Sometimes adventures don’t go the way we plan. I guess that is why they are called adventures instead of just ventures.
Cathy and I, and especially Cathy likes to explore hot springs. I think she can tell you where every hot spring is within a hundred-mile radius…and that’s conservative.
For the last couple of years or so, as we would visit a hot spring and as we talked to others, we kept hearing of a place over by Juntura Oregon that is supposed to be pretty decent. In our experience, there is generally not much to check out in that area and so anything there would be worth checking out.
We had a general description of the location and where to turn off from the highway, so we took a Sunday afternoon to explore.
Well, we arrived at the landmark where we were supposed to turn, only there was nothing to turn onto. There was one overgrown trail that looked pretty iffy (even for our four-wheel drive) with three-foot weeds growing in the middle, so we decided the turn off must be further down the road.
When we got to the Juntura Café we knew we had gone too far. So, Cathy went in to get a snack and talk to the owner. She was able to get a better description of where to turn. Cathy also found that January/February was the best time to go, and it would probably be crowded.
We went back. After some more probing, by doing a 180-degree turn at the end of the guard rail we finally found the right turn off at the base of a hill. We could tell we were on the right trail by the many tire tracks in the fresh mud. We found the T in the road like they described and went to the right. The road definitely became rougher, just like we had been told. When we came to a water filled pothole/crater in the road that looked like it might have fish in it, we kept going. When the water came up to the doors and we could hear a scrapping sound on the undercarriage, Cathy’s nerve gave out.
My hat is off to the intrepid people in the Juntura area. Not only will they not let roads that could swallow a small car stop them from going to one of the area’s favorite natural attractions, but they are also able to tolerate living in an area where going to such a place is worthwhile. The people in the Juntura area are to be commended for their fortitude and grit. Weiser really is a great place to live, work, and play.
Well, so much for that. Now on to City business.
Wayne Wallace of the Electric Department would like everyone to know the importance of allowing access to your electric meter. Legally, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to allow access. Access not only includes an unlocked gate through a fence, but also keeping the area around the meter free from clutter or other obstructions.
This is important not only so that the meters can be read and maintained. In the event of a fire, flooding, or other disaster, the power needs to be disconnected quickly to neutralize the threat of uncontrolled electricity. The alternative is to disconnect the power from the pole, which is not only more expensive, but also very time consuming when minutes and seconds can be critical for saving life and property.
So, if you do not have a gate through your fence, please build one. If you have it locked, please unlock it. If you have clutter obstructing your meter, please clear the area.
Well, that’s it for this week. Hope you have a good one! And be careful exploring hot springs!
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