Wednesday, June 29: Fish Lake to Alvord Desert

We are still experimenting with our sleeping arrangements. H and I slept in the tent and the boys in the Sprinter. I woke up at 11:30 and the stars were incredible. I've never seen the Milky Way so clearly.  I woke up Hannah to see it.  Today we went to the top of Steens Mountain and looked over the other side at our night's destination--the Alvord Desert. Then we headed to Fields, where everyone told us to stop for milkshakes. They were great and gigantic, but the girls behind the counter weren't very hospitable to the folks stopping in. The Alvord Desert is a dry lake bed or playa. It was a strange, desolate environment. Our big, gray van was like a Rover on a strange planet. -Hillary

I woke up and ate chocolate chip scones and eggs for breakfast. Then in the lake I went fishing for trout with Jackson. I only caught one rainbow trout. I named it Rainbow. Then I went swimming with the trout! Soon after we hiked up Steens Mtn summit. -Hannah

I woke up. I caught three trout alone. I ate a very good breakfast of scones then hiked to the peak of Steens. We got some good milkshakes. Dad let me drive the van on the Alvord Desert. -Jackson