Dashboard Photoblog: Selma, Oregon

 As the fall weather settles in, our drives become more about seeing the colors than escaping the heat.  Because I wanted to share a bit of my home with someone very special, I give you a trip to one of my childhood neighborhoods - Selma, Oregon.

 At the start of Deer Creek Road, with a gentle rain falling.  Yes, there will be dashboard in most of the pics.  Hence the name "dashboard photoblog."  Taking pictures while driving should only be done by trained professionals :).

 Farther along Deer Creek Road.  The rain has subsided, but the sky is still overcast.

 We pass through slightly dense arid forests on this drive.

 This gate was at the entrance to the Bates 40 Ranch.  I'm unsure if it still functions as a true ranch, but in my childhood they raised large quantities of cattle there.

 And....the Bates 40 Ranch.  The sky cleared, leaving fabulous puffy white clouds.  I love their shadows on the mountains.

 Another gate on the Bates 40.  I love the colors here, very Maxfield Parrish.

 The bridge that leads to my childhood home.  It crosses Deer Creek, which is running extremely low right now.

 On the dirt road to my childhood home.  Sadly, the foliage was too thick to see the house.  I had hoped to snap some pictures.

 The gate that now stands at the driveway to my childhood home.  There had originally been a HUGE piece of driftwood standing to the right, and no gate.  It was much more inviting then.

 A beautiful 4 point buck.  This is as close as I could get as he had jumped a fence, but I was still very close.  I had visions of ending up on "When Animals Attack."

 Turned around and heading back down the dirt road.  The colors are so contrasted - dry and brown and cool and blue.

 Deer Creek, as seen from the bridge posted above.  Very little water running.

 Continuing up the road onto a BLM/Forest Service chipseal road.  It's paved all the way to Williams and I've driven it a few times, but evidence of recent slides made me decide to turn around.  This huge boulder has been here since I was a kid - I can't imagine what it was like when it came down.  To give you an idea of its size, my head hits just under the sharp corner to the right.

 Deer Creek, as seen from the road.  this is my family's super-secret swimming hole, but at this time of year it's hardly a puddle.  Mid-July, it's 7-8 feet deep and super-cold.

 More of the creek.  The water is perfectly clear, but the rocks in it are covered in brownish moss.  The smell and sounds here are amazing.

Coming back down the mountain towards town.  The sun was finally returning.

Driving into the sun made pictures impossible from here out, so my final shot is of Lake Selmac.  The boat rental shack is closed for the season and there were only a handful of people around.

I hope you enjoyed a little corner of my world.  For local friends, the trip is - Redwood Highway to Deer Creek Road (in front of Ray's Market); turn left and follow DCR to end of county line and follow fork to left; travel as far up the mountain as you please or continue to Williams.  Follow DCR back towards Selma, turn left onto Lakeshore Drive and continue to Redwood Highway; return to Grants Pass.  Round trip - about 65 miles, depending how far you go up the mountain.  Please note - the mountain road to Williams is NOT passable during the winter months.  The road is only graded to the county line, and chipseal mountain roads do not provide a stable surface under icy conditions - plus there are no guardrails.  Travel with caution!