Steaks at the Cowboy Dinner Tree

 

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The voyage arrived at the Cowboy Dinner Tree outside of Silver Lake, Oregon.  This interesting restaurant has long been a favorite of mine.  Not only do you have to call weeks or months in advance to get a table but you also have to select either a chicken or a beef dinner.  The only other choice you get is between coffee, iced tea, pink lemonade, or water.  What a delicious hidden restaurant in the middle of nowhere!

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The rustic restaurant is more of a ramshackled shack than a fine dining establishment.  Don’t be fooled! This is a world-class steak house.

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The second biggest decision you have to make at the Cowboy Dinner Tree is what you should drink.  Your choices are water, iced tea, pink lemonade, or coffee.

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The first course was a family-style salad.  Vera gives it the thumbs-up.

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Next is a cowboy stew and huge dinner rolls.  Yum!

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The next course is a massive steak or an entire chicken.  Everyone at our table chose steak.  It was a wise decision.  And yes, that is a MASSIVE baked potato with sour cream.

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Zach approves of the steak… for now.



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The final course is ice cream and a piece of pie or shortbread (depending upon the time of year).  Yes, it was delicious.

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In the winter it is a good idea to request the table next to the stove.

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Looking down the windowed-in porch near the entrance.

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The kitchen.  Since I was here last they have gotten electricity.  It appears that the lights are powered off a solar panel and some DC batteries.

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After we finished eating we found a beautiful sunset in progress.

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Heather climbed into a little saloon.

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Until next time, Cowboy Dinner Tree!

Surprise Visit to Thompson Reservoir

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We quite by accident discovered Thompson Reservoir while aimlessly driving on Forest Service roads waiting for our seating at the Cowboy Dinner Tree.

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Zach decided to setup a shot from the dock.

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The Expedition Team at Thompson Reservoir!


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A panorama of the lake.

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Near Thompson Reservoir we spied several deer in a meadow.

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Standing on a dock in the lake watching the water drain away…

Fort Rock

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Fort Rock is an amazing oddity out in the desert of Christmas Valley.  The rock was formed by volcanic explosions from a shallow lake that existed thousands of years ago.  Now it serves as a landmark in an otherwise flat sagebrush-filled valley.
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Looking into Fort Rock.  Three sides of the rock stand tall.  The fourth side slopes downward gently.

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Looking out from inside Fort Rock toward the town of Fort Rock.

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Heather and me at an overlook inside Fort Rock.


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Another far-off view of Fort Rock.

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Doing some CrossFit at Fort Rock.

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Vera near the cliffs of Fort Rock.

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Selfie by Heather.


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One of the edges of Fort Rock.  Many raptors and other birds live high in the rocks.

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The small town of Fort Rock.  I wonder what caused people to settle here in the first place.