View from Lava Beds National Park

 

Big old Juniper tree and our friend George. This tree probably 200 years old.

Day 4

 

Its Friday and our plan is to leave Klamath Falls early so we can get to Redding sometime in the early afternoon. So, lucky we're on vacation because we overslept, and didn't get out as planned.

Yep that's a cave. Called Mushpot and I was the only one interested enough to want to go down into it. It's at Lava Beds National Park and actually a park that I wouldn't recommend going to. The southern way in, Hwy 10, was nothing but pot holes and torn up road for about half of the 16 miles in. It's in bad need of some stimulus money....

We stopped in this tiny town called Canby California for lunch and found a small cafe. It had the best patty melt I have had in years.

From there to Redding was mostly down hill and we pulled in about 4, later than we had planned..Poor Roy, who was raised in Redding, couldn't get his bearings as it has changed so much since he left 50 years ago.

 

Our third day out, drove up to Crater Lake, not even considering that there might be a ton of snow. As you see, at the top there was still about 10 foot and we had to climb up on it to see the lake itself. Not prepared at all, I slid around having visions that I would fall on my butt, but did manage to get to the top to see the great views. LOL, I sat down and slid back down to the car as I knew that I would never make it without falling. We met a couple from Germany who had no issues with the snow at all.

We drove up to Crater Lake on 97 but then drove back via the back roads. It was a wonderful drive and one I would recommend.

Weather held!!!

Couldn't believe how beautiful the weather was as we departed Portland. We took I5 down to Eugene, Or and then cut across the Cascade Range on Hwy 58. It was a great road with little traffic and as you can see below, a couple of great stops. The covered bridge was a great fine, and the Logging museum, while mostly a ton of rusting machines, getting out and walking around was good for the old bottom.

I think Roy and I need to return to Klamath Falls as it has lots of trails, birding and things that our friend and travelling companion George isn't able to do. We will stay at the same hotel, the Maverick which is cheap and right downtown.

We drove all the way from Roy WA to Klamath Falls on one tank of gas, 452 miles. I didn't mean to drive that far, and didn't even think about getting gas until I noticed the little light was on warning me to get to a gas station quickly.

Collier TImber Museum

Another great fine and free also. Located just north of Klamath Falls on Hwy 97, this large logging museum is a great place to stop and streatch your legs. You can see not only tons of rusting logging equipment but also some cabins that have been moved to the museum from all over the area.

Covered Bridge

 

This was a lucky find. I had seen on the Oregon State map that there were a lot of covered bridges in the area around Eugene Oregon, but I really didn't expect to see one. This was a great find, build in 1945 it's no longer being used as it is to narrow for today's trucks.

Eagle's Nest - day one adventure

http://www.jacksonbottom.org/EagleNest.htm


I wish I had some pictures but while we took the camera, we forgot to charge the battery. Lucky for me there was a website.
What an awesome site. It seems that a farmer near Portland had been watching a pair of eagles for years building and rebuilding the same nest but a couple years ago, the tree was dying or dead and the farmer knew the nest would be gone after the next big wind. He called the Jackson Bottom Organization and they called the PG&E and they managed to cut down the tree, wrap the nest in celepane and move it.
The size of this nest is awe-inpiring and seeing how the eagles wove the branches into a nest is nothing but spectacular.

If your ever near Portland, Check out Jackson Bottom

Heading out tomorrow

Finally we are on the road again, this time for a small shake-down cruise to eastern Washington and back. WIll be home one day and off again, this time to Oregon and California.
Anyplace where sun might shine.