If yesterday was special, today just blew my socks off. This country never ceases to amaze me. Why didn't they tell us about this in school?

We left Medford this morning at 8:00 AM and 50 degrees and headed for Crater Lake National Park. As we set on our way, it was overcast and the mountains were hidden in the clouds. We drove through areas that reminded us of small towns in Maine. Shady Cove has no chain restaurants but rather Mom and Pop businesses like Ma’s Restaurant, Pat’s Hand Tied Flies (my brother d*** would have had to stop in there for sure), Callie’s Pizza and Mac’s Diner. We saw a lot of pine trees and maple trees and ranch houses. And even though it is June 12th, the grass has yet to turn green.

The road snaked its way through Stewart State Park and Crater Lake National Forest, following the rushing Rogue River and climbing up to where the road is a narrow green corridor cut through a thick forest of tall pine trees and you can almost reach out and touch the trees, they are so close to the road. Traffic was non-existent and we felt very much alone in an unfamiliar yet serene land. And we began to notice patches of dirty snow along the roadside where the sun seldom shines.

An hour later, with clear and sunny skies, we arrived at the park. It was not where the sweet voice of the lady on the GPS told us it was, but I guess she is allowed to be confused from time to time. After getting our park maps, we stopped the car and took the time to study them…something we usually don’t do, and something that often gets us into trouble. And after taking some time to shop for gifts for the grandkids, we started up the road that passes along the ridge of the crater.

Only about 100 yards up the road was the first pull off. We got out of the car and I grabbed my camera and we walked to the edge. And this is where my socks got knocked off. We were looking at a large hole in the top of the mountain and it was filled with the bluest water anyone has ever seen. It was nearly cobalt blue and it reminded me of the pools of water formed by the glaciers on the tops of the mountains in Alaska. I could not believe my eyes…such beauty, surrounded by the slanted edge of the grey stone mountain, topped with pine trees and snow. I took a lot of photos, but I made sure that I didn’t fall into the trap I often do, where I walk up, take a photo and walk away. I stood there for a long time just looking and enjoying the view. And it was quiet and calming.

We moved on to several other vistas as we worked our way north on the west side of the crater.   I had read that the ridge road was 33 miles long, edging its way around the entire lake, and we had planned to see it all, but when we got to the north side, the road was closed. We only got to drive 7 miles. The road will reopen on June 28th, for the summer. They get 44 feet of snow each year, and much of the snow has not melted yet.

So, we returned to the visitor’s center where we watched a film about how the lake was formed. Basically, Mazama volcano exploded so fiercely 7000 years ago, that it blew off its top and caved in on itself and over the next 300 years, it filled with water to a level that is now sustainable only through rain and melt and evaporation. The depth and the purity of the water account for its deep blue color.

After having lunch, we drove the seven mile road once again and exited the park on the north side onto the Umpqua Scenic Byway. It is a 50 mile drive through dense green trees and rocky mountain sides, with views of distant mountains with snow trails leaking down the ridges and crevices of their angular sides, and we worked our way back down from 8,000 feet. We made it to Roseburg by 4 PM and settled in for the night. So one more state from my list. Oregon…check.