Crater Lake, 2013

Before leaving Cape Blanco, just have to include this cute little guy who hung around our campsite a lot.  Of course, Hobbes thought he would make a great dinner, but we just enjoyed watching him enjoy his munching.

He (she?) was just so darned cute!

From Cape Blanco, we moved to Elk River Campground to hang around for the 
4th of July events in Port Orford.  Because I had stomach issues, we really didn't do much on the 4th.  We did enjoy our quiet campsite,

and a week of doing very little.
We did manage to get in more meals at Griff's on the dock and at Paula's Bistro.  Great food both places.
Do you know that the trees in Oregon wear fur coats?

It's true.....

After enjoying the local Farmer's Market on Saturday and getting acquainted with another person we'd like to know more next year, we moved on to Diamond Lake near Crater Lake, Oregon.

All I can say about Crater Lake is that it is everything you have ever been told about it and it is BLUE!
It is impossible to let one photograph stand for the whole, so I am including a series....

First view.....

Someone along the way equated the first view of Crater Lake to one's first view of Grand Canyon.  Not a bad comparison.

This is the "Old Man of the Lake", a full sized tree that makes a daily transition of the waters.

This lake is an intense blue due to its depth.

This is essentially a 33 mile drive of one beautiful overlook of this very blue lake after another.  One viewpoint followed by another and another and another as one drives the crater rim.  Pretty darned wonderful!

This is the oldest structure in the lake.  It is actually a part of another volcano that predates the obvious volcanic cone.

We did take time out for lunch at the historic lodge,

then enjoyed a rest in the rockers outside the lodge for a "blue" fix.

Then back to more lake views and of course, the volcanic cone.

Awesome power!

We were surprised to discover Bristlecone Pines in this location.

And more surprised to find them relatively unproclamined.......

All too soon, it was back to Diamond Lake and future adventures.

Next stop:  Ashland, Oregon and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Return visit, much anticipation.
First performance, King Lear.  No disappointment here!
Two more days of theatre and a lovely town to explore!
Home away from home at WellSprings home of "Profoundly Healing Waters"...so may it be!