From Crater Lake to Bandon Dunes

As anticipated, we awoke just in time for a beautiful sunrise over crater lake this morning. It's kind of sad that it took 27 years to get up in time to see the sunrise but it certainly was worth the wait to get to see it above crater lake for the first time. After savoring the early moments of the morning, Ryan and I ate breakfast at the lodge and headed out for a hike down to the water and a boat tour. The boat tour was probably the highlight of crater lake. It was about two hours of cruising around on the bluest water of ever seen. The water in the lake is comprised mostly of rain water and snowmelt, with some seepage from the rocks. And with minimal development there, the water is so clean and clear, you can actually drink it straight from the lake. It's even cleaner than tap water. And it's so clear we could see the bottom at over 140 feet deep.

After the boat ride we hiked up the caldera edge a mile at 11% grade which was exhausting and proved that we both are sooo out of shape. When we finally made it to the top, we hopped in the car and begun the 4 hour drive to Bandon Dunes. Halfway there we stopped at this little gem of a restaurant on the side of the road called The Steamboat Inn. Places like that are always a gamble but this one was great. Good homemade sandwiches and root beer in a frosty mug. I really wanted a slice of their homemade strawberry rhubarb pie but I didn't really want a trip to the hospital so I thought I'd better not.

At this point we were about 100 miles inland and 6000 feet in elevation and 95 degrees at 3:00 in the afternoon. 2 short hours later we were at sea level in Bandon and it was 56 degrees and misting. Since we couldn't see much because of the fog, we decided to take it easy and grab a bite to eat for dinner at a little pub next to the clubhouse. Then, we took a short drive to Bullards Beach state park so I could see the Pacific Ocean for the first time. It was every bit as gorgeous as I had imagined and oh the driftwood! It was everywhere. I really wanted to bring some home. I also had kind of hoped to be able to see the sun set over the ocean today but it was just to overcast. Luckily we have many more opportunities this week for that.

Tomorrow we are getting up early for breakfast and Ryan tees off at 7 am while I get a massage. It's a rough life here in Oregon...