Sometimes we forget that the beautiful Oregon Coast is at the end of the Oregon Trail.  Thoughts of the Oregon Trail conjure up visions of Conestoga Wagons, hearty pioneers braving the unknown dangers of traversing the vast American West carving their names and initials in now preserved rocks, livestock traveling along, hostile attacks, heat, cold, disease, death and ultimate triumph when reaching Oregon.

Oregon, the land of promise and gold. The gold wasn’t prevalent but the promise was real and many settlers thrived taking advantage of the promised free farm land, timber and ranching.  

They settled well in a rich land. And as the American cowboy evolved working on ranches, he also made his appearance in Oregon. Oregon is very much a part of the Western cowboy tradition and the picture of the day reminds us of him.  

As I entered the Oregon desert today on my current travels, I came upon this very old appearing corral. Its purpose is or was probably for loading cattle for shipment to slaughter, but the more romantic picture it created was of cowboys sitting on the rails of the corral watching each other wrangling the cows or practicing their roping skills roping the necks and hooves of the bovine within.

And this couldn’t be more out in the middle of nowhere with desert prairie sage as far as the eye can see and the mountains in the background. Makes it difficult to identify what year/era it is!