LAVA BED GHOSTS

Have you ever been haunted?  I mean REALLY haunted?  While driving through the lava beds up on the McKenzie Pass last summer I encountered a true haunting. But I am getting ahead of myself.  My goal on that particular trip focused on the Dee Wright Observatory up on Hwy 242.  Coming from the Hwy 126 on the west side of the Cascade Range I turned off onto Hwy 242, the McKenzie Pass road.  My plan involved going over the McKenzie Pass to the observatory and into Sisters.

This 60 mile stretch of Hwy 242 is limited to short vehicles with no "tow behinds".  The road, being shared with bikers, hikers, and various other folks out for a taste of wilderness requires caution on the part of vehicle drivers.  Driving more than 10 MPH at any given place will put you upside a tree or over a bank.  The curves were so pinched I swear I could read my van's rear bumper stickers going around some of those hairpin turns.

But a more lovely drive would be hard to find. Especially on a warm day with the windows rolled down to let in that clean wilderness filtered air.  Each 1000 mile elevation point was marked as I continued up the Cascade ridge to top out at 5,300 feet.  Once on top, the view of extinct (one hopes) volcanoes, snow capped Cascade peaks and miles upon miles of lava will take your breath away.

The road straightens out for smooth sailing to about 25 MPH on top.  I was "tripping" along when the "haunting" happened.  There they were, two ghostly figures gesturing at me.  "Where's my head?" one moaned, while the other displayed shrugged shoulders and upturned palms.  I could hear her say, "How should I know?" Well, I was a quarter mile down the road, still stunned and wondering how I could get turned around and go back for a pix.  I did finally find a spot to make that turn, all the while hoping they would still be there.  Huh?  Where did I think they would go?  As I said, haunting...Well see for yourself...

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