Bound for Bend...

July 21, 2012

Well, today we have to leave this magically beautiful place, and Mother Nature has decided to play with our emotions a little bit...she has sent us a (literally) picture perfect day that makes it even harder to walk away from the beautiful lake, and at the same time it indelibly etches in our memories just how spectacular this place can be and convinces us that we will make a return trip sometime soon...

Our blogging of this summer's adventures has been a lot of fun for us, but it has made us realize how dependent we are on a good (fast) Internet connection...we've got a decent wi-fi connection here at the Crater Lake Lodge, so we try to take full advantage because this may be the last place where we can connect. We've learned alot about what it takes to blog...we use two iPads so that we can be sorting and uploading photos while writing, and we have a couple of apps that are essential - one that uploads photos to Picassa, and one that lets us write our blog posts offline...but we can't upload photos, or embed them into a post, or actually post a blog entry without a good Internet connection.

So Michael tries to complete a blog post over coffee in the lobby before we hit the road...

It is really impossible to describe just how breathtakingly beautiful Crater Lake is on a calm, clear morning like this. The water is perfectly smooth...like a mirror...not a breath of wind...and the morning light gradually illuminates the caldera...first the eastern rim is silhouetted in the pink glow of the lightening sky, then the sun peaks over the eastern rim and slowly rises, and as it rises pink and orange light begins to make its way down the inside of the caldera, and soon the western rim is lit while the eastern wall remains on the shadows...it is spectacular...

It is remarkable how calm the morning winds have been...hardly a breath...giving us some unreal reflections on the surface of Crater Lake...so after breakfast we go for a walk to take in these views...

Alas, we really do have to tear ourselves away from this lake so that we can continue on our adventure, so we reluctantly check out of the Lodge, climb into the Roadtrek and begin our drive to Bend, Oregon. (This also marks the end of the lodging portion of our trip, and from here on out we're going to be camping!) On our way out of the park we stop to get the "official" photo of the park entrance...we typically get this shot on our way into the park, but two days ago we drove right by it because we were so happy to be arriving (finally) at Crater Lake after a long day of driving...so here it is!

We're back on the road to infinity...

What is it about this trip we're on?! Everywhere we go we run into lava! No wonder they have a park here called Lavaland...!

It's a very reasonable drive today from Crater Lake to Bend...only about two hours...so we get to our camping location in early afternoon. We're staying at Tumalo State Park, an Oregon state park located on the beautiful Deschutes River.

We selected our site online because it was perched right on the river...wait a minute...where's that river?!

Another perspective of our site...the river is somewhere behind all of those overgrown bushes...so much for "river-side" camping..!

Aha! Here's the river! Our campsite is behind those bushes on the right...

This campsite also has the mixed blessing of being very close to the restroom...very convenient (and good people watching), but it means that we will get the light from the windows at night while we're trying to enjoy sleeping in the dark...at least the doors don't slam when people come and go!

We think it is a sad sign of the times that the park needs to post basic rules of considerate behavior...and, like most places, just because the rules are posted doesn't mean that they are followed (or enforced).

Because Bend is such a popular bicycling locale, this state park has a special site to accommodate bikers and hikers...

This state park also has yurts available for reservation...

This building is located in the middle of the main loop area and is a pretty cool facility. On the roof we see solar panels...the kind that heat water using the sun's rays. The other side of the building has a series of individual shower rooms...more on this in a minute.

Because this facility produces hot water, it has a kitchen sink area on one side where campers can do dishes in hot running water...in the camping world, that's a real luxury!

Now, a little more on the solar shower set up...on the front side of the building, where the doors to the shower rooms are located, there is a sign explaining how this facility works...and included in the sign are the actual gauges that show the temperature of the water throughout the system...

Showers are free if you are a registered camper (and therefore have paid your fee), otherwise they cost you a couple bucks...if you've been out hiking or biking it's the best $2 you will spend...

Here is what the shower rooms look like...these are pretty unique in our many years of camping...

This campsite offers alot of programming for kids and adults alike...in the evening there is a Ranger-led presentation at the amphitheater...the young Ranger came by our campsite around dinnertime on a promotional tour...she said the presentation would be about owls...we decided to go for an evening stroll instead...

Tomorrow we plan to go for a bike ride...we have toted our bikes thousands of miles and have yet to get on them...we're looking forward to hitting the road on two wheels!

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