Miles total: 6618
Left the Green Gables Motel at 6:15 ... 51 degrees, nice. Took CA-89 to Mount Shasta, briefly up I-5, then exit at Weed to US97. Superb roads. Mt Shasta is the dominant geographic feature for about 45 minutes. You first see it directly in front of you as you crest a hill on 89, but there are lots of trees limiting photo ops. Best clear views for me were from 97.
Stopped in Klamath Falls for breakfast and continued up US97 to OR-62, passing Klamath Lake on the way to Crater Lake National Park south entrance. Enter the park at an elevation of about 4200 feet and climb over the rim at about 7200 feet. Seeing Crater Lake for the first time is a bit like seeing the Grand Canyon ... you’ve seen pictures of it, you know what it looks like, but as soon as you come down the rim get the first view it just smacks you in the face.
I went around the west rim, stopped at the obligatory overlooks, headed out the north entrance to OR-138 and up US97 some more (all part of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway) to Bend.
At Bend I had to stop and visit the last Blockbuster on the planet.
I went inside but most of the good merch was picked through; not much left but 3XL shirts. Enjoyed watching a stream of people pull into the lot, jump out, and have their picture taken in front of the sign.
From Bend I went through Sisters, then left at the lava field to get on OR-126 which eventually follows the McKenzie River to Eugene. Generally great riding all day except for smoky haze limiting visibility on the way to Bend, and temps near 100 for the last 50 miles to Eugene.
Eugene is where “Animal House” was filmed so I took a walking tour of the U of O campus to see the highlights. Here’s the building used as a stand-in for “Emily Dickinson College” in the movie
Admin building and Dean Wormer’s office
Omega house and Pi Pi Pi sorority (Delta House, which was between them, was torn down in the 80s).
Ok, I was going to ask how many times you’d watched Animal House, (but saw the “Credit note).
ReplyDeleteAgree on Crater Lake. It’s the diamond in the gems of Oregon. Interesting driving in some sections, if you happen to be on the outside lane.
Fabulous pictures again. Hoping for cooler weather ahead for you.
PS - we spotted Mt. Shasta from one of Crater Lake’s viewpoints. It’s even impressive from there.
ReplyDeleteWe are catching up with your commentary. We have had our son,Ashburn in from CA and family celebrating David’s 80th birthday.
ReplyDeleteWe are reliving some of the same places we visited years ago pulling a camper!
Safe travels,
Karen and David