Today we had nothing on our duty roster so we went exploring. First we explored the Court House Cafe where I tried their chicken fried steak and eggs, continuing my quest to find the best in the country. It isn’t served at the Court House Cafe although it was certainly better than nominal. Prices were great.
After consuming the food that was probably bad for me, we drove west on CA-36 to begin a big loop around Mount Lassen. Lassen is located, strangely enough, inside Lassen Volcanic National Park. I’m not real sure how the Federal government names places because just a few days ago we were traveling within Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Sometimes the “National” is first and sometimes the “Volcanic” is first within the titles. Weird.
From CA-36 we turned northwest on CA-44 and then onto CA-89 through the National Park. The loop is completed when 89 intersects 36 at the south end of the Park and heads east back to Susanville. The loop takes travelers through some of the most impressive tortured, fractured and impacted terrain that is the result of several hundred thousand years of volcanic shenanigans. On the way up to the Park, mostly lava deposits make up the rocky terrain covered by forests of cedar, fir and pine trees. Just south of the Park north entrance station Manzanita Lake borders one side of the road with the original ranger station and old visitor center on the other.
Not three miles south, travelers pass an area called Chaos Crags where Mount Lassen deposited layers of conglomerates of hot ash and angular rock in a myriad of explosive eruptions only to have it erode and slide due to its instability. We passed an enormous rock the Park staff refers to as “Hot Rock” which is a 300 ton boulder blown from the top of the mountain during an explosive eruption which melted the glaciers and sent this chunk downhill in the resulting lahar. Right about here we also spotted a very healthy-looking weasel calmly trotting across the road. I don’t remember ever seeing a weasel in the wild before.
We continued on 89 and were soon treated to some magnificent views of Mount Lassen. The road goes over an 8500 foot pass, about 2000 feet short of the summit of Lassen at 10,457 feet. The vistas from the pass area are spectacular. Descending from the pass, we passed by two gorgeous lakes with Mount Lassen as the backdrop.
There are various geysers, mud pots and fumaroles within the Park. Unfortunately, almost all of them require some substantial hiking to see them with the exception of the Sulphur Works. Here, right next to CA-89, are violently bubbling pots of mud, steaming vents and plenty of hydrogen sulfide. We stopped here for a while, marveling at the impressive mud pot that borders the road but requires a short walk from a nearby parking lot.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is another gem in the Park Services’ vast array of tantalizing lands. I do not think I have previously been to a place created by so much outright violence. It is gorgeous. Not far from the south exit from the Park, CA-89 joined up with CA-36 toward Susanville but we were surprised to find the great scenery was not at an end. We soon came to the town of Chester and the adjacent Lake Almanor. We had never heard of Lake Almanor previously but it is quite large, home to an extraordinary number of waterfowl and certainly there. It is another great feature along the amazing loop around Mount Lassen. This is a world-class drive for fantastic scenery.
We got some photos during today’s loop. To see them, click here

Today we departed Lakeview and headed south on US-395. Maybe 5 miles south of Lakeview we crossed the border, leaving Oregon for the last time this year. US-395 runs through some nice Northern California terrain of mountains and lakes between the Oregon border and Susanville, CA. The elevation of the road stays between about 4000 and 5300 feet and the road surface was very good. No yawning potholes or sunken grades here. 395 drops out of the mountains into Alturas and from there south the road was pretty level.
After about three and a half hours, we pulled into Susanville and found our way to the Susanville RV Park. This park is a large facility with perhaps 100 spaces that are paved. The park offers clean restrooms with showers, paved RV spots that are fairly close together, full hookups, wi-fi and cable TV. Everything worked when we hooked it up. Since today was a longer drive, we rewarded ourselves with some beer and liquor and not too much happened after that.

We only scheduled two nights, including last night, in Lakeview. We were able to spend the day exploring pretty close to town. We left our campsite at Junipers RV, which is located in the middle of a 6,000 acre ranch, and didn’t even make it to the pavement before we chose to cruise down a gravel road on the ranch that passes by a small, man-made lake. The lake was surrounded by a great variety of birds but the types that impressed us the most were the hawks, a bald eagle, very large magpies, a snowy egret, some American pelicans and a big flock of Canadian geese. Right next to the lake we spotted a big pronghorn grazing.
We finally returned to the Lakeview/Klamath Falls Highway and headed east into the town of Lakeview. On the way into town a big Chinese pheasant was strolling across the highway. Our initial stop was to be the Old Perpetual Geyser which was supposed to be located a mile north of town next to an old highway motel called Hunter’s Hot Springs Resort. On Tripadvisor it was listed as the #1 attraction in Lakeview.
The geyser, in the past, was supposed to erupt every 90 seconds putting up a 60 foot column of hot water. In the area around Hunter’s Hot Springs Resort, which is now a small, run-down conglomeration of buildings, mostly with metal roofing, there are a couple of brackish lakes surrounded by alkaline deposits but no geyser. If there was a 60 foot geyser anywhere around we would have seen it. Rumor has it that geothermal energy facility drilling nearby has caused the geyser to quit.
Lakeview’s #1 attraction not having been a blockbuster, we drove back a mile or so into Lakeview to check out the town. There are some old masonry buildings that are pretty, many attractive wood-framed houses, a nice commercial section and a variety of local, county, state and federal offices in town. Many residences near town also have some interesting old cars parked in their yards. We spotted A Henry Kaiser (which I have never seen before), an old military jeep, a Camaro pickup and a truck in front of us on the main drag that was apparently wrecked with frame damage crabbing sideways ahead of us. The driver must have had to look out the driver’s side window to see down the highway ahead.
On our maps there is a big body of water, Goose Lake, south of Lakeview. We thought this might be the lake one could view from Lakeview. We headed south on US-395 right down to the border of California but did not find any lake. There are lots of grass-covered flats but no lake. However, there are mobs of birds out here. About every fifth telephone pole would have a big hawk surveying the landscape below for future decedents. We spotted another big bald eagle. Lots of geese were fooling around in the wetlands dotting the landscape. Ducks of many varieties were helping themselves in the retention ponds and marshes which were everywhere. We spotted a big almost-dead tree with a flock of vultures hanging out. There is wildlife everywhere.
Lakeview is situated between two massive volcanic cliffs running east-west on both sides of town. They are pretty impressive and wildflowers are abundant. Lakeview is home to only a couple thousand folks and would maybe be a nice place to live although we did spot an overabundance of Trump signs installed everywhere. The air is crystal-clear. The Junipers RV Park is a great place to stay with abundant sky, shade, clean air, magnificent views and great wi-fi. Maybe the next time we pass through here we will stay a bit longer.
We got a few pix of the animals and cars and buildings. You can see some of them if you click here

We continued our trip to the south by picking up our stuff at the Bend/Sunriver TT and checking out. Soon we were southbound on US-97 but just a few miles south of La Pine we turned onto OR-31 eastbound toward US-395. OR-31 has poor paving and is quite bumpy but the scenery is gorgeous. Near US-97, OR-31 passes through pine forest. By the time we made it to Fort Rock, junipers were the surrounding scenery. As we approached Paisley, the terrain changed to giant basalt and lava cliffs bordering sage brush high desert. After a couple hours on OR-31, we merged with US-395 southbound.
About 10 miles further south, we turned off 395 onto Lakeview-Klamath Falls Highway near Lakeview and soon pulled into the driveway of Junipers RV Resort. This park is in the middle of a 6,000 acre ranch and about a mile from the highway up a gravel road. We can stand outside our trailer and turn all the way around without seeing any buildings other than the structures serving the park. The terrain is distant mountains on the horizons with rolling sagebrush prairie in the foreground. We reserved a site without a sewer hookup but there is shade, a 50 amp electrical service and a good water connection. Even better, they have great wi-fi and I got to spend some time today stumbling around the internet. If the clear, windy weather we have today continues until tonight, the stars should be spectacular since there is no light sources nearby and distant Lakeview surely cannot create much light pollution since only about 2,000 folks live there. Lakeview has a strange name since there doesn’t seem to be any lake to view around town.
We shot some pix along OR-31 and you can see some of them if you click here

Today was our last day in the Bend neighborhood. We have not been to Crater Lake since 1980 so we decided to give it a sniff today. It is about 80 miles down to the north entrance from our campsite at Bend/Sunriver. Another 15 or so miles withing the park and you arrive at your first glimpse of the Lake.
Back in 1980, when we looked a lot better, could breathe better and could see better, we drove up to Crater Lake with some friends of ours and the dog and fooled around in the parking lot of the visitor center which overlooks the Lake. We were young and dumb and we left quickly. Today we stayed much longer, hiked around a bit and found some great places to sit and admire Crater Lake which, like the name implies, is in the caldera of the ancient Mt. Mazama. The terrain surrounding the 5 mile-wide lake is stark rock steeply descending into the 2000 foot deep water. There is no exit like a creek or a river. Lake levels are maintained naturally with any excess running our through fissures in the crater walls. The crater rim rocks are all different colors. There is even a big section of obsidian left from one of the multiple flows from this massive volcano.
We do not remember a road running around the entire crater wall in 1980 but there is certainly a road around it now although some parts are a bit scary. We turned counterclockwise at the loop road and drove south down the west side of the crater, stopping at every pullout to admire the fabulous views. At the Watchman Overlook, Wizard Island, an enormous volcanic cone in the lake, becomes visible. A bit further south we pulled up in the parking lot for the visitor center, cafe, gift shop and Crater Lake Lodge which is a gorgeous old wood structure. All along the parking is a trail between the buildings and the deadly drop a couple thousand feet to the lake surface. The lake is brilliant blue but the rock surrounding it, due to the way it was deposited before Mt. Mazama exploded, is all different colors and textures. It is a spectacular place.
We finally left the visitor center area and continued south, then east, then north around the crater. There are amazing features of the lake, like the rock formation jutting from the lake called the Phantom Battleship, that are only visible if you take the very curvy East Rim Drive. The road on the terrifying cliff side of the road has many sunken grades that try to pitch your car into the abyss. However, if you take your time and drive slowly, the road is perfectly adequate and the overlooks accessible from the road are stunning. Portions of the rim road where the lake is not visible offer endless views of the surrounding volcano-covered terrain and Upper Klamath Lake near Klamath Falls 60 miles south. It took us about 4 hours to drive all the way around the lake despite it only being 6 miles across at the widest point.
We finished our loop about 5:30 and headed back to Bend/Sunriver, getting home not too much after 7:00. Today was an amazing drive and I can recommend it to all. Off to points south tomorrow.
We took a bunch of pictures as we drove around this gorgeous landmark. To see ’em, click here

Our campsite in Sunriver is very close to Bend where another of my favorite chicken fried steak joints, Jake’s, is located. We went there for breakfast and I threw a great big heart plug down the grocery hole and it was great. Peggy had good stuff, too. Jake’s is on US-20 east of town and I heartily recommend it for those like me desiring tasty American cooking that may be very bad for you but tasty, nevertheless. Prices are very reasonable.
Afterwards we made a beeline for Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The Monument is divided into two segments – Lava Butte close to Bend and Newberry Crater near La Pine. We started out at the Lava Butte. It is a 500 foot tall cinder cone sticking up in the middle of a plain, sort of like an enormous zit. Visitors can take a road that spirals up the surface of the giant cone and terminates at a small parking lot on the rim of the little volcano. US-97 can be seen far below and the Cascade Range with some 10,000 foot plus volcanoes make up the western horizon. It is a fabulous view from the top.
Since the parking lot at the rim of the crater is so small, the Park Service only allows 30 minutes at the top before making room for others. We spent our entire allotment at the top and then descended to take a spin toward the Newberry Crater portion of the park. It is just a short spin south on US-97 before turning east into the pine forests and on into the Monument. The Lava Butte was really just a vent in a vast volcanic cataclysm but the Crater is the the site of two calderas that make up the top of Paulina Peak. Both calderas are filled with deep blue water and are pretty spectacular.
Thanks to our ancient person’s park pass from the Feds, we got into the Monument for free again. Those without a pass only have to pay $10 per carload so paying isn’t too bad. There are numerous campgrounds, trails, an obsidian flow that is truly magnificent, good roads, a few sandy beaches, boat ramps and lots of other stuff here, including truly amazing views. I’ll return here on my next pass through.
We got a few pix today near the crater. You can see some if you click here

Today was a travel day. We pulled up stakes at Troutdale’s Sandy Riverfront RV and headed east on I-84 up the Columbia River Gorge. Peggy and I were headed for the Bend/Sunriver area in central Oregon where we anticipated checking in at Thousand Trails Bend/Sunriver.
We have made the drive from Portland to the Bend area before and usually we take I-84 to US-97 south through Madras to Bend. This time, we decided to take a route that appeared to be substantially shorter by taking US-197 through Dufur and Maupin to Madras. It was a poor decision.
US-197 is installed over more difficult terrain than US-97. 197 climbs steeply numerous thousands of feet before descending steeply only to have the process repeated many times. Near Maupin the road takes a precipitous free fall through some challenging curves into squirrely and narrow city streets before crossing the Deschutes River and immediately starting another wall climbing event. Maupin is a very pretty little town but the whole place is mounted on the side of a bluff. Never have we traveled so far vertically without substantial horizontal progress.
Eventually we found US-97 near Madras and the going was good all the way to Bend. Of course it was a Friday afternoon at about 4:00 PM but traffic seems to have increased substantially since our last visit. Progress was slow through downtown but we finally emerged on the south side of town and soon pulled into the Bend/Sunriver campground where we found a great spot with satellite reception. Due to our decision to take US-197, we only were required to travel about an hour longer despite the road actually having a shorter length than going all the way up I-84 to US-97. Never trust a road atlas.
Despite 197 being a tough drive, it is beautiful and we have a few pictures you can see if you click here

Today we went to my favorite restaurant in the U.S., Dean’s Homestyle Cafe. Some readers may note that I have been on a nationwide quest to find the best chicken fried steak. As far as I’m concerned, Dean’s has the best. I have tried chicken fried steak in maybe 100 places around the country but found none better.
For less than $10, they give you two patties of chicken fried steak, hash browns, 3 eggs and toast. Peggy ordered the Denver Omelet and it was a mighty thing. She took quite a bit home in a box. If you are ever in Clackamas, go east on WA-212 from I-205 and pull into the lot at 130th.
We spend the middle of the day passing by Trader Joe’s and Camping World because we are going almost towards San Diego by going into Nevada where stores are few and far between. Even after doing this mundane stuff, we still had plenty of day left so we took a spin up nearby US-26 which squiggles up the side of Mount Hood, local Oregon volcano. It is a big honker and during clear weather can be easily seen from Portland some 50 miles west.
US-26 is flanked by gorgeous forest and village scenery and climbs to 4000 feet elevation before passing by the turnoff to Timberline Lodge. They filmed some of The Shining at the lodge but we have been up there before so we turned around and started looking for a place to get a good picture of the mountain. It seems the closer you get to a mountain, the less you can see of it. Anyway, the trip back down was just as pretty as the drive up and Peggy did the driving so I was very happy. The best mountain views ended up being from Sandy, about 15 miles from where we are staying at Sandy River RV and only 65 miles from where we started today. We took the long way.
There are a couple views of this impressive volcano if you click here

We got up this morning and found that we had a crisis at hand. We were out of Irish Cream and fortified coffee was therefore impossible. Since Oregon has primitive and onerous liquor laws, we elected to drive back into Washington to buy necessary supplies since their laws are not quite as bizarre. Washington does have sales tax which Oregon does not but liquor in Washington is still less expensive than Oregon. Costco cannot sell liquor in Oregon but they sell it in Washington. We noted that the Washington tax on a half gallon of Irish Cream is over $12 on a bottle with a base price of $17. It must benefit the state considerably where drunks are concerned.
We returned to our trailer and offloaded our loot. We intended to loaf around but soon found we were unable to resist the urge to explore so we hopped back into Charlotte and headed up the Columbia Gorge to a spot called the Portland Women’s Forum viewpoint. It is a great little spot on the south rim of the gorge. The famous Vista House overlooking the gorge can be seen from there, along with the river, massive rock formations, I-84 below and the state of Washington across the river. It is a pretty spectacular spot although I am at a loss to explain how the Portland Women’s Forum is involved. I better read up on it.
Some pictures from the viewpoint can be seen by clicking here

Today was a travel day so we put away our stuff, dumped the tanks and departed from Paradise RV Park in Silver Creek, WA, and headed south out of the state of Washington. We have been in Washington about 5 weeks on this circuit and we will regret leaving. The people have been very nice and the scenery is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The roads, however, are shit.
We headed down I-5 and over the Columbia River into Troutdale, OR, where we pulled into the Sandy Riverfront RV Resort. The campground is located just above the confluence of the Sandy River and the Columbia, east of Portland. The campground boasts of having full hookups, wi-fi, pull-thru sites, nice restrooms and showers, cable TV and a nice stream side location, at least for those in the back-in spaces around the periphery of the park. When I attempted to connect to the cable TV, however, we could only get about 14 channels, all of them crummy. I set up the satellite dish and it works fine.
We were going to take naps once we arrived but hunger set in and we chose to patronize one of the restaurants touted in the resort brochure called Taste of Village. It was very close, right in downtown Historic Troutdale (maybe named because all the buildings look really old and well used). The food was almost unacceptable. The orange chicken I ordered was swimming in what appeared to be and tasted like canned lemon pie filling. I did spot some orange slices in the mix but certainly not enough to overwhelm the distinct lemon flavor. Peggy got egg foo yung, chopped suey and pork fried rice. The egg foo yung should probably be called egg fooey because it resembled a vulcanized disk of brown mysteriousness. The chop suey was bland and tasteless but the rice was nominal.
We soon left Taste of Pillage and headed back to our spot next to the Sandy River. Now we had ample time for napping and took full advantage of the opportunity. Retirement is sooo strenuous.