Day 74: Oregon Bound!

We headed north, into the polar vortex today. As it turned out, we drove about 400 miles on great roads in good weather and the final 69 miles on icy and snowy Central Oregon roads (my trip total is now 11,301 miles.) Ironically, I saw some of the best fall colors of the entire trip today. The cottonwoods along the Truckee River on the way to Reno were at their full golden peak, and later we saw brown oaks and red maples added to the mix, along with the forest green of pines and junipers.

We hit winter conditions on the highway at about Sunriver, and the drive from Bend to Madras took nearly two hours (it's normally about 45 minutes) due to the packed snow, freezing rain, and stalled vehicles and cars in the ditch. Naturally, it was rush hour, so traffic was busy, adding to the problems. We finally arrived in Madras about 7 p.m., exhausted but happy to be back in Oregon and at my parents' house, enjoying a home-cooked meal for the first time since my aunt's house in Texas.

A rest area along Highway 97. Welcome to Oregon!

Cottonwoods along I-80 on the way to Reno.

Reno, NV.

U.S. Highway 395 north of Reno.

Honey Lake rest area.

Honey Lake (a dry lakebed and remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan).

Eagle Lake.

Merrill, OR.

Irrigation canal (part of the controversial Klamath Project).

A rest area along Highway 97 near Chemult.

U.S. Highway 97 became a parking lot for awhile just north of Bend due to a vehicle that had slid off the road.