, and were soon climbing into beautiful forest.  The trees are tall and straight, and there is little ground story.  It would be perfect for wandering on foot.  We passed several government run campgrounds.

Noel is more of a time trials guy than a king of the mountain, but here is evidence of his prowess uphill.  Our route has been taking us through numerous high passes and Noel takes it in stride (cadence?).

The buffalo and huckleberry theme continues.  We, of course, both had the ice cream.  Yummy and refreshing.

After our last high pass, we descended toward John Day OR.  The landscape around there is a series of foothills,mountains, and valleys. Gorgeous. Some of te prettiest views of the trip.

Noel (and I) have been very lucky. Taking all factors (weather, road conditions, views) into consideration, his time here has been the best string of 3 straight days on the trip.

In John Day we visited an unusual museum, partly chronicling the lives of Chinese workers in Oregon, but focusing on a couple of men from Guangzhou who established a medical practice and eclectic general store (opium, bootleg liquor, gambling, marshmallows, and Wheaties).  The shops(s) in their stone building was called Kam Wah Chung (or Golden Flower of Prosperity).  It’s a fascinating history about 2000 Chinese laborers (and only 3 women), makingit the 2nd largest “Chinatown” of the time.   The whole thing was given to the city, who left it unused and even unopened for decades.  When it was unsealed, it still contained much of the goods, which were preserved by the areas arid climate.

*