SOS......Sisters of the Sage Sojourn at Sheldon

Madelyn and I spent some very enjoyable days out in the Sheldon Antelope Refuge area. We did some exploring also in the Warner Valley and ended up camping the last night out at Cottonwood Lake east of Bly. Previous trips have had us focused on looking down at the rocks. This trip focused us in the opposiste direction. Madelyn moved into her new persona--"Birdwoman." She talked and sang to her people... the birds, and I reverted to my original work of watching the light come and go.



One of the phenomena of desert light? The sunset happens not only in the west. It is a surround you happening.



Camping at Big Springs on the refuge meant coyotes hunting and singing, wild horses coming to water, pelicans, and a magnificent sunset. Just imagine how many times this light show happens a year-- and no one sees it.

We drove the 26 miles to Denio Junction to see if the cell phones would work there?? NO...OK...95 cent connection fee to use our calling cards on the public phone. Meeting this fellow alone was worth the drive. He is the mailman. He drives 240 miles a day from Winnemucca to Denio. He does it 6 days a week. He has been doing it for 45 years....and...he is 83. Junior gets out of the rig (big suburban) 26 times to stuff boxes before he leaves Winnemucca even. He was just stopped to drink his pomegranite tea before heading back south. He and his dog are quite the team. He's an example of the kind of person the northern Great Basin molds.

Bog Hot Spring is just what the name says.............HOT. This time no huge chunk biting deer flies assailed us when we got out there.

The sign as you leave Denio cautions..."No Services...next 81 miles." True story...you plan ahead out here.

The thunderstorm we had produced this double rainbow. Once you have breathed the fragrance of rain soaked sage....you are never the same.

Great neighbors in the campground always enhance the trip. So many times I wanted to grab up the video when someone was sharing some outrageous, inspiring, wonderful, adventure they had had.

Michael rode his bike the 10 miles back from the Royal Peacock mine instead of riding in the motor home on the washboard road.

Robert taking the hiking cat out for a stroll.

The crowd started to gather and we were very curious as to what might be going to happen? OMG .....it's the Schwan ice cream truck. He comes every other Wednesday to the the hot springs. Write it on the calendar..........July 18---plus two weeks--etc.

Ask and ye shall receive.......We actually got "OUR" camp spot under one of the two trees at the campground. Even though there were quite a few people in the campground--early mornings were totally quiet and peaceful. Heaven with the first coffee, a Tuesday Oregonian I splurged on and some cookies...........plus being next to glorious water in the desert.

The main draw at the Virgin Valley is, of course, opals. A couple from Bellingham showed us what they had found last year. It was quite impressive. The price to dig had gone up to $400/day this year, and they did not find near as much material.

Every trip seems to unfold with it's own plan. An unexpected delay of a week was a gift in disguise as it put us into an unusually cool interlude in July in the desert. Mornings and evenings had us in jackets and after the first night just under a sheet....the sleeping bag felt pretty good. It was a great trip....all in all...Madelyn and I agree, "One of the best."

"Remember that the yield of a hard country is a love deeper than a fat and easy land inspires, that throughout the arid West the Americans have found a secret treasure....a stern and desolate country, a high bare country, a country brimming with a beauty not to be found elsewhere."

Bernard DeVoto

The Year of Decision: 1846