One of Tara’s summer classes this term was geology field camp. Oregon State University has a great geology program, and Tara has field trips as part of a class multiple times a year. But field camp is when the entire class is on location. This latest class was 5 weeks out in the desert of eastern Oregon, near a tiny town called Mitchell. OSU geology students have been going out to the field camp location for so long that locals in Mitchell refer to them as “dirt nerds.”
The students had only two days off during the entire class. In addition to those two days, once a week they did get what the professor called “free days,” which were not so much free, as a few mandatory field trip days. The professor felt these were days off because the material was not testable, but students were still expected to learn. On one of these field trip days, which would be around the Bend, Oregon area, I got permission from the professor to meet up with the group when they went out to Smith Rock.
It’s a 4 hour drive to Bend from my home. After I arrived I checked in with my AirBnb host and then got some coffee while I waited for Tara to let me know where they were. It was clear immediately that either I was in a very geology-friendly town, or PALATE is a geology-friendly coffee shop. In the bathroom I found this gorgeous giant rock with a note that said, “I thought the Bolivian Rose Quartz needed a friend.” Not sure if what I saw was the rose quartz, or if this rock is the companion. I got my coffee and took it outside to enjoy the sun, and saw that the entire courtyard was surrounded by rocks. There was a lot of obsidian – very common in this highly volcanic part of the US.
Tara got in touch with me right away because the group had come into a zone with cell phone service (not at all commonplace out there in the desert). They said they were on a hike and expected to arrive at Smith Rock State Park around 4pm.
With hours to kill, I had time to play in Bend. I used my AllTrails app to find something quick and easy, and soon found myself walking along the Deschutes River South Canyon Trail. I walked first toward the center of town, along a very pretty waterfront walk, clearly a hit with summer tourists. The trail crossed the river and I headed back out of town for an unexpectedly great 3-mile loop back to my car.
The Deschutes River South Canyon Trail provides educational signboards along the way that taught me about the health of the river, the fish, the flora and fauna in the area, as well as some geological perspective. There are also name plates that identified trees and bushes. It was nice to see a lot of people on the trail enjoying the weather and the outdoors, but people do tend to visit Bend, Oregon for that reason.
Once I found my Jeep again, I drove out to Smith Rock State Park. I arrived before the kids and had time to relax in the shade while I waited. Soon the OSU vans showed up and I joined the group. I listened while the professor took them all to the ledge and pointed out stuff they should notice about the formations surrounding us.
If you’ve ever seen a photo of Smith Rock, you’ll recognize it. It’s a cliff formation surrounded by comparatively level ground, with the Crooked River winding its way through the base of of the cliffs. It’s the biggest, most eye-catching thing around. The tuff and basalt cliffs are famous for being the place where the sport of rock climbing began in the States. Trails for all levels of athletes wrap around the huge rocks on all sides. I’ve been on a lot of them in visits over the years.
Our visit to the State Park was very brief! The professor had been so excited to show the students so many things all day long that they were way behind schedule. They absolutely had to get back to Mitchell by a certain time, because they had reserved dinners at Tiger Town Brewing Company. When we were released we hurried down to the trails at river level.
Tara and I talked a blue streak because we hadn’t seen each other in weeks, and we barely had time to look around us when it was time to jog up the steep steep hill to get back up to the parked cars. Tara got permission to ride back to Mitchell with me, to our delight. We were able to continue our chatting and catching up during the hour and a half drive out to the desert again.
The students were clearly pleased to be at Tiger Town. I gather that most of the time they eat camp meals prepared on site (Tara said the food is good!), but once in a while there is a splurge and the class gets to eat dinner out. They had to buy their own beers from the seasonal selection of craft brews. I paid for my own meal (and my own beer. I opted for the Danger Melon.) and the great staff at Tiger Town agreed to put my order in with the kids.’ For the next hour I sat outside in the warm evening air and listened to the kids talk about what was on their minds, joke with each other and with their professor. After a while they decided I was ok, and they included me in their conversations. It was a treat to have this peek into Tara’s world that I usually don’t get to see. All too soon it was time to go and I hugged my goodbyes and made my way back to my Airbnb room.
The next morning I left early in order to get home early, but I simply was not able to drive past Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint without stopping. From the highway I could see the snowy peaks of volcanoes and wanted to pull the car over so I could get a photo. Early in the morning, I could access the parking lot, but the road to the cliff was still gated. I parked and walked through the dewy grass, fretting a little about the time I was wasting by stopping to look. But oh, it was worth it.
Sadly, the elevation of the Viewpoint was lower than the highway and it was not a good view of the volcanoes. However, there was an incredible view of the canyon.
It was really time to get back on the road though, and I hustled back to the Jeep and headed north again on Highway 97. I snapped a few shots while driving (bad Crystal habit, do not try this at home), then I settled in and spent the rest of the day driving back to Rainier.
Conscious Engagement 
Takes me back to my one geology class in community college. Near Sacramento. But there is no where like the desert to study rocks. It helps that there is so much beauty in the area. It sounds like a great class, Crystal. And topped off with a beer. I can guarantee that didn’t happen in my class. 🙂 –Curt
You are exactly right, Curt. They are out in the desert because it’s much easier to see the rocks. I believe this whole class was about mapping the rocks. The instructor would point out a valley in the morning, and the students would climb all over the hills, up and up, and by evening they had to have enough notes to map the valley. Then the map would be due the next day or something. Tough schedule. Tara loved every minute of it. I think all the students were loving it, and the professor was knowledgeable and excited about the material, which always makes a class better. The beer was certainly well-received by the students.
It has to be fascinating Crystal. My professor was not going to be the life of any party, but I still loved geology!
What a great class and great adventure shared here-
I like Tara inside that cave and the flower – and such a vivid nature post –
Thank you for your kind words, Yvette. I thought Tara was so cute inside the cave, ha ha!
Miles of adventure 😉
This post rocks (someone had to say it). Usual excellent photographs – I could see the surprise in the enlarged crop.
Oh my gosh, you goofball. Of course someone had to say it!! Thank you for taking one for the team, ha ha.
So, Tara and I are walking along the trail and came upon some other geology students clustered together and pointing. They didn’t tell us what they were looking at. “Keep looking, you’ll see it,” they said to us. Finally we spotted it, and gasped. It was a good trick that I wanted to use here. I did the same thing on facebook and a lot of people could not figure out what I was talking about, so I had to tell them. It would have been much better if I had brought my high quality camera, which does a zoom much clearer.
I’m lucky to read the print here so a small dot in a photo is invisible. I’m so glad you were able to spend time with Tara and the class. Always a nice and different perspective. I’m sure it was well worth that long drive to see such a fantastic view along with your favorite child. 😉 Hugs.
Tara is my FAVOURITE of all of them!!
Thanks for reminding me to think of those of you who need magnification. What you might see with different vision (although others often don’t see it) is a tightrope walker!! Yikes!!
Wow!!
Oooo!!! So much gorgeousness. I’m so glad you got to be a part of this trip. But of course you’re all right! 😉 And I can only imagine what you’d do with the “real” camera. I’d never guess the one you used wasn’t real judging from these photos.
You’re funny. I used my iPhone camera, which is pretty good, I agree. My “real” camera has better resolution and much better zoom, so I would have been able to take a photo of the tightrope walker so that my readers could actually tell what they were looking at.