June 27,2017 Day 22 Bend to Florence – Mountains to the coast via a National Forest and McKenzie Pass

No breakfast at the motel, so we headed out to Sisters, OR, 20 miles northwest on route 20. On the way, there were nice views of the Three Sisters Peaks, Faith, Hope and Charity.

Sisters looks as if you have stumbled into a faux Old West town. That is not be chance. We were told that the town’s regulations strictly enforce an 1800s style architecture giving the place a frontier flavor. Western store fronts, art galleries, restaurants and seemingly plush accommodations lined the main thoroughfare, route 126. This looks like a place that attracts affluent urban runaways who want quaint.

We opted to eat breakfast at La Magic Sisters Café and Bakery. We were able to eat outside. A leisurely breakfast with good food. Picked up a delicious brownie.

Rather than take the more direct and Google Maps recommended route, we went south to the McKenzie Pass scenic highway, route 242. Highway was an overly generous characterization of the road. However, it was truly scenic. Shortly after leaving Sisters we entered the Three Sisters Wilderness area and the road snaked through a thick green forest as we climbed up to McKenzie Pass, elevation 5,324 ft. At the Dee Wright Observatory, we were afforded panoramic views of the Three Sisters, Mts. Washington and Jefferson (this time from the south as opposed to the view from the north when we were on Sherrard Point on Larch Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge.) and volcanic formations. Met some fellow travelers there and discussed the virtues of various places in Oregon.

Shortly after the Observatory we turned off on to a dirt raod and parked at a trailhead for the Pacific Crest Trail. Walked about 1.5 miles out on the trail over some spots that still had patches of snow until it became too muddy to pass easily. Also walked in the other direction along the rock wall created by the lava flow. We only encountered one other hiker on this trail, but we did see messages left on the trail.  

A little further west on the road we came to the Lava River Recreation National Recreation Trail. The lava fields here constitute one of the larger, more recent lava flows in the country. The landscape looked like a lunar scene. Amazingly there were many trees growing out of the rocky landscape. There was a .5-mile trail that wound through a small portion of the fields with interpretive signs that explained the geological phenomena. Lots of lava tubes and black rock.

We continued driving west until the road joined the main route 126. It was a long winding downhill route that added electric miles. We skirted Eugene, for the second time on the trip, and continued west on 126 to Florence. This route climbed up and then rolled down the Coastal range through a very green forest.

We arrived in Florence through the main part of the town in the early evening. Our hotel was the River H

ouse Inn and its name was very accurate. The Inn backed up against the Siuslaw River and overlooked the Siuslaw River Bridge carrying 101 over the river. The Bridge was opened  in 1936 and replaced a ferry service. It is 140  feet long and has a double leaf, bascule draw span with many decorative touches. It looked very regale when lit at night. Beyond lay the beginning of the great stretch of white sand dunes. All very scenic. The manager was very cooperative and directed us to an outdoor electrical outlet to charge up our car.   The room was large.

We walked a short distance to and around the restored, waterfront, Old Town area. Lots of restaurants, ice cream shops, antique shops and fish markets. It has a small working harbor with many fishing and pleasure boats moored there. We ate at a fish restaurant, International Seafood Restaurant, overlooking the harbor. In the past, this was a port that shipped out lots of lumber to the entire world. Now it seems to be primarily a tourist and retiree town, but there were not many people on the street in the evening. Passed on ice cream.