Anthony Lakes Wildflower Walk
August 8, 2025
We are off for our annual anniversary 'Wildflower Walk' up at Anthony Lakes a little later than usual this year. First, July was one busy month. Second, the flowers were later due to heavy snows. And third, the mosquitos are HORRIBLE in early July!
And we found flowers!! Lots of them! And few mosquitos! I'll let the photos do the talking...
BANDON FAMILY GATHERING
MAC MEMORY SHARING
Friday, July 25
Baker City to Bandon
484 miles through center of state
Tom, Heather, Jen, Matt, Dani in their van, coming through Portland with multiple stops (Powell’s bookstore, etc!) Marg with us and trailer as we cross middle of state through forests and mountains!
We arrive about 6 and get set up. Jed arrives 7:45, and Taylors at 8!! Whew! The Silver Bullet (Gretch and Shawn) set up at beach house, we set up at Franklin house. Jed sleeping in Kirsty’s little trailer and Tucker in tent above. All Taylors, plus Tom and Doug inside in Franklin house. Liz and Dave at beach house. It’s a crowd!! I call Sabra only to find out that she and Mark left for Vancouver this morning and will be gone until Monday! She was so bummed and so are Liz and I!
Kirsty has made a big pot of clam chowder for everyone for whenever they arrive!
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| Quick view of the Sisters as we pass through Central Oregon. |
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| Gretchen and Shawn had the Silver Bullet set up at the Franklin house but moved it to the beach house so we could take this space. |
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| Jed slept in the trailer part while Tucker took the tent on top! |
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| We set up on the lot at the Franklin house (a mile from Beach house) |
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| Heather gives little 'Franklin' a cuddle. (So named because he was rescued on Franklin street!) |
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| Franklin has a good cuddle inside my overalls! |
Saturday, July 26
Beach walk at 7 with Taylors (no Marg), Liz and Dave, Jen and I. It is a beautiful morning, albeit a bit cloudy, and an easy walk from the Franklin house. We meet Liz and Dave, Kirsty and Erik right at the TishTang access.
Back to the beach house for eggs, cin rolls, bagels, and a smoked salmon breakfast! Yummy! Jed and Rick meet us there.
Around 10 we finally gather in the living room at the beach house with my photo roll going to share memories of Mac, laughter and a few tears. I have a couple readings from Altars Under the Sky – a book that is under considerable debate as to how I ended up with it!!
The Taylor clan then all head to OldTown – they have serious restaurants and stores to visit!
Jed and I take beach walk south. Then Rick, Jed, and I hit a few shops and Face Rock Creamery and Cranberry Sweets! Back at the Franklin house, Jed works on my laptop making a few of my requested changes.
It turns out to be a gorgeous day, but I think everyone is glad we nixed the trip up to Sunset Bay. It would have been just a lot of extra logistics and traveling.
Instead, we had the tie dye party at 4pm at the beach house! Including pouring all the extra dye on the big board Kirsty had in the side yard. It is beautiful!
We have a Hotdog dinner with all sorts of sides provided by Gretchen and Liz.
Afterwards, Tucker takes all the ‘kids’ down to the city park. There are advantages to a driver grandchild!!
Out on the deck with the cousins (except for Tom as he and Heather took a walk on the beach!) we chat and then I said I need some cousin pictures. Well, that was a fun attempt – we eventually got a few with Tom and I photoshopped Luke in!
S’mores and campfire at Franklin house. Kirsty says, “Let’s all sing campfire songs” and everyone breaks into their favorite all at once! That takes care of that! It was amazing! I wish I had put my phone on video quickly!
I brought some rather FIRM marshmallows that ended up getting thrown like rockets by the kids. Campfire ended around 10pm. Bedtime!
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| Jen waits for Kirsty, Erik and Kai to join us. |
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| Jen, Tom, Heather, Matt, and Dani explore |
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| The starfish and urchins - gotta love low tides! |
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| Looking through the tunnJel rock at low tide |
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| Jed just gazes at the view |
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| Later beach walk with Jed |
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| Jed wanted to climb to the top of this sand dune |
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| Classic Bandon beach scene |
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| Old Town Washed Ashore sculpture |
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| Classic sailing vessel docked in boat basin |
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| Our hosts: Erik and Kirsten |
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| Trying to get a serious picture with these cousins was impossible! |
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| The sun set while I was still trying for a photo! |
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| Finally...when Tom joined us they got serious...VERY serious! |
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| And the sun did finally set! |
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| Campfire fun! |
Sunday, July 27
I got up early and took a shower while it was available!
Breakfast at beach house – sourdough pancakes, fruit, sausage cakes and bacon. Very good! Kai and Erik went up to Unitarian Church in Coos Bay.
Liz, Marg, and I went to Bandon Presby church – guest preacher (Donna Young’s son) who spoke of the power of audacious prayer – example of Clara Brown, a freed slave who went to Denver praying all her life to be reunited with family (separated at slave auction) Two years before she died, she reunited with one of her daughters – a chance encounter with someone who noticed a clerk who looked JUST LIKE Clara at that age. Good story. Mom’s memorial stake is broken and roses need watering. Must tell Sabra.
Took family pictures of Gretchen’s gang (minus Tucker) before church as they were going to be leaving. I washed out the tie dye and got it into washing machine – Liz helped (company and holding the rubber bands!)
Good visiting time with Jed – beach walk with Jed and Rick in afternoon. Taylors went back downtown in afternoon. Liz and I reviewed my thumb drive of photos again.
Taco dinner with the 18 of us who are left. Final family photos – I have a lot of photoshopping to do to get everyone together! Should be fun!
Goodbyes to all and we head back to trailer to pack up a few things around 8 as Jed wants to get on the road. (He sends note that he is home at 11:30pm) Into bed by 10 for a 7am departure!
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| We were visited Sunday morning by about 7 deer and a dozen turkeys! |
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| A picture of the remodeled front to the Beach House. |
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| Our beautiful tie dyed board! |
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| Changes to the fireplace wall. |
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| The Simmons extended family.... |
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| We were missing Luke! |
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| Taylor crew... |
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| Cousins said we need to photoshop Luke in! |
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| Second cousins |
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| Liz modeling her new tie dye hat |
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| All the tie dye out on the railing to finish drying |
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| It was a tiring weekend....Kirsty |
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| Nap time for Rick |
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| Always time for another beach walk |
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| Tom and Heather relaxing! |
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| Kai up in the shore pine tree |
Bandon to Diamond Lake CG – Crater Lake visit
171 miles (trailer) 83 around CLNP
We are off just before 7 (with a final goodbye hug from Matt and Dani and Heather!)
Drive to Coquille and get some much needed gas to make it to the Winston/Roseburg Love’s. Beautiful morning for a drive. In fact the weather has been incredibly perfect ALL WEEKEND! Blue skies and puffy clouds at times.
Head up 138 and the North Umpqua River – through some MAJOR forest fire burn areas. So hard to see. But the river is sparkling. Into Diamond Lake around 11:15, and spend a good half hour cruising the web of campground roads to finally find a spot that isn’t reserved for tonight. Drop trailer, make payment of a whopping $8 and Off shortly after noon for Crater Lake – a must see on Rick’s list for this trip.
LONG
line to enter the park, but we finally get close enough to entrance
station to veer to the left and go through PASS entrance, showing our
Senior Pass! The park is crawling with people and it is a MONDAY. I
would hat e to see what it was like over the weekend.
Mt Thielson
Couple stops at overlook, one to eat some lunch, and then head down to take the East Rim Rd. Find it is closed for construction 5 miles in. Rats. Rick really wanted to go down to the Pinnacles, but that road is in the middle of the construction closure. Backtrack to South Visitor Information and get the park newsletter with current information. Back up the west rim road to the north and follow East Rim road about 8 miles to a good overlook of the lake. That’s enough!! The area around Cleatwood Cove was CRAZY!! Cars parked everywhere!
Panorama from west side 
The clouds were amazing! 
Wizard Island 
The falls where we had to turn around 
The lake from the east side 
Butterflies in the flowers 
The required 'selfie'
Back to Diamond Lake and we turn into the Resort area to scout out food possibilities We are dry camping tonight. Stay and have an early 4pm dinner! (Chicken strips Rick and BLT me) Back to trailer to clean the bugs off the truck (it was covered with squishy yellow blobs) and set up the back bed all the way.
Cooling down enough for a bike ride! There is an 11 mile bike path all the way around the lake, but we don’t plan to go that far!
We ride north on the path, which follows the roads through the campground in a rather confusing manner, and quickly find ourselves at the resort area. There, it is even harder to find the ‘trail’ because the little bike symbols marked the the road are few and far between. We finally discover the actual start to the path on the far side – indicating 11 miles back to the resort, 7 miles to the south shore facilities. We turn around! Back through resort and then head south within the campground nearly to end of camping. Check out the dump station and the shower facilities!
Back to trailer to read using the headlamps from the car. No electricity!!
Still warm in trailer but should cool down overnight.
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| View of Diamond Lake from dinner at the resort |
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| I forgot to take my camera on our bike ride, but the fireweed was everywhere! |
TUESDAY, July 29
Diamond Lake to Prineville (Hinkle Homestead!)
139 miles
A bit more relaxed morning as we make some coffee on the gas stove, read, and don’t rush to be on the road.
Empty the black tank at the campground dump station and are on our way shortly after 9. Just 25 miles to the town of Chemalt and some much needed gas at a very nice Pilot station. All the bugs Rick cleaned off the window last night reappear (to a bit lesser amount) as we leave Diamond Lake. Splish splash ooey gooey yellow streaks.
A smooth drive up Hwy 97 through small towns and plenty of trees on the flat plains south of Bend. I have my phone set to guide us to the Costco on the NW side of the town. We shop! And a mere $111 later we emerge! Only to head to the Costco gas station because gas there is at least 50 cents a gallon cheaper. Too bad we only needed a few gallons!
Up to Redmond then over to Prineville, arriving at Tom Hinkle’s shortly after 1pm. Spend the next 3-4 hours visiting in the air conditioning! So good to see Tom! We head out around 4:30 to find some dinner in town – ending up at Dillon’s Grill. A new place to visit! Good eats and none of us order fries (after all the fries we ate last night that was good for Rick and I!) Tom picks up the check...and later I ask if he takes all his ‘boondockers’ out for dinner! Nope, we were the first!
Back out to house for more conversation (Alaska trip!), a shower for Rick, and a chance to get connected and send a few messages for me. A stellar sunset behind Mt Jefferson.
Rick and I enjoy the AC in the trailer as we are set up outside the big barn/shop. Electricity again! Our ice chest is cooling down – our frozen purchases from Costco are in Tom’s freezer.
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| A beautiful sunset at Tom's |
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| The silhouette mountain is Mt Jefferson |
WEDNESDAY, July 30
Prineville to High Country Lane
208 miles
Relaxed morning, but still we are on our way around 8:30am, having forgotten to take even ONE picture of Tom! Rats!
Pick up coffee at the gas station and on our way toward home. Smooth drive. Stop in John Day for gas (just enough to make it home!) and drink, and to pull a few snacks from trailer.
Into Baker City around 12:30, stop to pick up mail, and home by 1! Good trip! Good to get trailer out for something other than Habitat build!
