September 25 - Crater Lake and Mount Hood

What an adventure! Where else but in Oregon can you drive past the deepest lake in the United States and then a volcanic peak over 11,000 feet tall all in the same day? Today’s ride took me south to Crater Lake and then the long way home through Bend and past Mount Hood.

I left early this morning and headed south on interstate 5 to Eugene before heading east on highway 58 and stopping at Stewart’s 58 Drive-In. I discovered this diner six years ago on my first cross country motorcycle trip and fell in love with their delicious burgers made with grass-fed beef and bakery fresh buns. They weren’t serving lunch yet today but the breakfast burrito I got instead was absolutely delicious – the marinated steak, egg, and vegie filling hit the spot and fueled me up for more miles on the road.

After leaving Stewart’s I headed south on highway 97 and then west on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway to the north entrance of Crater Lake. About ten miles from the entrance, I turned left on East Rim Road. Going clockwise around the lake made it easier to stop at many of the over 30 pullouts on the 33-mile loop around the lake.

I hadn’t been to Crater Lake in several years and was blown away by the stunning, deep, vibrant blue of its waters. The lake is completely fed by rain and snow and is considered to be one of the clearest and cleanest lakes in the world. The air was a little hazy, but I was still able to see beautiful views of the rim as well as Wizard Island.

After taking several photos of this natural wonder, I decided to take the long way home through Bend and over Mount Hood. It was only an hour more driving than the most direct route and I was yearning to see this familiar volcanic peak after having been gone from the state all summer.

The sky was a beautiful shade of blue with orange and yellow highlights. As I drove through Mount Hood National forest on my way home, the deciduous bushes and trees at the base of the prolific Douglas Firs provided rainbow colored accents of red, orange, yellow, pink, and green. I do miss being on the road but am also very happy to be home.