Day 20: From Lake to Shining Lake

Crater Lake National Park, OR to Lake Tahoe, CA

Paradise seemed to be in reach when we woke up in the tent on a brisk Oregon morning. Later today we would be in a five-star resort. We were too excited to change our clothes so we just rolled up our non-five-star accommodation, stuffed it in the trunk, and were on our way. The six-hour drive to Lake Tahoe went relatively uninterrupted except for a brief lunch break at Adin Supply Co. Market and Deli in Adin, CA. The place was basically a supermarket, outdoors store, and taxidermy museum combination, with a deli in the back. Our sandwiches were surprisingly tasty and everyone was really nice even though there was an eight-foot-tall bear standing guard outside the bathroom. It was just another beautifully finished taxidermic feature.

Drew outside Adin Supply Co. Market and Deli

Anyway, back on the road we continued to listen to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We were getting to the good part, so the last leg of the drive seemed to fly by. We arrived at the Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe Resort disheveled and dressed like slobs. But we made it. After being awestruck at the overly massive three-bedroom suite, we relaxed for a bit then headed to the pool. I asked Drew if this was heaven, but he reassured me that it was just California. 

After lying at the pool for about an hour, we cleaned ourselves up and went to dinner at Fifty Fifty Brewing Co. where we had some homemade beverage and a good hearty meal. Back in the hotel room, we watched a couple episodes of Lost then passed out, looking forward to what tomorrow would bring.

A special thanks for Susan and Mark Trager for letting Drew and I use their timeshare at the Ritz. It's generosity at its finest. 

Day 19: A Day in the Sun and an Icy Cold One

When Carl and I were planning our trip back in May, we came across Crater Lake National in our research. Neither of us had heard of the park but thought it was a decent midpoint between Portland and Lake Tahoe. As soon as we saw photos, we knew we had to go. 

To summarize a long and complex geological history, Crater Lake was formed when a volcano, Mount Mazama, collapsed into itself. For 7,700 years, rain and snowmelt accumulated to form the deepest lake in the United States, famous for its deep blue color. After a 4-hour drive, we caught our first glimpse.

The beautiful Crater Lake

For our first activity, we decided to hike to Cleetwood Cove, an inlet located along the northern coast. The lake is surrounded by steep walls of volcanic rock and Cleetwood Cove is the only area where park visitors can visit the lake on foot. We hiked the 1.1 mile serpentine trail, descending nearly 700 ft, and basked in the glory of Crater Lake. I had never seen water so blue or so crystal clear.

Carl relaxing by Crater Lake

Our hike back to the top wasn't nearly as easy but we eventually made it to the car and left for Steel Visitor Center. There, we watched a great 22-minute film that gave plenty of background information on the park. After stretching our legs, we decided we still needed more time to recover and went to set up camp. We then had no more excuses and went to see more of the park.

The first trail we visited was called the Sun Notch Viewpoint. As you might expect, the trail had amazing views! It was really just a short walk, made special by massive trees and a great number of birds flying overhead. Although a bird nearly soared right into Carl's head, we had fun goofing off and attempting to climb trees.

Carl chasing after a mean bird

For our next adventure, we decided to hike to Plaikni Falls. When snow or rain falls on Crater Lake National Park, it either flows into the lake or down the outside of the crater. Plaikni Falls is formed by the latter. The hike began pleasant as ever. We strolled and talked until all of a sudden, thousands of mosquitos swarmed on us. We literally started jumping around, swatting until Carl remembered he had insect repellant on him. After being sufficiently doused, we realized the waterfall must be close and found it right around the corner. Plaikni Falls cascaded from 30 ft above us into a stream of icy cold water.

Carl admiring the majestic Plaikni Falls

It was time for dinner so Carl and I headed back to the campsite. We had a quick dinner at the nearby Annie Creek Restaurant but decided it was too early to just go to bed. We could continue listening to Harry Potter or perhaps watch a TV show. No! What do hardy mountain men do at the end of the day? Build a fire and drink beer. So that's what we did. Armed with fire starter, kindling, a lighter, matches, newspaper, and a pile of firewood, we set out to make fire. It was actually really easy and we felt stupid for being so over-prepared, but we had fun burning everything anyway. After dousing the fire, we were off to bed.

Drew enjoying a cold one by the campfire

Day 18: Voodoo Yum Yums

Portland, OR and Cannon Beach, OR

We skipped breakfast today, opting instead for some power bars on our way to the coast. We were finally on our last leg of the coast to coast part of our cross country road trip! The drive was about an hour from Portland, OR to Cannon Beach, OR. We arrived around 11:30 and wandered onto the beach where the wind blew strongly in sixty degree sunny weather. Apparently it does not get much warmer there though and everyone just wears sweatshirts. Nevertheless, it was beautiful. Cannon Beach is known for an awesome rock formation called Haystack Rock in the shallow water just off the shore. It looked like paradise for the seabirds. We walked down the beach for a bit until we wandered off into the main town. Oregon has a ton of breweries, so Drew and I felt it necessary to eat lunch at Bill's Tavern and Brew House. After lunch, we thought it was too cold to walk on the beach so we walked back on a sort of sidewalk between the beach and the beachfront homes, which, curiously, were all a very similar shade of gray. A couple of hours after we got to the beach we were on our way home. 

Drew in front of Haystack Rock

Both exhausted after the two and a half hour traffic-filled drive to the hotel, Drew and I rested for a bit before heading to downtown Portland for dinner. We ate at Laughing Planet, an organic fast-casual restaurant where we both had delicious, organic meals. After dinner we walked to the Waterfront Park along the Willamette River. On our way back to the car, we saw a tour guide holding a pink box of donuts that said "Voodoo Doughnut" on it. We immediately searched for it on our phones and found out that it's a famous donut shop and has been featured on numerous TV shows. The line was around the block and we waited for forty-five minutes, but it was worth it. I think Drew and I can agree that those were the best donuts we had each ever had. We both bought some extra for breakfast the next morning, walked to the car, and slept gloriously in the hotel, prepping for our 7 a.m. departure to Crater Lake National Park.

Line for Voodoo Doughnut at 9 p.m.

Day 17: On the road again

Boise, ID to Portland, OR

We didn't rush to leave Boise this morning. After sleeping in a tent for so many days, we were still recovering. Carl and I got a late start at 10 AM and didn't plan to stop much on the way. However, eventually we got hungry and decided to pull into La Grande, OR for lunch. We found a solid meal at Sub Shop, a local favorite. Carl and I both orded massive "subs" (I nearly ordered a "hoagie" but caught myself), soup and iced tea. Reenergized, we were on the road in no time for another 5 hours of driving.

Almost suddenly, we were driving through an area known as the Columbia River Gorge. This scenic highway curves along the Columbia River and has incredible views of nearby mountains, river dams, and kite surfers. Yes, kite surfers. There was all sort of action happening in the river. Swarms of kite and wind surfers took advantage of high winds that pass through the Columbia River Gorge. Though, most impressive was Mt. Hood. When we were still 50 miles away, we could catch glimpses of the mountain poking its head up over the horizon.

A glimpse at Mt. Hood

The Columbia River Gorge is also home to the Historic Columbia River Highway. Although eventually replaced by the massive I-84, the Historic Columbia River Highway was a civic achievement of its time. It snakes up and down hills alongside the Columbia River, and is still well-maintained. Carl and I took a short detour to drive this impressive highway. Glad we did too! Before getting back onto I-84, we stopped in Mosier, OR (pop. 400) to buy Ranier cherries at $2/lb.

View from above of the Historic Columbia River Highway

Carl snacking on some delicious Ranier cherries

Even though it was an intense day of travel, Carl and I saw quite a bit. From curvy highway to waterfalls, the Columbia River Gorge is a scenic way to pass through northern Oregon. After arriving in Portland, we checked into our hotel and then headed downtown for a seafood dinner at Jake's Famous Crawfish. We had great food -- Carl even liked the salmon I ordered. 

Drew at Horsetail Falls

Anyway, can't wait for tomorrow. We drive the final 80 mile stretch to catch a glimpse at the Pacific Ocean.

Day 16: Pickled Craters

Idaho Falls, ID to Boise, ID

Our hotel in Idaho Falls, ID was very comfortable and we slept well. We left around 10:00 a.m. for Craters of the Moon National Monument near a small town called Arco, ID. As we drove through the desert for the hour-long ride, I could not help but think that this sort of area would be excellent for testing of highly dangerous materials. Therefore, I was not that surprised when we saw a sign for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which we learned studies nuclear energy. Apparently Arco, ID, which is right near the INL was the first ever town to be powered entirely by nuclear means, and it is therefore a town of historic significance. Just before driving through Arco, we saw a large sign for Pickle's Place, which advertised their "Atomic Burger." We had to try it. And within the deliciousness of the burger was a hint of radioactivity, which just strengthened its conquering our hunger. The fried pickles as the appetizer were quite tasty as well.

Drew with pickles

After lunch, we drove the last twenty minutes to Craters of the Moon National Monument. The black volcanic rock and sharp edges creeped up on us out of nowhere. The visitor center was very informative about what caused the volcanic activity and about the history of the eruptions. The oldest eruption was only 15,000 years ago and the most recent was only 2,000 years ago, both very short considering many other rock and volcanoes. The landscape is every changing, which is visible by the amount of vegetation on each of the hills. As expected, the older ones have more and the newer ones have less. We drove around the loop road that took us to important and interesting sites. Each site had hikes or walks with plaques that explained different formations or contained information about volcanic activity and lava. Our favorite stop on the loop, which happened to be our last, was The Caves. Here, we were able to go spelunking in old lava tubes. We climbed down with flashlights and just explored. One of the caves had ice in it, which was surprising considering the ninety-five degree heat just a few feet above. After our fingers numbed in the cold below, the extreme heat outside felt glorious... for about thirty seconds. A couple of more caves later, we were back in the car and on our way to Boise, ID.

View from atop Inferno Cone at Craters of the Moon

Drew exploring Boy Scout Cave at Craters of the Moon

Boise is a surprisingly large city, and it was therefore easy to find a good meal. Drew and I both had chicken shwarma from a mediterranean restaurant called Mazzah. After dinner, we took advantage of city living and went to the movie theater where we saw "This is the End." The film was very vulgar, but was hilarious. Then we went back to the hotel and shluffed.

Day 15: Foamy Rapids and Beer

It felt like summer camp sleeping in bunk beds. Nearly bumped my head when I got out of bed but it didn't matter. Today, we were going white water kayaking. After saying goodbye to Christian, Carl and I left for Rendezvous River Sports in Jackson to meet our guides. Sam and Brendan would be leading us down class 3 rapids on Snake River. There were four other participants on the trip. After suiting up, we headed out by van to the launch point.

By the end of Sam's safety briefing, we were all sufficiently scared but headed to our kayaks anyway. Carl and I would be riding tandem. We dropped our raft into the river and began practicing different turns and maneuvers. Neither of us expected kayaking to be so different from normal river rafting. The boat was far more responsive and we didn't have the comfort of a guide steering in back. Still, Carl and I eventually got the hang of things.

The 10-mile trip down Snake River went very quickly. We passed through sections of white water where massive waves nearly knocked us from the boat. One rapid, known as Lunch Counter, sent our kayak flying over three 6-foot waves. Carl and I managed to stay afloat but another group flipped and was tossed around quite a bit. Other parts of the river were so gentle that our guides recommended we get out and swim. The sun was shining and 53°F water didn't feel so cold, especially through all our waterproof layers.

After an awesome morning on the river, the guides recommended we try Thai Me Up for lunch. Sam aptly put that Jackson Hole is a "drinking town with skiing problem." Along with great lunch specials, the restaurant had its own brewery. Carl and I were happy to try their Smelvin brew after such a hard workout. We then headed back to Victor to have a relaxing afternoon catching up on the computer and watching TV.

By 7 PM, Carl and I were hungry again and decided to have dinner in Jackson before leaving for Idaho Falls. The night before, Christian recommended we try Wildlife Brewing, a local restaurant known its microbrews and delicious pizza. Since I was driving, Carl got to enjoy two Buckwild Double Blondes but we both shared the BBQ chicken pizza. We're finally in Idaho Falls, staying in our first hotel in nearly a week. It's nice to have a massive, comfy and dry bed all to myself.

Carl enjoying his Buckwild Double Blonde and pizza

Day 14: Real Idaho Potatoes

Yellowstone to Grand Tetons and Victor, Idaho

Waking up in West Yellowstone, MT to a cold, wet, and foggy Sunday morning was a nice feeling considering we would not have to sleep in a tent for another frigid, rainy night. We dried off the tent as best we could, and stowed it for our drive to Jackson, WY, just south of Grand Teton National Park. Like many of our other drives, we journeyed through vast farmland and amazing views. The Tetons were in view shortly after leaving West Yellowstone, and they became bigger and more jagged as we drove further south. About two and a half hours after starting our drive, we arrived in Jackson. Earlier in the trip, we had considered doing some white water rafting in this area, but we had not really looked into it. However, as we reached Jackson, we saw many rafting companies. We ended up stopping at a place that advertised white water kayaking trips, and we thought it looked awesome. We signed up for tomorrow, eagerly looking forward to getting soaked in the Snake River.

After leaving the Rendezvous Rafting Company, we had a great lunch at MacPhail's Burgers where neither Drew nor I had a burger. But the food was delicious nonetheless. With rain forecasted for the mid-afternoon, we quickly entered the park and got to the information station to ask for a recommendation for a quick hike. The ranger suggested the easy four-mile long Taggart Lake trail, and as it was already 1:15 and rain was supposed to arrive by 2:00, we scurried onto the trail and began hiking very quickly. It was a relatively flat hike and we were almost at a pace of a slow jog. However, as we kept hiking and hiking, we realized that somewhere we took a wrong turn and, as we learned only after completion, we did the Bradley Lake trail too. This added another two miles onto the trek, so the quick, easy, beat-the-rain type of hike, ended up pushing our luck of staying dry. However, we were able to see the lake and the rain started coming down as we reached the parking lot. As Drew jokingly put it, "Our luck had not yet dried out."

Entering Grand Teton National Park

Jumping in front of Grand Teton on Taggart Lake Trail

Our next destination of the day was Victor, Idaho, which is where Christian, Drew's trail guide from his trip to Peru earlier this summer, had invited us to stay in his home for the night. Victor, Idaho has a population of under two-thousand people; it is one of those rural towns that we passed through many a time on our road trip and thought, "who lives in these places?" We turned off the main road onto a couple of unpaved roads and found the address with relative ease. The house is a very quaint wood home, appropriate for a dwelling near the mountains. From the time we walked in the door, Christian and his wife Sue made us feel at home. Their four and a half year old son, Nico, is quite the energetic young fellow and was almost instantly climbing all over Drew and I, asking us to play a game called "Dead Man" on the trampoline. The game involved one person closing his eyes, trying to tap another who was jumping and running around. It was interesting to say the least, but was very fun nonetheless. We also helped Christian put up a fence around their plethora of home grown vegetables and fruits in the gardens. Everything is organic or sustainable around here. Accordingly, the dinner did not disappoint. Sue made a delicious meal of chicken, a lettuce salad, a kale salad with goat cheese made from a neighbor's goat that Sue had milked, local Idaho potatoes, pesto, olive bread, and local beer. Along with Drew and I, Christian and Sue invited their neighbors over for dinner, and they gave us some great advice on where to stop in Idaho and Oregon. By now, the weather was turning sour and the winds had picked up dramatically. About an hour later, though, the dark clouds were passing and the sunset was showing through the clouds over the mountains. This scene encapsulated a beautiful day.

Sunset over the mountains in Victor, Idaho