Month: August 2011

August 4, 2011 – Overnighting in Klamath Falls, we drive up the road and greet the Vanished Volcano valley as we approach Crater Lake and its surrounding mountainous terrain. Crater Lake was cool with plenty of snow patches. It is one of those places that is nearly impossible to see, let alone photograph, without spending days or weeks or months. Everything looks like a picture postcard, and everything can start looking the same. I think I would need to live with that subject matter for a prolonged period to really see it. Probably is one of those subjects that Ansel Adams had in mind when he told me in 1972 that he was happy if he could produce one worthwhile image each month, after working every day, all day long.

August 3, 2011 – Departing early morning from Ashland, we drive through splendid and occasionally startling mountain territory to Klamath Falls, to begin discussions with academic advisers and tours at the Oregon Institute of Technology campus.

Our tour happened to be led by a graduating senior in computer science, so we gained insights into the CSET (computer science, engineering, technology) program as well from a student perspective.  The school seems to be very focused and rigorous but is so small that students and instructors alike are all on a first name basis, with the largest classes often approaching the size of the smallest at OSU.

Klamath Falls itself is a rather small town, perhaps most distinguished for its access to and exploitation of geothermal resources (powering 85% of the campus).  OIT is also a national leader in green technology and renewable systems engineering programs.

Score Klamath Falls for the friendliest waitress of the trip so far.

 

August 2, 2011 – The sign of The Bard is everywhere.  We were utterly charmed by this little town, despite how quickly you can spend your money there.  We left our freeway-close motel early in the morning and sought out the downtown area and the OSF (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) grounds.  First stop was a tour, starting at the New Theatre.  Later, we explored downtown.  While the women went their way, Nik and I stopped in at the “To CD or Not to CD” record shop.  Discovered a treasure trove of vintage vinyl LPs as well as a good selection of recent audiophile 180g vinyl pressings, all of which inspired stories of music and adventures past.  Nik humored me quite nicely.  We barely escaped before a spending frenzy set in.  Lunch, more exploration on foot, finally returning to the motel for a bit of rest before returning to OSF for a pre-performance (preface, they called it) talk and powerpoint on our later-scheduled target, “Love’s Labor’s Lost”.  Next was a retreat to the Green where we found a picnic spot while we experienced the Green Show, tonight featuring Kites & Crows, a very decent indie banjo-cello-guitar trio.

At 8pm we assembled in the outdoor main theatre, the Elizabethan Stage, for a terrific and somewhat silly production of “Love’s Labor’s Lost” (see The Oregonian’s review).  We were thoroughly entertained for the next three hours.  Sorry, no cameras allowed.

 

August 1, 2011 – Arising early we see the morning view of Reser Stadium from our hotel. Then it is on to the admin building where a life-size cardboard cutout of Michelle Obama’s basketball coach brother (apparently being menaced by a standing beaver) greets us at the Visitor Center. We are (luckily) split off from the main tour group of thirty or so to get our own special, private wheelchair-accessible tour led by the sparkling Katlyn, who has published two scientific papers and conducted research abroad as an undergrad. Early up is the LEED-Certified (the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design national standard for green building), state-of-the-art engineering building. Then on to student affairs and student union areas, the main campus quad and much more. Then we were handed off to Courtney for the housing/dorm tour. After that we met with economics and computer science advisors. We got lost more than once, but were struck with the friendliness and helpfulness of everybody we encountered. Following more self-guided exploration, we finally hooked up with Rachel and Ivi so we could begin our late afternoon sprint to Ashland.

Leaving Portland, we drive to Corvallis. Landing at the Hilton Garden Inn, we find ourselves on the OSU campus at sunset, immediately across the street from the OSU football stadium (Go Beavers?).

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Early afternoon found us in Portland, stopping at the Portland Art Museum for the eagerly-awaited (in some quarters) exhibition, Allure of the Automobile, a collection of some of the world’s most striking automobile designs, mostly from the 30s and 50s.  My absolute favorite was the Talbot-Lago (I used to have a Road and Track centerfold of one on my wall in my Santa Monica apartment in the 70s, but it is long gone now).  Second would be the 1938 or 39 Alfa Romeo 8C Berlinetta coupe, although the Spyder is my choice from that era and marque.  Hispano-Suiza, Bentley, Bugatti and many more.  Except in the day-lit lobby area, the show’s lighting absolutely conspired to make photography virtually impossible, as neither flash nor tripod was permitted.  Most of the photos were taken hand-held from 1 to 6 seconds, but at least I got some “reference” images.

Also showing at the Museum were some mostly auto-themed photographs from the 50s and 60s made by Ray Metzker, one of the masters of black & white “street” photography. An unexpected surprise, time ran out before we could fully examine all of the large body of work on display.

July 31, 2011 – We set off for Portland early in the morning, sans Ivi.   Her most excellent friend Rachel drove into town the night before after completing music camp in the Wallowas.  After a night of seemingly mostly talk and laughter, the two girls proceeded independently to Rachel’s home near Lebanon, awaiting a rendezvous with the rest of us the next day when we were to reach Corvallis and OSU via Portland.