Sunriver -- Day 3

The Emerson and Thompson clans met at the High Desert Museum in the late morning for a lesson on the history of Central Oregon.

Here we took pictures of fake animals:

Made paper quilts:

Took video of real animals:



Took pictures of old quilts we weren't aware were not to be flash-photographed until it was too late:

Yelled "Go Cougs" to the bronze(?) statue of a cougar. Who wouldn't? In fact, I dare any WSU alum not to say it while looking at this picture: 

 

Perused sets about the Old West:

And paid a little girl to keep watch over Karen and Lee as they shoveled sawdust.

Just kidding. Don't know that little girl. But Karen and Lee did shovel sawdust.
For fun.
It was part of the old log mill contraption at part of a settlers' camp. It still works!

After the museum we headed for the lava tube cave. Justin had purchased headlamps...we were ready.

It was a huge cave -- so weird to think it once transported lava through the earth. Kinda creepy if you think about it too long! It was cold and damp...two things I really dislike...but I really liked the cave tour! Daddy-o and I took a break a little past the half way point and let the rest of the group go on ahead. We knew it'd be dark in that cave, being that it was a cave, but turned off our flashlights when no one was around anyway, just to see how dark it really was. It was this dark:

Pitch black. So thankful we had flashlights to get us back out!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing at the cabin, with good food, good drinks and good company.

I'll leave you with pics from the lava cave. Stay tuned for more!

Karen led the way.

 The mouth of the cave.

 

This one gives you a little more of an idea of the size of the cave.

Heading in.

 

Who knew we were driving back and forth over this the whole time we were in Bend! Click picture for a bigger image.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Thompsons in a cave.

 

Not the best picture, but here mom demonstrates how you could see your breath in the cave -- chilly down there!