October 14: Delightfully Blue
I really can’t decide what was more delightful – the vivid, deep, sparkling blue waters of Crater Lake or the three-course locally sourced meal from my favorite restaurant in Bend. Either way, today’s ride was the perfect way to spend a rare Friday off from work.
I headed south early this morning as the days are getting shorter and today’s ride to Crater Lake, Bend, and back was a little longer. Of course, I made time to stop in Creswell at my favorite bakery to top off with a bacon ciabatta breakfast sandwich before heading east on highway 58 towards Oakridge.
The fire from the Cedar Creek area is still not contained and the smoke as I drove east along Lookout Point Lake towards highway 97 was incredibly dense. I was a little apprehensive that the road might be closed ahead. But by the time I reached the turnoff to head south towards Crater Lake the smoke cleared, and I gratefully breathed in the fresh air and gazed up at the blue sky and sun-drenched mountains.
After heading south from the north entrance to Crater Lake and then turning left on East Rim Drive, I pulled over at Liao Bay to gaze at the deep blue waters. The Lake, formed by the fall of a volcano, is such a startling blue color because the water comes directly from snow or rain and does not have any sediment or mineral deposits. I really don’t think it’s possible to look at the lake and not be awe-struck.
Continuing along East Rim drive I stopped at numerous bays and coves to get one amazing view after another of the lake, wizard island, and the surrounding pine, hemlock, and whitebark forests around me. I loved the juxtaposition of the dry and brittle orange and yellow sagebrush framed by the deep blue waters and dark craggy crater rim. The weather was in the mid sixties but with the sun out it was extremely comfortable riding weather.
From Crater Lake I headed north again to Jackson’s Corner to meet my best friend Michelle Martin for dinner. I decided to celebrate my rare Friday off from work by eating a three-course meal, starting with an end of summer tostada topped with fresh Pico, corn crumbles, and poblano crema. I split a pizza with Michelle and savored every bite of the freshly tossed and baked crust covered with pork fennel sausage, mascarpone, marinara, and local honey and then ended the meal with a locally made Stracciatella gelato. What an awesome day!
