OMT & Leslie Payne's barn
When I posted photographs of a sagging, but with character, old barn,
just outside the small town of Shaniko, Oregon...I got a surprise
comment on the photo. The lady said that the barn was built by her
great great uncle Leslie Payne, and then she gave me a little history
about her uncle. Truly one of the joys of sharing photographs on
flickr.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My wife and I took a similar mini road trip to Central Oregon in
Ocbober of 2008. Here are the photos from that trip, which include the
Leslie Payne barn and a few shots of downtown Shaniko, Oregon (the
hotel is still in good shape and still for sale:
www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/sets/72157608460304381/
Oct 2008 Leslie Payne’s early 1900’s barn outside Shaniko, Oregon
www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/2982511932/in/set-7215...
Got this nice comment from a flickr member, who knew well, the history of this barn. Here is her comment (on the barn photos I posted in October of 2008):
“You're the 1st to get it right, it's a barn. It was built by my
great-uncle Leslie Payne in the early 1900's when he was Water
Comissioner for Shaniko. Every else guesses wrong. Uncle Leslie was a
farmer by trade and knew how to construct his barns well.” comment
from: Kathy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Smith Rock State Park” Oregon Road Trip - Dec. 7th - 9th, 2011. These
photographs were taken on a three day looping road trip through
Eastern Oregon. The winter weather was perfect, with sunny clear
skies.
DAY ONE: We drove through the Warm Springs reservation and on our way toward Redmond, Oregon we visited Peter Skene Ogden state park to gaze straight down at a narrow canyon of the Crooked River Gorge (Downstream it the Crooked River joins the Deschutes. Upstream is where we hiked along the Crooked River in Smith Rock State Park). We walked across the old highway bridge for views up and down the river canyon. Next, we drove to Smith Rock state park, near Terrebonne, Oregon, to check out the trailhead for the day hike we had planned the next day.
DAY TWO: We got up early and there was a freezing fog all about. Fortunately it burned off on our drive to Smith Rock state park, where we intended to hike. It was cold but beautiful when we hiked down “The Chute” trail to cross the Crooked River. We then hiked the Wolf Tree Trail to enjoy the lovely warm morning light as the last of the morning freezing fog blew away.
Retracing our hike the mile back to the footbridge on the Wolf Tree trail, we started up the Misery Ridge Trail. In the heat of a summer the trail’s name would probably fit, but the cold air felt great as my wife and I hiked up the ridge, with spectacular views changing by the moment.
We stopped for a water and snack break on top of Misery Ridge and took in the panoramic views to the west of us (the Oregon Cascades). Then above the pillar of rock called “The Monkey Face” (and a challenging route for rock climbers), we started the steep switchback trail back down to the Crooked River.
Enjoying our hike in the sunshine, we took the long route to join and hike the River Trail and eventually hiked counter clockwise, back to the footbridge, where we had started our loop hike. We saw Goldeneyes duck; mallards, Canada geese, falcons, and rock pigeon [Columba livia], the favorite dinner of the resident Peregrine Falcon.
As the sun came out and the cliff faces warmed, a swarm of eager rock climbers began showing up and along The Dihedrals and the Morning Glory Wall, we stopped to watch them climb and rappel. Smith Rock is a well known and popular rock climbing area. The rock is good but many of the faces have no cracks or hand holds so many of the faces are dotted with not only the white chalk marks of climbers’ hands, but the silver ends of protective “bolts”. We saw lots of those.
After completing our day hike we headed out to Cline Falls State Park on the Upper Deschutes River. Didn’t find the falls but enjoyed watching two lovely swans mingling among the resident mallards on the river.
DAY THREE: We left Redmond, Oregon on a sunny morning and drove east toward Mitchell, taking a quick side trip to the Painted Hills unit of the John Day fossil beds. Lighting wasn’t good for photographs, so we drove on. We stopped to check out the Oregon Hotel there for future reference (probably not), then turned north to drive the route north along the along the John Day River (which was trying to freeze over in places). At Fossil we turned west to the Clarno Unit of the John Day fossil beds. A fire had burned all vegetation at this site, but the hike to the cliffs, the fossils, and the intriguing “frozen in time” result of ancient lahars, was fascinating and worth the stop and the short hike.
On to Shaniko from the Clarno fossil beds and I stopped to take some photographs of an old barn, outside of town, that I had photographed a few years back. It has continued to cave in, weather and deteriorate, but is still a worthy photo shoot.
From Shaniko, Oregon we pointed our vehicle north toward home and by the time we reached Moro, we were enveloped in thick fog. That fog bank stayed with us all the way to our home in Eastern Washington. But, aside from the foggy ending, the two of us had more than our fair share of wonderful winter blue skies and sunshine, and we enjoyed every portion of the trails we had hiked.
Winter is not my favorite time of the year but road trips and hikes, like this one, sure help. In a few weeks the shortest day of the year will pass and the days will start getting longer and warmer “poco a poco” and that, for me, is always something to look forward to.
Comments and faves
Sky Blue~Red Rocks & Jeep (5 months ago | reply)
So did it fall over when you let go...ha!
*Happy holidays and many blessings to you & yours.*
Sky Blue~Red Rocks & Jeep added this photo to their favorites. (5 months ago)
grlemond (5 months ago | reply)
Great shot! And thanks for the description - fun to read about it! Happy Holidays!
meadowmom (5 months ago | reply)
Merry Chistmas, OMT...
*wildbio* (5 months ago | reply)
Keep up the good work. Merry Christmas!!
velotta.bill (5 months ago | reply)
great place! you may be all that is holding it up!
Leifi (5 months ago | reply)
Wow. great photo and nice house
Marry Christmas to you
ladigue_99 (5 months ago | reply)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Nice to see you!
dbushue (5 months ago | reply)
flickr is certainly a fascinating place.....great old barn; Merry Christmas to you & yours!!!!
Janice L added this photo to her favorites. (5 months ago)
Janice L (5 months ago | reply)
Lovely shot and yes, Flickr is great that way.
victorvonsalza (5 months ago | reply)
Thanks for all you share. Wishing you Happy Holidays and all the Best in the New Year!
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Cynthia - - It was me who almost toppled when I quit leaning against this fine old barn. HA.
It takes an oldie (like me) to fully understand and appreciate another oldie (like this old barn). Best holiday wishes to you as well. Have some great adventures in 2012 and thanks for the nice comments you have left with many of my photos during 2011. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Thanks Jack and the same to you. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
And Merry Christmas to you as well Laurie. Thanks for all the smiles, enjoyment and good memories you have shared with us all with your Flickr photographs. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
wildbio - - Merry Christmas to you too and thanks for all the fine photographs you have posted on flickr. It is nice to associate with flickr folks like you, who truly enjoy, appreciate, and treasure the outdoors, much like I do. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Flickr Friend Bill from Oklahoma - - When two oldies get together (me and the old barn), it is dificult to tell, who is supporting who. I was tired. HA. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Leifi from Iceland. Thank you. There is probably a field mouse or two that considers this well ventilated and slightly tilting old barn "home". I'm just glad it still stands as a monument to the farmers who play such an important part in the lives of us living in the U.S. of A. Merry Christmas to you and best to you for 2012. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Thanks Ladigue. I would wish you happy travels for 2012, but I already know that you will do that as well or better than anybody I know, so Merry Christmas 2011, and thanks for all the nice comments you have passed along (as well as some waypoints and directions to some of the fine hiking areas you have visited in the American Southwest). OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Merry Christmas to you two Darlene. I will follow you adventurous life and love of nature on you fine flickr site in 2012. Best of everything to you. OMT
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Janice and Victor - - how nice to hear you holiday well wishes. I can close my eyes and see the three of us "hamming it up" at the now infamous Lewis River flickr meet up organized by the resourceful "Starlisa". What fun that was and how the years do fly. Victor: I hope you still have your cool Mini Cooper. The perfect car for a sporty professional grade photographer like you, to be traveling about in. Thanks for you many fun comments Janice. Life is too short not to have an active and full sense of humor. Fun. OMT
NaturalLight (5 months ago | reply)
Yes, flickr is fun that way.... you never know what you might learn.... Hope your holiday has been as good as mine and wishing you a very photogenic new year....
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Thank you John. My "hope to do" list for 2012 is growing day by day as I study my maps and hiking guides. Best to you in 2012. Postscript: If I haven't told you before I grew up off a small dirt road and attended what was then a very much "country school" in Andover, Kansas. Small world. Photo:
www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/2232983693 /in/set-7215...
OMT
OldTechGuy (5 months ago | reply)
Well done! Maybe because I'm an 'old guy' myself and also grew up in a rural area, I enjoy seeing structures like this. I also appreciate the comments and narratives you provide with your photos. Your text is well written and provides good context to the photos.
oldmantravels (5 months ago | reply)
Henry from Alabama - - Sharing photos (and stories) on Flickr and learning from the photos and stories of others has been a wonderful experience for me. Comments like yours, make my day. Thank you. I'm reading a book at the moment titled: The Oregon Desert by E.R. Jackman and R.A. Long. These two real old time pioneers of the area around Shaniko, Oregon, really bring the history and the place to life. Seems Shaniko prospored briefly as a wool shipping center (to The Dalles, Oregon), at one time. I really enjoy learning the history of an area I visit, preferable before, but if not, after. So, glad to hear that there are those out in Flickr land that enjoy the stories that many times go with the photographs.Thanks. OMT
monkeyfoottroy added this photo to his favorites. (3 months ago)
monkeyfoottroy (3 months ago | reply)
Amazing!! I love seeing sites like that. Old buildings that had a past we all wish we could hear.
mfTroy
oldmantravels (3 months ago | reply)
MFT - - as the birthdays keep on coming around, more quickly each year, I'm starting to feel a bit like this old barn looks...but as long as I can still get out and hike and explore back roads, I'm a happy oldster. OMT
Konabish (3 months ago | reply)
Your photostream is unique and fascinating, and incredible for the effort you put into it. I can relate because I was able to do so much exploring in my youth. Darn, no digital cameras!
This barn is a treasure, and wouldn't it be awesome if the folks put just a bit of effort into stabilizing it to the point it won't collapse. Were I a billionaire I'd have teams running around the country saving our history. Enjoying your photos.
oldmantravels (3 months ago | reply)
Konabish - - I'm afraid this historic old barn is too far gone to stabilize and restoring it, even with the original lumber as much as possible, just wouldn't be the same. I'm glad I got to see it before this is just a field again. OMT
Konabish (3 months ago | reply)
Preserved "on film", at least. Thanks for the great road trip info; I'll probably use it on a visit!
Stephen Boodram (2 months ago | reply)
Great photostream!
oldmantravels (2 months ago | reply)
Thanks Stephen. Glad you found some of my many photographs of interest. OMT