Over the weekend I booked all except one of the campsites we need for our February trip. We had planned to start with two nights in San Luis Opispo, but all the campsites in that area were already fully booked, so we are going to Pismo instead. Our aim is to avoid the very boring Central Valley area as much as we can.
Our itinerary looks like this:
Pick up van on Friday February 12.
2 nights at Pismo State Beach (i.e. on the coast) - partial hookups
1 night at Tehachapi Indian Village (on highway 58 by Bakersfield) - partial hookups. A private RV site, the only one we couldn't book online. Still waiting for confirmation of that one...
4 nights at Furnace Creek in Death Valley - no hookups
1 night at Calico Ghost Town near Barstow - full hookups
1 night at McConnell State Recreation Area near Merced (a reservoir) - no hookups
Take van back on Monday February 22.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
RV is booked
Yesterday I booked our RV for February - 11 days this time, to take account of the drop off day. Luckily the kids have an extended vacation around Presidents' Day, which is the perfect time for a Death Valley trip. Now I need to turn my mind to the campsites.
We are currently engaged in a remodel, so it's hard to focus....
We are currently engaged in a remodel, so it's hard to focus....
Friday, October 9, 2009
Making Plans
We've decided to head out again in February, this time to Death Valley. Currently in itinerary discussion with Hubby, as he wants to go to the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree, etc etc etc, all in 10 days. I'm holding out for a couple of unexciting stops in the central valley, followed by a long stop in Death Valley, and then a couple of unexciting stops back.
The other National Parks round there, like Kings Canyon, will be too snowy and cold for a visit at that time. (Check out Kay and Paul's blog from their winter trip to that area if you don't believe us - even the intrepid Bridges ended up in a motel.)
Unfortunately, the central valley really is very unexciting indeed. I'm struggling to find anything that sounds appealing. Maybe we'll just do one overnight to break the monotonous schlep down I-5. After all, we did learn in our first trip that going more than 175 miles in one hop is a mistake.
The other National Parks round there, like Kings Canyon, will be too snowy and cold for a visit at that time. (Check out Kay and Paul's blog from their winter trip to that area if you don't believe us - even the intrepid Bridges ended up in a motel.)
Unfortunately, the central valley really is very unexciting indeed. I'm struggling to find anything that sounds appealing. Maybe we'll just do one overnight to break the monotonous schlep down I-5. After all, we did learn in our first trip that going more than 175 miles in one hop is a mistake.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Time for the Awards Ceremony
And the award for...
Best Driver: Hubby (only driver!)
Best Planner: Dr Mom
Worst Injury: Deep Thought, for her thumb squashed in the hinge of the RV door at Crater Lake.
Best Musical Accompaniment: Little Starlet, for her rendition of "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow" on continuous loop.
Best Alarm Clock: Little Starlet, always up for the 6:30am start.
Best Bed Hair: Deep Thought.
Most Stupid Tourist: The woman at the Old Faithful Geyser who insisted on offering her cheek to the slobbery, British-toothed llamas "because they want to kiss me" and who almost got a big bite for her troubles.
Most Mozzie Bites: Little Starlet, for the 17 she acquired on our walk in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Best Cultural Experience: "All's Well That Ends Well" in Ashland.
Most Empty Campground: Butte Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Smelliest Campground: Jackson Wellsprings in Ashland.
Best RV Dump Station: Mazama Campground in Crater Lake.
Cutest Wildlife: Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels at Crater Lake.
Most Revolting Dessert: Coconut Cream Pie at the Apple Peddler in Crescent City.
Photo Journalism: Hubby.
Largest Consumption of Potato Chips in the Dark: Hubby.
Best Side Trip: Subway Lava Tube at Old Station on highway 44.
Strangest Conversation: The old lady in Jackson Wellsprings who explained that she was learning languages, which is why she could tell we were Australian.
Best Pizza: The Pizza Factory in Weed.
Best Emergency Kit: Dr Mom, for her pocket tea-bag that we decided could be used to make a fishing line, staunch a bleeding cut, provide food, etc.
Best Driver: Hubby (only driver!)
Best Planner: Dr Mom
Worst Injury: Deep Thought, for her thumb squashed in the hinge of the RV door at Crater Lake.
Best Musical Accompaniment: Little Starlet, for her rendition of "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow" on continuous loop.
Best Alarm Clock: Little Starlet, always up for the 6:30am start.
Best Bed Hair: Deep Thought.
Most Stupid Tourist: The woman at the Old Faithful Geyser who insisted on offering her cheek to the slobbery, British-toothed llamas "because they want to kiss me" and who almost got a big bite for her troubles.
Most Mozzie Bites: Little Starlet, for the 17 she acquired on our walk in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Best Cultural Experience: "All's Well That Ends Well" in Ashland.
Most Empty Campground: Butte Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Smelliest Campground: Jackson Wellsprings in Ashland.
Best RV Dump Station: Mazama Campground in Crater Lake.
Cutest Wildlife: Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels at Crater Lake.
Most Revolting Dessert: Coconut Cream Pie at the Apple Peddler in Crescent City.
Photo Journalism: Hubby.
Largest Consumption of Potato Chips in the Dark: Hubby.
Best Side Trip: Subway Lava Tube at Old Station on highway 44.
Strangest Conversation: The old lady in Jackson Wellsprings who explained that she was learning languages, which is why she could tell we were Australian.
Best Pizza: The Pizza Factory in Weed.
Best Emergency Kit: Dr Mom, for her pocket tea-bag that we decided could be used to make a fishing line, staunch a bleeding cut, provide food, etc.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Lassen Cinder Cone
Having survived a night with no neighbors but with bears and rabid squirrels, we decided to climb the cinder-cone above the lake:
There's only one way up, a 1-in-3 gradient complete with ankle-deep volcanic ash:
Deep Thought sets the pace, Little Starlet shows great determination in catching up:
Meanwhile, a lone tree clings to the slope:
Half-way up, we get a view of Lassen Peak:
Resting at the top of the volcano:
Walking down into the crater itself:
And back at the crater's rim:
Finally, hungry kids headed back for lunch:
There's only one way up, a 1-in-3 gradient complete with ankle-deep volcanic ash:
Deep Thought sets the pace, Little Starlet shows great determination in catching up:
Meanwhile, a lone tree clings to the slope:
Half-way up, we get a view of Lassen Peak:
Resting at the top of the volcano:
Walking down into the crater itself:
And back at the crater's rim:
Finally, hungry kids headed back for lunch:
Crater Lake to Lassen via Mount Shasta
Saturday, we drove from one spectacular volcanic site - Crater Lake - to another - Lassen - via Mount Shasta. Here's Shasta, approaching from the North:
And again, but with Dad and Dr. Mom:
Then again, Mount Shasta from the South:
Little Starlet and Deep Thought in the RV, preparing to watch a video:
And letting off steam, after arriving at a remote, near-deserted campsite full of helpful warning signs about "Bears Active Day And Night." Oh, and the cute squirrels have plague, too.
Another view of the same lake; note the piles of lava opposite, from an eruption dated to 1650.
After looking at the lake, we returned to the RV, and realized we were alone as far as the eye could see...
And again, but with Dad and Dr. Mom:
Then again, Mount Shasta from the South:
Little Starlet and Deep Thought in the RV, preparing to watch a video:
And letting off steam, after arriving at a remote, near-deserted campsite full of helpful warning signs about "Bears Active Day And Night." Oh, and the cute squirrels have plague, too.
Another view of the same lake; note the piles of lava opposite, from an eruption dated to 1650.
After looking at the lake, we returned to the RV, and realized we were alone as far as the eye could see...
Woman the Cave Keeper
I am tackling a Mount Shasta-sized pile of laundry that is currently taking up an entire side of our kitchen.
The Final Stretch
We belatedly discovered that the RV is supposed to be dropped off before 11am on the last day of rental. Of course I had not figured this into the plans, and since we were in Lassen on Monday morning, there was no way we could make it. I telephoned the rental agency on Saturday to request an additional day of rental, which they said we couldn’t have as the RV is due to go out again on Tuesday with another party. So I told them we’ll just have to be late, and they’ll charge us $30 per hour after 11:00am. It’s all very annoying, but there you are.
We set out from Butte Lake at 7:30am, allowing ourselves plenty of time to traverse the gravel road again, then it was along highway 44 to Redding. Alas Little Starlet threw up just outside Palo Cedro (about a mile from the freeway) causing a short stop plus a slightly unfortunate odor to waft about the RV for the rest of the drive. At Redding we joined I-5 and drove for many wearisome hours through the dull, flat landscape. On I-505 we stopped at Winters for lunch in a Round Table Pizza (the worst pizza we have had on this trip by far) and then plunged into the madness of the Bay Area's traffic. The GPS reckoned it was a 316 mile trip.
We got home about 2:30pm, threw everything into the house, and Hubby set out again for San Leandro at 3:15pm to return the vehicle. He had to empty the waste tanks and refill the gas en route; and did not get back to Palo Alto till around 6:00pm. It was a very long day for him - but he was a total star, and drove the beast beautifully every day, the whole way.
Climbing the Cinder Cone
Sunday morning - We set out on the 4 mile round trip to Cinder Cone and back. The walking is very hard underfoot, like marching across sand dunes. The cinders range from gravel size to sandy and are soft. We passed along part of the California Trail (Deep Thought studied the 1850s emigrations in school this year) through the pine forest and along the side of the “Fantastic Lava Beds.” They’re really called that: They are huge piles of basaltic lava rocks that were spewed from the Cinder Cone in about 1650, its last eruption.
Reaching the base of the Cinder Cone, you look across an almost dead landscape – there are a few new pine trees creating new life here – towards the “Painted Dunes”. These are cinder dunes that were oxidized during the eruption process and so have red lines and patterns on them.
We set off up the steep slope of the Cinder Cone itself (with a bunch of other people, including a family with a 3 and a 4 year old). The walking is even harder going here, and it really is steep, about a 35 degree slope. After about 100 feet, I could not manage any more – it was the combination of steepness and loose cinders that put me off – so I retreated to the base. Heroic Hubby and the Terrific Twosome continued upwards, about 1000 feet altogether, to the rim of the cone. It took them quite a while, and they felt the climb, but they had a great sense of achievement when they got there. While they climbed, I took the “bypass” route around the base of the cone to the point where it veers away into the wilderness. And then I sat on a log and waited for them.
Meanwhile, up the cone, Hubby was taking many photos while the twosome were groaning and eating pretzel rods. They walked a little way into the cone itself, then stopped before they had to retrace too many steps up yet another steep incline. The view from the rim was, apparently, quite spectacular. Deep Thought reports that you could see both lakes (Butte and Snag); Lassen Peak (which last erupted in 1914); the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds, and various other volcanic peaks and lots of small trees. She was impressed, though Little Starlet was more concerned about the state of her legs and her shoes, which did indeed prove to be full of rocks.
Speaking of shoes, at the start of the descent, Hubby’s right hiking book fell to pieces. The sole became detached, and he walked back on the inner sole alone. Little Starlet brought the sole down the cone, brandishing it like a trophy in a big game hunt. They laughed at him a lot, and I laughed some more when they reached me on my log.
Most repeated sentence of the day (to Little Starlet): “You can do it!”
Reaching the base of the Cinder Cone, you look across an almost dead landscape – there are a few new pine trees creating new life here – towards the “Painted Dunes”. These are cinder dunes that were oxidized during the eruption process and so have red lines and patterns on them.
We set off up the steep slope of the Cinder Cone itself (with a bunch of other people, including a family with a 3 and a 4 year old). The walking is even harder going here, and it really is steep, about a 35 degree slope. After about 100 feet, I could not manage any more – it was the combination of steepness and loose cinders that put me off – so I retreated to the base. Heroic Hubby and the Terrific Twosome continued upwards, about 1000 feet altogether, to the rim of the cone. It took them quite a while, and they felt the climb, but they had a great sense of achievement when they got there. While they climbed, I took the “bypass” route around the base of the cone to the point where it veers away into the wilderness. And then I sat on a log and waited for them.
Meanwhile, up the cone, Hubby was taking many photos while the twosome were groaning and eating pretzel rods. They walked a little way into the cone itself, then stopped before they had to retrace too many steps up yet another steep incline. The view from the rim was, apparently, quite spectacular. Deep Thought reports that you could see both lakes (Butte and Snag); Lassen Peak (which last erupted in 1914); the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds, and various other volcanic peaks and lots of small trees. She was impressed, though Little Starlet was more concerned about the state of her legs and her shoes, which did indeed prove to be full of rocks.
Speaking of shoes, at the start of the descent, Hubby’s right hiking book fell to pieces. The sole became detached, and he walked back on the inner sole alone. Little Starlet brought the sole down the cone, brandishing it like a trophy in a big game hunt. They laughed at him a lot, and I laughed some more when they reached me on my log.
Most repeated sentence of the day (to Little Starlet): “You can do it!”
Best Discussion So Far
Dr Mom: “Do you think we could get an RV onto our driveway?”
Hubby: “Shall we send an email to Judith [the architect] and ask if we can modify the garage roof so we can park one on the side of the house?”
Deep Thought: “Next time, can we fly somewhere and get an RV? I want to go to Mount Rushmore.”
Hubby: “Shall we send an email to Judith [the architect] and ask if we can modify the garage roof so we can park one on the side of the house?”
Deep Thought: “Next time, can we fly somewhere and get an RV? I want to go to Mount Rushmore.”
If You Go Down to The Woods Today...
Writing on Sunday August 30...
No bears so far. No mountain lions either. Deep Thought and Little Starlet found a frog in the water fountain this afternoon. We haven’t seen much else in the way of wildlife. There are hardly any birds: perhaps there isn’t any food. The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels are here in abundance, as they were at Crater Lake. The kids were thrilled to see them, though I dampened their enthusiasm by reading them the sign saying the local critters are probably carriers of the plague.
No bears so far. No mountain lions either. Deep Thought and Little Starlet found a frog in the water fountain this afternoon. We haven’t seen much else in the way of wildlife. There are hardly any birds: perhaps there isn’t any food. The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels are here in abundance, as they were at Crater Lake. The kids were thrilled to see them, though I dampened their enthusiasm by reading them the sign saying the local critters are probably carriers of the plague.
Crater Lake
Friday we visited Crater Lake, walking by the rim, and driving the circumference. The lake is so striking visually it is hard to resist taking many, many photographs. Here's one that shows some lake as well as some of the ash-covered slopes by the volcano's explosion.
Next one shows some cliff in the forground, the lake of course, and the far shore strewn with volcanic ash. Although the major eruption was 7,500 years ago, much of the shore remains uninhabitable even for trees.
...And detail of the shore:
Next, a view across the lake - note the blue color remains strong even under a cloudy sky. According to the park rangers, the water is exceptionally clean - there are no streams carrying sediment or pollutants into the lake (all run off flows away, down the outside of the volcano), instead the lake is filled by the huge quantity of snow (forty to sixty feet) that falls directly into the water each winter.
Deep Thought and Little Starlet by the lake.
And finally, no post about Crater Lake could be complete without a cute ground-squirrel picture:
Next one shows some cliff in the forground, the lake of course, and the far shore strewn with volcanic ash. Although the major eruption was 7,500 years ago, much of the shore remains uninhabitable even for trees.
...And detail of the shore:
Next, a view across the lake - note the blue color remains strong even under a cloudy sky. According to the park rangers, the water is exceptionally clean - there are no streams carrying sediment or pollutants into the lake (all run off flows away, down the outside of the volcano), instead the lake is filled by the huge quantity of snow (forty to sixty feet) that falls directly into the water each winter.
Deep Thought and Little Starlet by the lake.
And finally, no post about Crater Lake could be complete without a cute ground-squirrel picture:
And the Award for Most Isolated Campground Goes To...Butte Lake
Just before arriving at the turn off for Butte Lake campground (in the Lassen Volcanic National Park), I mentioned to Hubby that we had a six mile rough gravel road before us. He was thrilled. It was another bone-shaking, teeth- jarring experience that surpassed the previous winner of the wreck-the-RV competition in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
After crawling along at 15 miles per hour, we finally arrived. No ranger in the ranger station and, indeed, hardly anyone in the campground. Butte Lake has over 100 sites. I reckon about 10 of them were filled this weekend; and in our loop, we were the only people. It was actually a bit weird. It was super quiet. We couldn't see or hear any people, tents or vehicles from our site, so the net effect was that we had a rather splendid campsite with as many bear-proof food lockers and picnic benches as you could desire. We also had the toilet block to ourselves. The “beware the bears” signs were much fiercer in this campground – you are instructed not to leave any food around unattended for even a few minutes – so by bedtime on Saturday I was quite freaked out by the atmosphere. And, once again, the kids insisted that we lock them into the RV for safety after they’d gone to bed.
It’s clear that next weekend (Labor Day weekend) the atmosphere will be very different: Every camp site is reserved. It will be heaving here. Butte Lake itself is a very short walk from our site, and is lovely, though rather buggy.
Ironically, while this place was easily the dirtiest we’ve been to on this trip, the campground did not have any showers. The place is situated on grey powdery volcanic cinders. There is very little grass, though plenty of trees (Ponderosa pine mainly) providing pleasant shade. But you do get very dusty and grey whenever and wherever you walk outside (and that’s even before the huge fires constructed by Hubby and Deep Thought start to blow their smoke over you). Little Starlet only had to look at the ground and she was black from head to foot.
After crawling along at 15 miles per hour, we finally arrived. No ranger in the ranger station and, indeed, hardly anyone in the campground. Butte Lake has over 100 sites. I reckon about 10 of them were filled this weekend; and in our loop, we were the only people. It was actually a bit weird. It was super quiet. We couldn't see or hear any people, tents or vehicles from our site, so the net effect was that we had a rather splendid campsite with as many bear-proof food lockers and picnic benches as you could desire. We also had the toilet block to ourselves. The “beware the bears” signs were much fiercer in this campground – you are instructed not to leave any food around unattended for even a few minutes – so by bedtime on Saturday I was quite freaked out by the atmosphere. And, once again, the kids insisted that we lock them into the RV for safety after they’d gone to bed.
It’s clear that next weekend (Labor Day weekend) the atmosphere will be very different: Every camp site is reserved. It will be heaving here. Butte Lake itself is a very short walk from our site, and is lovely, though rather buggy.
Ironically, while this place was easily the dirtiest we’ve been to on this trip, the campground did not have any showers. The place is situated on grey powdery volcanic cinders. There is very little grass, though plenty of trees (Ponderosa pine mainly) providing pleasant shade. But you do get very dusty and grey whenever and wherever you walk outside (and that’s even before the huge fires constructed by Hubby and Deep Thought start to blow their smoke over you). Little Starlet only had to look at the ground and she was black from head to foot.
Down the Tube
We drove from Crater Lake to Lassen Volcanic National Park on Saturday.
At Old Station, where we needed to turn from 89 onto highway 44, we saw a sign for the Subway Cave. (This had also been mentioned to us by the nice lady at the drive through coffee shop in Weed, just moments away from the Pizza Factory, Ray’s Food Place, and the Shell garage: a very handy stop.) The Subway Cave is actually a lava tube that you can walk through, about 1500 feet long. You need your flashlight and jacket but no hard hat, as the roof is high. It was a welcome diversion for half an hour. We took spooky photos of each other, and admired the different lava features helpfully pointed out by the National Park Service. Another first for the Tin Can Crew.
At Old Station, where we needed to turn from 89 onto highway 44, we saw a sign for the Subway Cave. (This had also been mentioned to us by the nice lady at the drive through coffee shop in Weed, just moments away from the Pizza Factory, Ray’s Food Place, and the Shell garage: a very handy stop.) The Subway Cave is actually a lava tube that you can walk through, about 1500 feet long. You need your flashlight and jacket but no hard hat, as the roof is high. It was a welcome diversion for half an hour. We took spooky photos of each other, and admired the different lava features helpfully pointed out by the National Park Service. Another first for the Tin Can Crew.
I Didn't Know the Romans Reached Northern California
Experience is showing that hops of between 150 and 175 miles are ideal. Unfortunately, our round trip has included three hops of 250+ miles. Well, you live and learn. We would have benefited from an overnight between Humboldt and Ashland. The leg we did on Saturday wasn’t quite so bad though. We came out of Crater Lake on highway 62, then transferred to highway 97 which proved to be very straight – I mean very, very straight – through open landscape with background mountains. No stopping points either, so the journey was fast. After a short stretch of I-5, we moved on to highway 89, which also proved to be quite straight, and a generally easy drive. To our annoyance, we got stuck behind a big truck (and it’s mostly a single lane road), but we survived.
As the road passed through Hat Creek Valley, it became obvious that there had been some big wildfires in the area. We saw many acres of blackened forest (and there were still some intrepid campers dotted among them, though they had clearly arrived later than the fire….).
Upper Rogue River Valley Gorge
OK, going back a few days, we drove from Ashland to Crater Lake; mainly a drive along the Rogue River. In the lower sections, the river is wide with towering forested mountains on both sides.
Higher up, the Rogue is a white-water stream. Here are Deep Thought and Little Starlet beside the river.
... And the view looking upstream...
...and part of the waterfall.
Higher up, the Rogue is a white-water stream. Here are Deep Thought and Little Starlet beside the river.
... And the view looking upstream...
...and part of the waterfall.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Passing Mount Shasta
Writing this from the car park of the Pizza Factory in Weed, CA, about to join I-5 for a short way until we turn off on Highway 89 towards the Lassen Volcanic National Park.
We came down Highway 97, which was very straight. Ranching seems to be the main business around here, and the "towns" are very tiny. The landscape is flat with large volcanic mountains to all sides. We were close to Mount Shasta with its impressive glaciers and, of course, stopped to take photos. Our route took us along side the Upper Klamath Lake, which is enormous and beautiful, but the beauty is diminished by the rail-track and phone lines that go along the shore. No stopping points - Hubby was visibly irritated by being unable to stop to look further...
No further connectivity expected till Monday.
We came down Highway 97, which was very straight. Ranching seems to be the main business around here, and the "towns" are very tiny. The landscape is flat with large volcanic mountains to all sides. We were close to Mount Shasta with its impressive glaciers and, of course, stopped to take photos. Our route took us along side the Upper Klamath Lake, which is enormous and beautiful, but the beauty is diminished by the rail-track and phone lines that go along the shore. No stopping points - Hubby was visibly irritated by being unable to stop to look further...
No further connectivity expected till Monday.
Photographing Crater Lake
Friday morning, we drove up to Rim Village from the Mazama Campground, about 15 minutes. The regular parking lot was very full but there were many spaces in the RV parking. We presumed that this was a busy visitor center because Crater Lake is essentially something you experience through driving, which makes it accessible for elderly and disabled people, and for families with small children.
We spent an hour doing the Discovery Trail from Rim Village to Discovery Point. Discovery Point was the place where John Wesley Hillman saw Crater Lake for the first time in 1853. The walk was described as “moderate” but really was easy except for a few vertigo inducing sections of trail – places where I held on tight to Little Starlet, much to her great annoyance (“I’m not a dumbo!”). Though it was only a two mile round trip, it took us some time because of the many photos that we all took.
After the walk we ate our picnic lunch in the RV in the parking lot - a true road trip experience - and then we went on the 30 mile Rim Road drive. Needless to say, Hubby took lots and lots of photos. The whole drive took several hours. The kids' patience had worn very thin by the end.
The Lake is impressive - high caldera cliffs leading to still blue waters - but I don't think we'll be trying to get there again any time soon. There really isn't anything to do apart from a couple of little walks and the drive.
The campground is also probably a zoo in the high summer, though it worked just fine for us. We showered in the coin showers, ate dinner in the Annie Creek Restaurant, dumped our black water ("Smelled like wee," says Hubby) and our grey water, and filled up with fresh.
We spent an hour doing the Discovery Trail from Rim Village to Discovery Point. Discovery Point was the place where John Wesley Hillman saw Crater Lake for the first time in 1853. The walk was described as “moderate” but really was easy except for a few vertigo inducing sections of trail – places where I held on tight to Little Starlet, much to her great annoyance (“I’m not a dumbo!”). Though it was only a two mile round trip, it took us some time because of the many photos that we all took.
After the walk we ate our picnic lunch in the RV in the parking lot - a true road trip experience - and then we went on the 30 mile Rim Road drive. Needless to say, Hubby took lots and lots of photos. The whole drive took several hours. The kids' patience had worn very thin by the end.
The Lake is impressive - high caldera cliffs leading to still blue waters - but I don't think we'll be trying to get there again any time soon. There really isn't anything to do apart from a couple of little walks and the drive.
The campground is also probably a zoo in the high summer, though it worked just fine for us. We showered in the coin showers, ate dinner in the Annie Creek Restaurant, dumped our black water ("Smelled like wee," says Hubby) and our grey water, and filled up with fresh.
A Typical Morning on a Driving Day
Little Starlet wakes up at 6:00am, reads her book, then wakes us up at 7:30am (though we’re usually already awake). She pulls back our privacy curtain with a big happy “Good Morning!” Deep Thought drags herself out of bed twenty minutes later: She stays behind her privacy curtain as long as she can.
Hubby collects our mugs, kettle and water from outside. Then he breaks Little Starlet’s bed, reconstructing the dinette. We collect our coins, towels and toiletries, and walk round to the campsite showers. Then we eat a breakfast of cereal. (It’s usually cooked food on a stay-put day.)
Everyone gets dressed, then Deep Thought and Little Starlet wash and dry the dishes while I put them away. We tidy everything that is left hanging around, e.g. clothes, shoes, books. We tidy up as we go along: It is very important to be super tidy in such a small space. As we are in bear country we are careful to make sure all food and anything that looks like it might be food (e.g. a mug) is put out of sight. Apparently the bears can try to get into your vehicle if they think they can see food. Hubby tidies up outside, again putting away anything that is or that looks like food. Visits to the campsite toilets, brushing teeth and hair, medicines, and a final sweep of the dusty floor (with the handy brush that collapses down into a very short length of handle, as provided by the RV company).
If we are moving on, Hubby checks the outside of the RV: storage cupboard locked, door step away, leveling blocks away, any hookup unplugged and the cord away. I check the interior: All cupboards securely closed, air vents closed, windows closed, curtains pinned back, nothing loose on any surfaces or on the floor to slide around, all appliances turned off, water pump off, toilet empty and closed, lights off.
And we’re away.
Welcome to Crater Lake Camping City
Late entry for Thursday evening:
Arrived at Crater Lake and checked into our site at the Mazama Campground. It does indeed have many campsites but the arrangement of sites in loops – we are in Loop B, site 12 – with each site set apart from the next by screens of trees helps to make it feel less like an RV parking lot. Unfortunately we have a very noisy group in the site next door to us. They have a truly gigantic RV, plus a couple of tents, and a party consisting of everyone from granny to the baby, plus a dog. Nice. Writing this at 11:00pm, and they are still amusing each other with bear impressions and general merriment (and loud shushing, which of course doesn’t help at all). It’s probably too much to hope that they will be going away tomorrow…. Not with an RV that big.
Arrived at Crater Lake and checked into our site at the Mazama Campground. It does indeed have many campsites but the arrangement of sites in loops – we are in Loop B, site 12 – with each site set apart from the next by screens of trees helps to make it feel less like an RV parking lot. Unfortunately we have a very noisy group in the site next door to us. They have a truly gigantic RV, plus a couple of tents, and a party consisting of everyone from granny to the baby, plus a dog. Nice. Writing this at 11:00pm, and they are still amusing each other with bear impressions and general merriment (and loud shushing, which of course doesn’t help at all). It’s probably too much to hope that they will be going away tomorrow…. Not with an RV that big.
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