I have taken my last jump west before taking the final leap back to Seoul to complete my trip around the world, and I have found myself in central Oregon. This state used to be one of the ones that many people did not know much about. They thought it was nothing more than a place where people carried an axe to cut down a tree in order to make a log cabin they could live in while they took care of their ranch. And even though there are a few ranches in this state, this is not always the case. That’s when people thought they knew the other half of Oregon where young kids go on crazy treasure hunts in order to collect enough money so they can save their homes from greedy land developers. And this is not the case either. But people think these things because they are never been to Oregon and they base what they know about the state from the pictures they have seen for it or the movies that have been filmed there. There is so much more to Oregon than that, and more and more people are finding that out as they make their way to this part of the United States.
First of all, Oregon supports one of the most diverse landscapes of any of the states. There is the coast with it huge rock formations that hand in the water just beyond the sandy beaches. It has a big city that still holds on to that small town feel while supporting a creative group of people who make the concrete jungle winding it way around the Columbia River one of the more unique cities I have ever visited. It has long plains filled with the grain and wine that makes the rest of the United States happy. And it has my favorite place in the state, a place on the other side of the Cascade mountains, central Oregon. This is where you will find the state’s mighty forests and is the playground for the people who live here. There are many paths that can take you deep into the wilderness, and also support perfect places to rock climbing or camping. It has mountains that in the winter turn into some of the best ski resorts in the nation. Cars always have mountain bikes, or kayak mounted on the back as they go to that perfect spots that they know about.
One of these spots is where I found myself yesterday, Clear Lake. It is this calm lake nestled in the Cascades. The water is a clear blue, and it will always remain that way because nobody is allowed to bring motor boats onto the lake and ruin the purity of its water. The water is fed into this little valley by underground streams, so it always remains a little cool even during the heat of summer, so you will never find anybody swimming in this lake. But it is the perfect place to take a kayak to, or rent one of the row boats that you can find at the docks at the place. It is easily the perfect place to learn how to paddle board. You cannot rent them here so you would have to bring one to the location, but the calm water is ideal to allow a person to wobble on the board without having to worry about the wake of a passing boat to knock them off. There are no real beaches to hang out at but you can find some nice little coves among the tree that allow you to sit back while people take turns with the paddle board. It turns into a nice place to spend the afternoon on a hot Oregon afternoon.
So even though I still expect to see the random log cabin on my voyage through Oregon, I know this state has a lot more to offer than the stereotype that a lot of people think about when they are presented with the name of this place. I am glad that I have ventured to this place in the world as my last destination as I circumvent the globe. It is the perfect last stoop and I am sure will be filled with many adventures to wrap up this crazy excursion.
John Collings 