Before leaving the Chalk Basin, Michael and I took one last hike. This hike took us cross county to an area above the lower Owyhee River knows as the chalk cliffs. On the float trips I have made on the lower Owyhee river, we have camped below these formations on the second night of rafting. I have always want to see this area from above. I finally fulfilled that desire.
PS I did successfully drive the Cherokee out to the road, although not as boldly as Michael 🙂
Chalk Cliffs , Owyhee River
Knap weedChalk cliffs OregonChalk cliffs OregonChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee River. Michael is standing on top of this dome. I joined him later.Chalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverChalk cliffs Oregon, Owyhee RiverI snapped this picture of Michael taking a picture of this lizard just as it ran, Note the dust and shadow.
Sunday began with the kind of sunrise that spoke peace and oneness and concluded with a sunset that invited deep sleep. In between, Michael and I made a major hike through gullys and canyons amidst incredible ash and rock formations. The rain that had challenged us driving here left trickles of water in what are normally dry washes. The air was cool, the damp “dry” wash walk refreshing.
We reached the Owyhee river and ate lunch. I napped while Michael fished. Afterwards we discovered an exciting canyon with the most intriguing and colorful formations we had seen that day. Definitely like Moab, UT, but without the crowds.
Michael found a beautiful agate thunder egg. He hauled this thirty pound rock back to our campsite as my Father’s Day gift. What an outstanding son! Scott, the man we had extricated from the mud hole (see the first Chalk Basin post) came over before dinner. We enjoyed a wide ranging discussion about the presence of God in our lives, and the transformational nature of His deep love for us.
Campsite sunrise, Chalk basin, Owyhee RiverStarting the hike, Chalk basin, Owyhee River. Michael in side canyon, Chalk BasinThe damp wash we walked down, Chalk Basin, Owyhee Rivera slot canyon that is normally dry, Chalk BasinChalk Basin, Michael fishing the Owyhee riverChalk Basin, Michael below pinnacles, Owyhee RiverChalk Basin, Owyhee river pinnaclesChalk Basin, Owyhee river pinnaclesChalk Basin, Owyhee river pinnaclesChalk Basin, Michael between pinnaclesChalk Basin, Michael holding thunder eggChalk basin campsite, Owyhee river
This passage attributed to St Patrick is a great reminder that God is the source of everything that I am. What matters is my total commitment/relationship to Him, not merely my “thoughts” about Him.
“I bind myself today to the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward,
the Word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard.”
attributed to St Patrick, c. 420
Meg and I loved how this spring, its source unknown to us. brought refreshing beauty to this dry sagebrush of SE Oregon.
The Birch Creek ranch on the lower Owyhee River of SE Oregon