Sep 14, 1998
Good evening all!

The following is the trip report from the Middle of Nowhere Gathering
hosted by Marty Wallace of Chico, CA.  It seems to me to be rather long
winded, but if you're interested read on.  We were the only ones who
made it so this is the only trip report you're gonna get.

Another wonderful WetWesties weekend.  Lisa and I left Saturday morning
to meet with Marty Wallace at the Middle of Nowhere Gathering at
Frenchglen, OR.  That morning Pete Clark had written saying that his
wasserleaker Westy really was a wasserleaker and that Sallye and he
weren't going to make it. (What ever possessed VW to use plastic
fittings in the cooling system?)  So we figured that we HAD to go.  We
had a delightful drive through the Elkhorns where there was a yard sale
on every corner.

Stopped at the Austin House (junction of Hwys 7 and 26) for lunch and
continued onward through Prairie City to John Day.  Still more yard
sales...  We were kinda pushing it to make Frenchglen before dark so, as
much as we wanted to sort through everyone's junk.. err, treasures, we
had to forgo the pleasure.  Turned south on US 395 at John Day and went
up and down for the next sixty or so miles to Burns.

In Burns we refueled and stocked up on propane cylinders for the
lantern, also topped off the ice chest.  Then on to Frenchglen... (BTW,
EVERYONE said that we were going to love it there.  Clerks in stores,
co-workers, service station attendants. Everyone.)  So after traversing
a bunch of desert and crossing to most unlikely lake, (Malheur lake?) we
arrive at Frenchglen around 5:45pm.

Frenchglen is a Gift shoppe/gas station and a hotel.  The final
character in that sentence is "period."  There is a "wayside park" that
is smaller than my front yard.  Here we start looking for more VWs.
Especially VWs with California plates.  No joy.  See one Westy with
Nevada plates. Doesn't know anything about VWs meeting in Frenchglen.
So, we figure that maybe Marty has had problems on the road and commence
to waiting.  Get out the beach chairs.  Get out the bottle of wine.
Lisa says. "He's probably gotten tired of waiting for us and gone ahead
to the campground."  I say, "Let's just hang here for 15 minutes..."
She reluctantly agrees.  So we have a glass of wine and watch the world
go by.  After twenty minutes, we head out the gravel road toward
"pictograph campground."

Washboard road...  more washboard road.  Stop and air down.  At least
now it won't turn the milk into butter...  Four or five miles in find
campground the first.  No vacancy.  No Westies either. So, on to the
next.  Oh, BTW, "no svc" on the cell phone too.  Next campground is
seventeen miles horizontally and 5000 ft vertically away.  I spent a LOT
of time in second gear.  Get there about sundown.  No vacancy and, once
again, no Westies. So, we backtrack a couple of miles to a roadside
campspot and set up camp.  Cell service is barely available so we call
home and have James check the e-mail.  Sure enough, Marty's wasserleaker
is a wasserleaker too.  So, hooray!!!  Let's hear it for old VW buses!!
I have both and if I could just figure out how to still have heat in the
winter, the Vanagon would have an air-sucking 2 liter in it. It'll get
you there and back.

Have a wonderful quiet night surrounded by stars, a full moon and
cattle.  (In case you're interested, dinner was a fantastic chicken
Caesar salad by Lisa.)

Next morning we are awakened by... you guessed it, the sound of
raindrops fallin' on our heads.  She says, "Buy me breakfast?"  I say,
"But of course, mon cheri! And since we've come this far, let's go to
the top!" So we continue to the top of Steen's Mountain.  All nine
thousand, nine hundred some feet of it.  Beautiful views.  Well worth
the trip. (Thanks for the idea, Marty!)

About half a mile from the summit, we pass a couple of young ladies
RUNNING up the road.  Practicing for the Olympics I guess.  Great fun,
running at ten thousand feet.  We drive on by.  And head down the other
side to a hearty breakfast at the hotel.  Which we miss by fifteen
minutes.  If I'm going to fulfill my flip remark to my beloved, it's
back to Burns.  So, back to Burns we go.

In Burns we decide to make the great circle tour back home.  After a
decadent breakfast at the Apple Barrel, we head across Hwy 20 for Bend
and the High Desert Museum.  Pass the glass mountain (obsidian) and
travel across the "most desolate highway in Oregon."  It was
beautiful!!! Have a copy of "Oregon for the Curious" (thanks Fred!) so
there was a running commentary all the way. Excellent journey!

Hit the High Desert Museum just in time to catch the last interpretive
talks and wandered around 'til they threw us out. (Worth a trip. see
http://www.highdesert.org)  Cruised Bend and saw why it is that the
folks around here hold it up as an example of why they don't want
"economic development."  Finally headed for Tumalo for a quick
overnight.

Once again, "No Vacancy." (It's Labor Day weekend, stupid.) So stopped
in to ask for suggestions.  Ranger said, "We've had a cancellation.  We
can get you in."  Fifteen dollars later we are camped on the river
across from the only hightop Riviera I've ever seen.  Make the
acquaintance of Don and Doris from Portland.  Get/have bus tour. (A
WetWesties exclusive!) Get photos.  Steak by Lisa!  Sleep and on the
road again.

North on 97 to the town of Shanliko (recovering ghost town) where they
are having their Labor Day doin's.  Wander the streets for an hour or
so.  Have an ice cream and then blast for home.

In all, we covered about eight hundred miles. Used (leaked) three quarts
of thirty weight.  Burned about forty gallons of gas and saw a bunch of
new places. Had a blast!!!  Thanks for the weekend Marty.  Sorry that
you couldn't make it.

Jim & Lisa Arnott
Union, OR
'77 Reliable Riviera