Thunder Eggs!

According to Wikipedia, "A thunder egg is a nodule-like geological structure, similar to a geode, that is formed within a rhyolitic lava flow."  Basically, that means that it's a rock with cool stuff inside, like agate or jasper. You crack them open like an egg to reveal what's hidden inside.

But more interesting: "According to Pacific Northwest native legend, the Thunder Spirits lived at the highest reaches of Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson, and when they became angry at each other, they threw these spherical rocks at each other."

The thunder egg is also Oregon's designated state rock.  Oregon is one of the best places in the world to find thunder eggs.

So, when in Rome... and when traveling with a geology nut (Adriel!)... one goes hunting for thunder eggs. 

Our book told us to turn up a forest service road. We bumped along, climbing in elevation, winding through a mature pine forest. 

 The Explorers were set to go!

Here is the site. See the pits? That's where people have been digging for thunder eggs. Since we didn't have proper shovels we just looked around at what other people had already dug up and left behind. We found some neat thunder eggs with jasper inside.  The guys had (maybe too much) fun breaking open the rocks with hammers. Bang! Bang! Bang!

The forest smelled of pine. A warm wind moved through the trees.  Hermit Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Western Tanager, Western Wood Peewee sang from the canopy.

There was a little something for everyone.