Day 20 - Forbidden Fruit

Some views from the balcony in Redmond.

Inside the room at the timeshare.

View of the mountains during our drive.

The Pumice Desert, which Mt. Mazama covered in volcanic rock during eruptions millennia ago. Nothing has grown well there since.

Our first up-close look at snow during this trip!

Mt. Mazama as it looks today. It is now called Crater Lake. An eruption about eight millennia ago resulted in the entire top of the mountain blowing off. Over time, the caldera that was left behind filled with rain and snow. The water in Crater Lake is incredibly clear and clean, as it is still fed exclusively by rain and snow. No rivers or streams flow out either. The lake holds the world record for clarity, as a person can see a hundred and fifty feet under the water.

Us in front of the lake.

A little creature enjoying the side of the caldera.

The island in Crater Lake is called Wizard Island. Wizard Island is a large volcano in its own right, and emerged after the caldera was already full of water.

The pristine clarity of the lake makes it incredibly blue.

We went to Crater Lake with Catherine's parents, then parted ways afterwards so we could head home and they could go back to Bend. We had a great time. An avalanche/ road work resulted in a lengthy road closure, during which time we had a "car picnic" in their car. The traffic delay gave us almost enough time to eat. Then, the official said it was time to go and the road was open, sending the two of us rushing back to our car so as not to hold up traffic. It was an extremely fun day.

Seen near the rim of the caldera...but it is actually just someone's dog.

Some first views of Mt. Shasta as we enter California. Mt. Shasta is part of the Cascades (not even the southernmost cascade: that is Lassen Peak), and it dominates the sky and the landscape all around the area.

Our studio in Mt. Shasta. It's very cozy and comfortable, and seems to be the perfect stopping off point on our way home.

The interior of our Mt. Shasta studio.

The view from the window of the studio.

Tonight is the last night away on our trip. Tomorrow we will take the longest section of our drive thus far, and go all the way home to Selma. It has been a wonderful trip so far, and tomorrow will surely bring the same fun and adventure that we have had all along.