Strauch/Bruno Web Photo Album

Photos are arranged in chronological order with the most recent photos first. Select which thumbnail you want to see by clicking on it. To get back to this page, use your browser back arrow. Each batch of thumbnails has a brief description. A screen size of 800x600 pixels is used as a base but 640x480 and 1024x768 screens work fine too.

Email us Tom, Laura, Matt or Kelsey. Search all the photo pages.

4/27-5/2/2021 John Day 6 day 70 mile raft trip from Clarno to Cottonwood Canyon with Lucy the dog, Melinda, Tim, Bill, Herb, Ron, Dan, Dennis, Pete, Ryan and Vern. Google Photos

Rescue on the John Day

Tom's log

Tuesday - Met everyone at take-out in Cottonwood Canyon at 11am, left two cars there and then drove 3 vehicles and trailers with all our equipment to put-in at Clarno. Two hours to rig the rafts and kayaks. Started out at 4pm 4 miles and stopped at M105.5 gravel campsite. Melinda made chili for dinner with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Wednesday - Got off before 9am. IK (inflatable kayak) with Bill and Dennis flipped in the Clarno rapids, Ron pulled Dennis into our boat (17 foot raft) and Bill got back in the IK only to flip again further in the same rapid. We hit a big hole going on the right side and it knocked off my hard shell kayak we had on the back of the raft. We rescued the IK first then got to Bill so Ron could pull him in too. When we got to a calm area, we did not know if Vern in his cataraft could get my kayak and he was the only boat behind us. After some waiting and much effort, Vern showed up with my kayak. Later that day we ran Basalt rapid with no problems and we stopped at a very nice campsite at M91. Ron and Herb made spaghetti and meatballs, coleslaw and brownies for dinner. After dinner, I hiked up 1500 feet to a high point from river. Dan brought out his fire box that we all enjoyed and amazed us.

Thursday - Left camp before 9am and I kayaked all day. Ron took over the oars on the raft. Stopped at 30 mile canyon and filled up a 6 gallon water jug with creek water we would use for cooking. It was the only stream we saw flowing into the John Day on the whole trip. Stopped at another nice campsite M75.4. Pete and Ryan made BBQ pork sandwiches with coleslaw. Ryan and Pete kept us well fed with all sort of goodies from Great Harvest Bakery which Ryan owns and runs in Great Falls, MT. Went for an hour hike with Dennis from the campsite. Played King of Tokyo game with Melinda, Ryan and Tim.

Friday - Pete and Ryan made french toast for breakfast and we got off before 9am again. Today we did not stop for lunch but got to another nice campsite near Owl Rock by 1pm at M59.4. Beef Stew for dinner by Dennis and Bill. More King of Tokyo games. Everyone hiked up to Owl Rock with a nice trail from the campsite.

Saturday - It rained most of the night but cleared up by morning. Pete and Vern both got wet since they were sleeping out. We had to pack up wet tents and got off a little after 9am. Windy most of the day and we stopped at M45.5 at the only decent campsite this close to the take-out. Spaghetti for dinner by Ryan and Pete. Dan decided to continue to the take-out so we were down to 10 of us. Tim and I did a short loop hike after dinner.

Sunday - Tim and I made the last breakfast and we were planning blueberry pancakes. But when I went to find the pancake mix, I had forgotten to pack it. So we pulled out our leftovers and since we had plenty of tortillas and cheese, we made quesadillas instead. We got off by 8:30am and made it to the take-out by 9:30am. Derigged the rafts and all went home by 11am. Great fun trip with a good group of people!!

4/12&19&23&24/2021 Sitka Sedge Natural Area 5 miles 100 feet hike on the coast north of Pacific City; Starvation Ridge/ Warren Lake/Mt Defiance Ridge loop 12 miles 4000 feet in 6 feet of snow; Roadsend and Drift Creek Falls hikes 12 miles 1000 feet with Chris and Rosalinda; Blue Hole hike 5 miles 200 feet with Chris and Rosalinda; Silver Falls loop 9 miles 500 feet seeing 10 falls with Chris and Rosalinda. Google Photos

3/12&15&19-4/3&5&9/2021 Snowboarding and skiing at Hoodoo on a nice sunny day; Proposal Rock, Ghost Tree Stumps and Cape Kiwanda hikes 4 miles 500 feet on the coast; Our first airplane flight since covid to visit Matt and family in Chicago for two weeks; Checked out Liam new school Sts. Peter and Paul and Colin's new school once they move to Naperville and their new house; Celebrate Matt's 41st birthday and then Liam's 9th birthday; Spent a night in downtown Chicago; Checked out the finished stone and brick work on Matt's new house; new half shell in Salem Riverfront Park; Starvation Creek Ridge hike 6 miles 2000 feet; nice spring skiing and snowboarding for the last time this season at Hoodoo. Google Photos