6 17 LAKEVIEW, OREGON

Today we did go look for obsidian. And boy did we find some. We went to 3 different places from a map given to us by the very friendly and helpful lady at the visitor’s center. It turns out, the map isn’t that accurate. We missed the first turn into the forest, since the road name was wrong on the map and there were no distance markings. So we entered from the other end of the trip. We went to an area that was to have rainbow obsidian. We had no idea what rainbow obsidian looks like, even tho we do know what obsidian is. There were millions of tons of obsidian all around, but what was rainbow? So we followed the instructions on the map, walk up the steep hill. So we walked all the way up the steep hill. We collected some stones, and then walked all the way down the steep and rocks strewn hill. (later at the rock shop we were told we were only supposed to walk up 10 feet on the steep part and then veer off, and that is where all the beautiful stuff is. Oh well:)

Then we drove on to where there is “iris” obsidian. We still do not know what that is. But we dutifully collected some rocks there.

Then we went on to where we were going to start in the beginning before missing the turn. We were at the Lavender obsidian. Here we found many holes dug by others trying to find purple obsidian. Arleen found a place that had soft enough dirt for our little garden tools, which we bought the day before incase we needed them for sun stones. She dug and dug and found lots of stones, but which ones were purple, how purple should they be and where do you wash all the dirt off them to even find out? Anyway, Duane found a lovely example of what turned out to be rainbow. Then we had some idea of what we were looking for and we found a little more.

When we returned to town we stopped at the local rock shop and we were lucky enough to find it open. The woman there showed Arleen what we were supposed to be looking for and what the obsidian looked like when polished. Absolutely beautiful. Trouble is that we do not have the equipment to make a nice rock into a beautiful one, so we are going to take our booty home and not go into the obsidian-sun rock business. It sounds too much like work.

We are now in a new motel that has a mineral pool. No I did not say a hot pool, because it isn’t very hot, but it sure felt good on our sore muscles. The room smells, tho. Probably from people getting goose and seagull poop on their shoes and walking into the rooms. That what you get for wanting to be around wildlife. The manager could not be more helpful. They even let us use their personal coffee maker. Just like Holiday Inn:)