Invasion of the Quilters

Original airdate: Friday, July 7, 2006

First, congratulations to Deborah for correctly identifying the short-eared owl. Also, Deborah proved that she knows exactly where Sweet Home is. Impressive!

Now, Episode 3 of The Adventures of Yumiko and Eden in Oregon...

Our intrepid heroes speed west from Burns to Bend. In Bend, they decide to wash their car, upon which many insects have met their destinies. This would normally not occasion much excitement, but Eden and Miko stumble upon one of those automatic touchless car washes - you know, the kind in which you sit in your car while this mechanical thunderstorm moves all around the vehicle. They are so amused by this miracle of modern technology that they seriously consider going through the car wash a second time. $7.00 seems a small price to pay for such entertainment, no?

From Bend, our fearless females forge into the formidable forests of the western Cascades. They hike Iron Mountain Trail, which is famous for wildflowers. The trail does not disappoint; it is awash in color and the views from the top are spectacular. Bonus: very few mosquitoes! Despite the steepness, Eden - who is in fairly decent shape if she does say so herself - chugs right up the trail (see photo). Yumiko - whose favorite form of exercise is swirling a good glass of Oregon Pinot Noir ("It's all in the wrist") - huffs and puffs her way up without complaint.

It is surprisingly early when they finish their hike, so they decide to drive a narrow and twisting scenic byway. Along the way, they stop to hike through old growth forest to beautiful Proxy Falls.

Though originally planning to camp, our fearless friends make their way back to Bend via the town of Sisters. Sisters is currently hosting a giant quilting festival. So many quilters have converged on this part of Oregon that hotels for miles around are completely booked. Eden and Miko spend some time fruitlessly searching for accommodation; finally, they stumble upon the Dunes Motel. Though AAA-approved, it's the kind of place that makes one think that maybe camping would have been the better choice!

Today's Bonus Question (worth 10 points): What is the elevation of Iron Mountain?

© Eden Feuer