Pendleton, Oregon
Wednesday - 2 July 2003: Pendleton, Oregon
- Another wonderful day on the Reservation. We started the day with 18 holes
of golf at the
Wild Horse Golf Club. The weather was just perfect for golf and we had a
lot of fun on the course. Play was a bit slow, so I was able to take a few
photos. There are several families of American Coots raising babies in the
ponds on the golf course. We also saw wrens, yellow-headed blackbirds, geese
and, yuck, starlings. I didn't do too well on the front nine, but rallied to
a decent score on the back holes. DT complained, but played very well.
Wild Horse Golf Course
After golf, we went to the
Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. We have visited many Native American
museums, and this is not up there on our list of the top ten, yet it was
still nice. The collection of artifacts was impressive. The tribes are
especially skilled at basket weaving and beading, and the examples on
display are stunning. The building itself is fabulous. So why isn't this a
great museum? No signage. Little explanation. What tags that do exist only
state who donated the item. Weird. Beautiful things to look at, but it would
be nice to know what you are seeing, especially when the item is a photo.
Who is it? When was it taken? Still, I would advise taking children here, as
inside is an entire long house! The "theme" of the displays attempts to
explain Native life before and after the "Westward Migration", and how the
tribe is surviving now and striving for a rich future.
After this non-memorable Mexican meal at a non-memorable Mexican
restaurant, we drove over to the
Pendleton Roundup Rodeo Grounds. The 92-year-old Roundup is now only one
of two (of 820) national rodeo grounds with a grass arena. In September,
70,000 people will come to Pendleton, which usually has a population of
15,000. Besides seven major PRCA events there is a parade, a nightly
pageant, women's barrel racing, Indian celebrations, concerts, barbeques,
crafts, food and of course, all the excitement of the Rodeo Queen! Tonight,
as we were wandering around the grounds, we stopped to talk to two riders,
and their dog, ovaling the rodeo arena. Turns out Steve Corey is the present
president of the Rodeo Association! How is our luck? Steve, and his wife
Susan, told us so much about the rodeo and encouraged us to attend. He told
DT where they hold the events. (DT really likes watching Bull Riding. Don't
ask.) The President was at the arena to attend to the Rodeo Princess and her
court, and their parents, who were getting ready to head over to the St.
Paul (Oregon) Rodeo tomorrow to represent The Pendleton Roundup. I have no
idea why they were on horse back... maybe their car was in the shop? They
were a very nice couple and it was a pleasure to meet them. (NOTE: We later
learned Steve Corey was George Bush's (the second) college roommate at
Yale.)
The King of the Rodeo, with his Queen... their dog... and their horses at
the Pendleton Roundup Arena
It was getting dark and time to head back to the campsite.
When we arrived back, there was a beautiful sunset - a fitting tribute for
our last night on the road. Yes, we will be home tomorrow. What a nice trip
- track & field, family, National Parks, snow, volcanic craters, golf,
lakes, mountains, art and so much history.
Umatilla Reservation Sunset
Added the next day: We are home now! Until
my next adventure, I remain, your Cowgirl Correspondent.
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