(formerly) notes from Oregon: Where Is Tom McCall When You Need Him?

As I recall, my folks only spoke of spending time in two places in Ontario: Boulter and Buckhorn. Today I visited the latter. I was especially eager because Buckhorn is a small town with a giant lake (two connected lakes, actually).

I can attest that my father would be horrified. I was. Buckhorn, the town, was teeming with vacationers. And when I tried to access the lake, I was rebuffed again and again. Despite a very detailed map (thank you, visitors centre), I could find no road that led to a public park or any other public access point. I spent at least an hour and a half trying road after road, any road that appeared to go to water. In every instance, the road led to a resort or some other form of private waterfront property, often very fancy private property.

Where is Tom McCall when you really need him?

For the non-Oregonians among you, Tom McCall was the visionary governor we revere for assuring that the entire Oregon coast is accessible to the public in perpetuity. There may be fancy beach houses and resorts, but the public still has access. Not so at Buckhorn Lake.

I managed only a couple of pictures, illegally. So you know: I did not get arrested for trespassing.