DAY3 of OREGON

Ah so yes, I woke up in my enormous room and I didn't actually want to get out of bed at all because it was so huge and comfortable. I hate how that happens.. haha. But I got up took a shower and packed my things up. I went down to meet Barbara (owner of the Geiser Grand) for breakfast in the bar area. I got the most delicious Eggs Benedict I've EVER had in my life. She makes a bit different than the rest of the world, I swear she makes it with magic. Who knows for sure. All I know is, I've never been the same since. YUM. Here, I even took a photo of it: 

After I ate, I wanted more. 

But I went onward with my day - Tim came back to the Hotel to take me out to the Oregon Trail Interpretation Center. So I loaded up all my things and followed Tim out to the Oregon Trail. We stopped just before the Interpretation Center and walked out away from the road a bit. I was standing on an area with no plants growing - a trail. It was the actual ruts of the Oregon trail. It was CRAZY knowing that so many people followed this trail in hopes of a new better life. So incredible. 

We headed up the hill to the Interpretation Center and took the tour. It was so big and there was SO much information. I wish I had had time to read every single plaque and look at all the details. Its truly a facsinating journey that these people made. I really hope everyone gets to visit the Interpretation Center if they are in the area, it's so amazing to learn about the Oregon Trail. I liked walking on the Oregon Trail ruts in my Danner boots, considering they were made in Oregon. haha.

After my tour, I had to head off toward to the town of Halfway. I was told to take a detour over the hills so I could drive through the "ghost town" Sparta. So away I went...

The town was high up there. At first I didn't even know I was in the town. It's all on a dirt road, and eventually you're like... oh... it was back there... Because you drive past it pretty quick. Haha. It was a really fun drive.

It eventually spit me out in the town of Halfway. A super cute town that I really really liked. 

I was headed to my next stop - The Wallowa Llamas. Basically, I had no idea this was even something you could do... but you can go on a backpacking trip and rent llamas to carry your gear. Its a really awesome adventure. I met Raz at his house and he showed me a slideshow of previous trips he had taken with a group of people and the llamas. It was BEAUTIFUL! Then we walked out to see the llamas. They are such weird creatures. They are related to camels and live to be about 17 to 22 years old. They are also useful being places with sheep because llamas safe guard the sheep from coyotes. Llamas simply have an intimidating nature - they just walk up to a coyote and scare it away. They also bond with sheep well. How cool right? Raz took a photo of me trying to get the llamas to come hang out with me... the llamas looked at me like I was crazy... haha. I took one of him as well, but the llamas know him and like him so they went up and smelled him. Funny animals.

After I was done visiting I headed to town to meet up with Tammy, she wanted to show me around to some cute places in Halfway but I was on a time crunch, so she settled with showing me Babettes house and B&B. For those who don't know, Babette was the first woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition in 1964. She lives in Halfway and also has a new B&B on top of a hill overlooking Halfway called Ravens Wing. We drove up there and it was amazing! I love all the quirky details and decor. It was truly amazing up there. 

She also has a gypsy caravan outside you can rent to stay in as well - its awesome.

After visiting with Tammi and Babette I headed up to meet with Kaitlin who lives at the Cornucopia Lodge with her father. We had to leave my car at the bottom of the mountain and take her truck halfway up the mountain, then we transferred vehicles to a snow crawler thing. It took a while to get up there, but we made it and we had enough light so we decided to drive over the snow to the ghost town of Cornucopia. An old town founded on gold, abandoded in the 1940s/1950s. She doesn't get many visitors up there so she was really excited that I was down to explore and even wander into some of the old houses. We both kept saying how weird and cool it was. Just being where people used to live... who just up and left... totally eerie. But, typically Cornucopia Lodge is a summer destination. With hikes, horse back adventures and much more. There are small family cabins on the mountain you can rent, or stay in one of the rooms in the Lodge. Its perfectly isolated and beyond beautiful. 

We headed back to the Lodge and I unpacked and got into my cozy warm pjs because it was cold up there when the sun went down! Kaitlin made us a delicious meal - she's an incredible cook - and we went to bed early. Funny enough... I forgot to take a photo of the actual Lodge! I took one with my phone tho. Oh well, you can see it on their website! 

I'll write about day 4 SOON I promise! Stay with me here guys! :)

OREGON

Where the heck do I even start?

I suppose, from the beginning. 

Months ago I got an email asking if I wanted to go to Oregon. I thought it was a joke. Who ME? No one asks ME to go somewhere or do things. I don't have a million followers on Instagram... I'm not someone in the spotlight... my mind didn't know what to think. But I jumped on the opportunity. Who the heck wonders about HOW when its already been established?! So it begins... my journey toward Oregon. 

The Wallowas. 

Travel Oregon - they picked me to go to the Wallowas. I hadn't even heard of this place. I googled it, and saw the images and was astounded. They wanted me to go to this magnificent place? They wanted to send me there and adorn me with Oregons best? Sold. Out of the 7 Wonders of Oregon, they wanted to send me to the place that makes the most sense to me? That's called fate.

I began my adventure to Oregon. 

I woke up that day, April 1st. I was waiting for the "april fools sucker!" call or something. But it never came, so I ran to the airport & boarded first class onto Alaska Airlines and hopped on over to Joseph, Oregon.


Wait, it wasn't a hop. Let me be real here, it was a grand drive into the little town of Joseph - cozily nestled at the base of the Wallowas. I drove down Rattlesnake canyon, in my cute little Ford Escape. I zipped around corners and my eyes could barely keep up with the scenes. 

I stopped at Chief Joseph Canyon viewpoint  -

Saw the area where the Nez Perce spent their winters - at the bottom of a canyon by the river. It was pretty exciting to me, knowing this was an area where a group of people lived and survived - for thousands of years. Seeing it then, was mixed. They aren't there anymore. They were not down by that river, surviving the winter. I was sure to take a few photos while I had some moments to myself with the cold wind blowing & birds drifting on the wind above me. Wondering if the quiet moments like the one I was having, was something they experienced often during the winters there. 

I continued on toward Joseph.

I saw elk along the way. Some buffalo. I rolled into town just as the sun was fading into the west, I saw the cute town just before dark. I made it to my new bed for the night: The Bronze Antler. It's an incredible B&B with a view of the Wallowas. I was floored when I saw my room. I stayed in the Mirror Lake room. I felt like I had been living under a rock my entire life, the room was decked out with the best of the best. The bathtub. Oh me oh my. It was sensational. I speak highly of this place and I seriously recommend it to EVERYONE. GET THIS ROOM! Spoil yourself. No joke, its absolutely worth it. I could have spent my entire trip in that room. YUM.

There was a big ol' duffle bag waiting for me in the room as well. FOR MEEEE?!?! I opened it. Yeah, I jumped up and down and spun around in circles and muffled my own shrieks of joy. I ripped it all out and quickly scanned over it all. I didn't know what to touch first. So I grabbed the box. OH YEAH, the box of brand new Danner boots in my size, BRB OMG. I threw them on because I had to go get some dinner before places closed for the night. So comfy. Warm, cozy, squishy, badass. I looked at myself in the mirror and was like "yes". 

I waited to twirl around holding the other items in the bag until after I got back from dinner.

I went down to get some sustenance at Embers Brew House. Got some pizza & a local brew from Barley Browns Brewery, I think it was a Vanilla stout. T'was amazing. I could have cried when I took the first bite of my pizza. Like, food this good after seeing the most lavish room just for me? Someone pinch me. NO DON'T. 

Afterwards, I decided to go to the Stubborn Mule - my hosts at the Bronze Antler told me I should check it out, its a local pub they said. So I did, got another local brew. Sat on my own and watched the locals play pool & talk. I could tell I was an obvious outsider - even with out them looking at me like "a blonde girl in a leather jacket... what is this?" but I sat and sipped. Then a girl came over and sat right down across from me. Abbie! I made a new friend within minutes! Who knew? Clearly this girl was intimidated by me, which was great. Because from what people tell me, I am intimidating. *I do not agree with this, but what do I know I'm not sitting across from me* She was super nice, and knew I wasn't from the area. She asked about me, I asked about her. Soon her friends trickled over. A few guys in tight wrangler jeans and plaid button ups. Well hello there. It was fun being involved in their conversations. I am so glad I met them.

I went back to the Bronze Antler, I flipped on the water and let it fill up with warm inviting water. I am not much of a bath person - but how exactly are you gonna refuse to use a giant amazing bathtub that has lights that change color and jets & all that? Thats right, you can't refuse. I almost fell asleep in that tub. I slowly dragged myself out & over to my enormous bed. PLOP - SEE YA! 

I woke up and got my things together. & then cautiously entered the shower. It could have been a time machine for all I knew! But alas, it was not. Thank god. Because that shower was fantastic. Water came from all over the place you guys! I was giggling and getting all ridiculous turning the knobs over and over again. Oh and listening to the radio inside the shower & trying to decide which color light I liked best. Yeah, I KNOW. I finally made it out & pulled it together in time to meet my new friend Joe for breakfast upstairs. Heather (the owner of Bronze Antler) made us delicious food and woowwww she's good.

But hey, that means its a new day. You only get one day per blog post! See ya later for the next one ;) It gets better, trust me...