Fire Hydrants and Cowboys???

June 21, 2010


Even though I've been up this way before, each time I take a different route.  I am so overcome with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.....from Santa Cruz to Oregon.  Eugene is where I am now and this is new territory for me.  I had a short and sweet visit with a friend.who has just moved here to a lovely 'sustainable' home  What a lovely way to live.  And yes, I am going to get solar for Phoebe McGee, soon.


It is Summer Solstice 2010 and I have a little extra time today.  It has been the best weather day I've had since I left Santa Cruz.  Happy summer everyone.


As usual, I have been making up my mind as I go.  It keeps me almost worry-free and very present.  My first major stop was in Klamuth Falls.  Who knew the town doesn't exactly have waterfalls!  It seems if you really look, there is a trail along the river, called the Link River Nature Trail and there is a small amount of water that falls. We didn't go but we did love the town.

You don't have to drive far to see the beauty of Klamuth Falls.  The above pictures were all taken at a rest area.

All the mountains are snow covered and I would have been happier if someone else had been driving so I could take more pictures.  .

Back in the 1800's, Klamuth Falls was called Linkville and the Trolly's in the town reflect that historical name.

Every town has a farmer's market and Klamuth Falls is no exception.

Since I didn't take a long hike, go rafting or go on a jet boat ride, we were pretty much done after a few hours.  We didn't have far to drive to get to one of my favorite places.  Crater Lake.  The pictures say it all and not much can be said about the lake's mysterious and sacred shattered remnant of a volcano called, Mount Mazama.  I took so many pictures, I couldn't figure out which ones to post.  How did I do?  Since adjectives don't work for this lake, I will briefly write about its history

Crater Lake is 5 miles wide and, as you can see, some of it is ringed  by cliffs 2,000 feet high.  The volcano erupted and collapsed into itself 7,700 years ago.  Other later eruptions formed an  island and other volcanic features are now hidden under the lake filled with rain and melted snow. It is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world.  It is 1,943 feet deep.

Mount Mazama began to grow half a million years ago  Humans have lived around the mountain for more than 10,000 years and probably witnessed its cataclysmic eruption.  Crater Lake has long played a significant role in the cultures of local American Indian tribes.  Prospectors, in search of gold in 1853 found the lake, and word spread of its beauty, people began visiting from all over the world.  It became a national park on May 22, 1902.

For more than a century, scientists have investigated the lake with sonar, submarines, and scientific instruments.  The lake that formed in the volcanoes shattered remnants is one of the purest and most pristine in the world.  I didn't make this up, I got most of the information from a brochure.  More pictures of the lake and the area in the national park are below.

                                                                                            The Lodge

We were planning on staying overnight but when I found out there could be snow, I decided to high-tail it out.  It was only in the low 40's during the day.  So we drove.  When I say we, I mean my TaZzi and me.  My only partner!

Almost didn't make it to Crater Lake as we had a bit of a jolt driving up the beautiful little road '97'.  Here is what stopped us!   (pictures snapped through my dirty windshield)

  

  

    

Thanks cowboy!  





We stumbled into a great place to do a sleep-over.  In the very small town of Westfir (an hour south of Eugene) exists Casey's Riverside RV Park.  All the RV's park within yards of the Willamette River.  The river is a major tributary of the Columbia River and is 187 miles long (302 km).  The water is very cold as it comes down from the mountains and the splashing valley torrents create a vibrant flow.  Historically, it was known as a wild river and to me it still looks a bit wild.

Today will be a driving day.  On to Washington ...right after breakfast at another spectacularly beautiful park  The serve a complimentary continental breakfast.  It is called Eugene Premier RV .  Resort.  I've been lucky to stay at Good Sam Membership Parks and I'm a member so I get a bit of a discount.

Did I ever mention that....I love my life so much, I sometimes feel embarrassed?  This park delivers a newspaper to your door.  Gotta go get my bagel and juice now and wake TaZzi up to take her to the doggie park.