We flew out of Baltimore Washington International (BWI) airport on United Airlines to Los Angeles. We intended to then fly to Sacramento and arrive late that night but the flight was overbooked so instead, we volunteered to take a later flight the next morning and receive two $500 gift cards from the airlines. We found some benches in the airport where we spent the night along with several other people. I remembered a website called 13 Signs You're an Infantryman that I recently read which someone from my platoon posted on our 81s 2/2 Facebook page. Basically, it said that grunts can sleep anywhere. Compared to the steel floor of a rocking boat or a foxhole in the desert, the airport bench was quite nice.

Norma and I awoke the next morning in the airport and ate breakfast. We were given a $25 food voucher which didn't quite cover the cost of two airport meals. Then we boarded our plane and flew into Sacramento where we were greeted by my wonderful parents.

Every year I am away from Sacramento, I feel more like a visitor. As of September of this year, I will have lived in Maryland now for 20 years! Sacramento seems like a different culture and so much of what I remember is no more. Things like Shasta soda, Crystal yogurt, Sam's Town, the Mine Shaft, and Skipper's restaurant are all things of the past. My eyes and skin aren't used to the bright sun. I enjoy the variability of the east coast weather. Perhaps what I enjoy most about Maryland are all the night sounds: cicadas, frogs, crickets, etc. I don't hear nearly as many nature sounds sleeping with the window open at my parents' house.

The four of us sat around, talked and ate. I joined my dad at the gym while Norma and my mom went for a walk around the neighborhood.

We went out for an early dinner at Curry Club in the downtown area. Then we made our way to the nearby State Capitol Park where we walked around. There was a big variety of healthy trees, some of which held citrus fruit. There were also several flowers in bloom.

People in California look a little different than people near Baltimore. Short-brimmed fedora hats that curve up slightly in the back seem to be popular amongst young people. There are significantly more Hispanics and Asians while there are much fewer African Americans. Large tattoos are much more common too.

Sacramento is very diverse place. There is no racial majority.
In 2002, the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University conducted for TIME magazine named Sacramento "America's Most Diverse City".
- from Wikipedia - Sacramento

Norma and I were still on east coast time so by 2100, we were both ready for bed.

Norma and I drove to the Cesar E. Chavez Plaza in downtown Sacramento. Around midday, a farmers market was set up.
Unlike some of the farmers markets I've seen that often had booths set up by overpriced middlemen, this was the real deal. Each vendor had a tent that listed who they were and where they were from. They sold fresh produce from the central California area. I was hoping to see chicken eggs for sale so I could compare their price with the ones I sell. Unfortunately, I saw no eggs.

The Sacramento area is home to a lot of agriculture. This is part of the reason why it has been called the "The Farm-to-Fork Capital of the United States."
...within 50 miles of Sacramento, the region enjoys the most diverse array of agriculture grown in the United States.
According to the mayor's office (and cited in today's City Beat blog), the region is home to between 7000 to 8000 acres of "boutique farms" and touts more than 50 farmers' markets.
- from SacFoodies - Sacramento is America's Farm-to-Fork Capital

As I read each of the signs indicating the origin of the produce, I realized just how ignorant I am of California geography. Norma and I ate lunch there, bought some stuff for my parents, and purchased food for our trip to Oregon.

After dropping off some stuff at my parents' house, we drove 11 miles northeast to Village Park in the town of Fair Oaks. If I had to live in the Sacramento area, this might be where I'd want to live. It is near the American River, near the bike trail, lot sizes are adequate, but most of all, it is a very chicken-friendly town. Chickens run around wild. They even have an annual Chicken Festival.
...the first birds arrived with Hugh Gorman, an artist who moved to Fair Oaks in 1977 with his four chickens. At first, Gorman recalls, he fielded pleas to keep his flock cooped up. But ultimately, Gorman relented to his free-spirit sensibilities and released the foursome. Now, the chickens are a functional part of the Fair Oaks ethos and ecosystem, Gorman said. They eat bugs and provide entertainment, distracting residents from their worries about recession and slumping 401(k)s. The town's wild poultry...now number more than 200, according to one unofficial census.
- from SFGate - In Fair Oaks, the chickens truly are free range

The town really seems to love their chickens. Town signs bear the image of a chicken at the top while the local playground has a cartoon chicken and chickens footprints painted on the concrete.

It seems like there were more roosters than hens. There was quite a bit of crowing going on. The chickens we saw seemed to get along just fine though I've read that most problems occur when there is insufficient space. I could have easily spent a lot of time just hanging around at the park watching the chickens. They seem to have a good life.

Several chickens, including this one, rested near the park sign.
Many of them displayed a variety of colors.
These six rested at the playground. They kept their distance from a small child.
Seeing the below rooster, I thought of the song "Walk Like a Man" by Grand Funk Railroad:
A little girl asked me what am I gonna do
When I get old and blue and worn clear through
And I said by that time I'm gonna be in my prime
I'm gonna strut like a cock until I'm 99
This is a bantam rooster. We thought it was a hen until it started crowing.
Me observing the fowl.

It was a short walk from Fair Oaks to the American River, a place where I spent much of my youth. We crossed the Old Fair Oaks Bridge over the river to access the southeast side where the Jediah Smith Memorial Trail resides.
We walked down to the clear water. Norma waded.
A few people swam and fished nearby. In this photo, you can see Fair Oaks Bluff on the left.
Walking back across the bridge, we walked on a dusty dirt trail.
This took us to Fair Oaks Bluff where we had a fantastic view of the river below.
At a launch site just a few feet from where Norma waded, a stand up paddleboarder (SUPer) launched and made his way downstream.
The Sacramento area isn't known for having a lot of wildlife but one thing it does have is lizards. I remember catching western fence lizards (blue bellies) with Ken when I was young. I noticed that it appeared to be doing pushups. I later learned that they do this to
...show off their colored bellies. "Display" behaviors like these send specific messages to other individuals about courtship and territorial matters.
- from sign at High Desert Museum
The sun was high and it was extremely hot...110 degrees to be exact. It was a dry heat but at that temperature, it was pretty harsh. We would drink water and 15 minutes later, we'd be thirsty again.

Our last stop in the area was the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. We strolled around the well manicured landscape. Norma was interested in the plants.
In contrast, I took more interest to finding critters such as this monarch butterfly.
The Horticulture Center was also home to the Fair Oaks Community Garden.
At the community garden, we spotted a perched hummingbird.
People put a lot of work into their gardens though there were a few plants that were past their eating prime such as this artichoke.

Norma and I were up early. We loaded up my parents' 2014 Toyota Corolla and drove north on highway 5. It didn't take long before the terrain was comprised of mostly dry grass. This is typical of the area. Compared to the lush greenery of the east coast, I find this a little hard on my eyes.

We passed a lot of semi trucks hauling square bales of hay. Unlike the bales that I've handled, these were about five times larger. In the fields, we also saw a lot of square bales. Only on one or two farms did I see round bales. Hay was stored in shelters with no walls that provided overhead shade.

I drove for the first part and then we switched. Before falling asleep, the last thing I remember was dry grass fields and flatlands. When I awoke, we were in the mountains with pine trees all around and the snow-covered Mount Shasta just ahead. We pulled over into a viewing area. Information posted in the area told us about this volcano.

Can Mount Shasta erupt again? Yes, there is a 25-30% chance Mount Shasta will erupt in a person's lifetime.

Are there glaciers on Mount Shasta? Yes, there are seven glaciers on the mountain.

Mount Shasta naturally emits hot gases from cracks in the earth's crust called "fumaroles." When water is present, these fumaroles can create hot springs or mud pots reeking of sulphur.

Mount Shasta evolved as a large and steep volcano that grew as layers of lava and ash built up over the years. It also formed multiple vents creating their own explosive cones from which lava flowed. This type of volcano is called a "compound stratovolcano."

The two of us stopped in the town of Weed where we ate lunch at the Hi-Lo Cafe. The menu told us more about Mount Shasta:

The mountain is 14,162 feet high, with a 16-mile diameter. Its timberline is at 8000 feet. It is part of the "Ring of Fire," a chain of volcanic sites around the Pacific Basin [also a Johnny Cash song].

Mount Shasta is the subject of many legends, including a mystic temple inside the mountain, a spiritually advanced race of people called "Lemurians," from the lost continent of Lemuria, mysterious lights, space ships exiting the mountain, and the "I AM" spirit.

Continuing onward, we saw several burnt trees along the side of the road.
In one pulloff, Norma and I spotted what appeared to be a giant dandelion seed ball about as big as a baseball! But as mom pointed out later after seeing the photo, the leaves didn't look jagged like a dandelion. I later determined that this is a plant called salsify (tragopogon).
This is a plant with a root that can be eaten. Salsify looks like a giant dandelion, and in a similar fashion the bright yellow flower turns into a dainty puffball, dispersing hundreds of seeds into the wind.
Eaten raw, the roots are very bitter; fried, roasted, or boiled, the taste of salsify roots have been compared to that of parsnips. Others say they slide down like oysters, hence its common moniker, oyster plant. Cream the roots in a soup or simmer young stalks in butter for a side dish rich in Vitamin B6.
- from A Spoonful of Thyme - Giant Dandelion

We drove northeast on highway 97 to the town of Tulelake. This is the place where my father and thousands of other Japanese Americans were sent during World War II.
On December 7, 1941 the Japanese Air Force attacked Pearl Harbor. Twenty four hours later, the United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II. While many remember the important battles of World War II like D-Day, Iwo Jima, or the first use of the atomic weapons, we often forget the price paid on the home front by civilians. A particularly striking part of this story is the forced removal and incarceration of over 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast; the majority were American citizens. Frequently given less than two weeks notice to leave their homes, taking with them only what they could carry. They were then moved into ten War Relocation Centers and spent the duration of the war in these army style camps. One of these centers was the Tule Lake Relocation/Segregation Center, located in present day Newell.
- from "Tule Lake Unit, Tule Lake Segregation Center" sign

"Tulelake" refers to the town while "Tule Lake" refers to the segregation center.

Tule Lake was different from the other war relocation centers.
In 1943, the government attempted to determine the loyalty of those incarcerated within the ten centers. Unfortunately, their measure of loyalty was a deeply flawed questionnaire. Misunderstandings of the questionnaire and unwillingness by the administration to answer questions meant that at the Tule Lake Center, 42% of the population was classified as disloyal. This was the largest percentage in any of the ten centers, and the government chose to turn the Tule Lake Relocation Center into a high security facility called the Tule Lake Segregation Center.
- from "Tule Lake Unit, Tule Lake Segregation Center" sign

Norma and I entered the Fair Office Museum Visitor Center where a man told us about the area and showed me on a map the location of the exact barrack where my father lived.
[The Tule Lake Segregation Center] eventually housed over 18,000 Japanese Americans.
Due to harsh conditions within the segregation center, strife and controversy arose throughout the camp. This led to the construction of a stockade with a jail, and the implementation of martial law.
- from sign at Fair Office Museum Visitor Center

The camp administration met resistance from a group called the Hoshi-dan.
The Hoshi-dan was a pro-Japan faction in the camp that resisted and harassed the camp administration.
- from "The Secret of Tule Lake" (broken link as of 2018)

While I was not able to find anything on-line that documents this, the man working at the visitor center told us about a Japanese American at Tule Lake that was sympathetic to the administration. He ended up being murdered by having his throat slit, likely by someone from the Hoshi-dan. My father remembers this. Needless to say, tensions ran high in the camp.

In the outside section of the visitor center, a shortened guard tower was set up.
Behind that was a barrack.
Norma and I took a drive out to where the internees once lived. The barracks no longer exist though some of the foundations may still be seen. The area is generally closed to the public as it was that day. But we were able to look beyond the fence and see where my father and his father were once held.

Tulelake is next to the Tule Lake Refuge. This is part of the Klamath Basin.
Established in 1928, Tule Lake Refuge encompasses 39,116 acres of mostly open water and croplands.
Over 490 wildlife species have been observed in the basin including 353 species of birds.
- from "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges - California/Oregon" pamphlet

In such an arid climate, the best chance of seeing wildlife is near the water. We pulled over to get a view of the area. There just happened to be a drainage ditch here.
So what did we find? We spotted a large frog.
There was also what I believe was some kind of whipsnake. Maybe it was a striped whipsnake or perhaps a California whipsnake. Or perhaps it was some type of gartersnake.
Here's a different view of the same snake.

In the museum, I learned about the native people in the area.
The Klamath Tribes include three different tribes - the Modocs, who lived in the Tule Lake-Lost River area, along with their neighbors to the north, the Klamaths, and their neighbors to the east, the Yahooskin. Overall they are a unique nation of people even among native peoples of this continent. The Klamath Tribe's history is dated in the archaeologic record to have begun as many as 14,000 years ago in the Klamath Basin. This dating is 2000 years older than all archaeologic records for other tribes in the region.

Not much is known about the early Native Americans that lived and passed through the Tulelake region. But one thing they did leave behind for us to study are petroglyphs.
The Lava Beds National Monument Petroglyphs are rock carvings made by prehistoric peoples of a stone-age culture. They may be symbolic of events, but they are not a written language, an art unknown to Indians north of Mexico. Little is known about these people and no dates have been established. Some of the symbols appear in other carvings in the Western United States.
- from April 20, 1936 Lava Beds National Monument brochure

Norma and I know a little about petroglyphs created by Native Americans in Pennsylvania. We had a chance to see them via kayak on October 4, 2009. Long ago, one might have also needed a boat to see these petroglyphs in the Tulelake area.
Petroglyph Point is an ancient, volcanic cinder cone. The cliff was formed by wave action of old Tule Lake cutting into the compacted cinder and ash. The white, horizontal bands indicate old lake levels.
- from April 20, 1936 Lava Beds National Monument brochure

The cliff alone without the petroglyphs would have still been interesting.

This cliff also had numerous crevices that provided shelter to birds. Notice the baby cliff swallow below.
Symbolic Indian writings within the Lava Beds National Monument are of two types and indicate the presence of ancient peoples who have long since vanished from this region. One type consists of paintings (pictographs)...The other type consists of carvings (petroglyphs) which are confined to rocky bluffs in the Tule Lake peninsula where the rocks are soft enough to pick with stone tools. On the sheer western face of Petroglyph Point, a detached portion of the monument lying to the northeast, are carved scores of these symbols, many reaching heights of 10 to 20 feet.
- from April 20, 1936 Lava Beds National Monument brochure

For anyone wanting to see petroglyphs, this is definitely the place to go.
Petroglyph Point holds one of the largest concentrations of Native American rock art in California.
- from sign near Petroglyph Point Trail

What do the petroglyphs mean?
It is unlikely that the art found at Petroglyph Point can be translated literally. Instead, the art is probably symbolic, with the images representing general ideas such as religious practices, ritual activities, attempts to acquire power, or important events.
- from sign near Petroglyph Point Trail

There were far too many petroglyphs to count. Shown below are some of the ones I found to be more clearly defined.

Next, we headed north and crossed into Oregon. Our destination was the mediocre Maverick Motel in Klamath Falls, the city of sunshine. After dropping off our stuff, we walked around town.

The city seemed rather depressed. There were a good number of vacant spaces in buildings. But we did like the fact that there was quite a bit of artwork about town depicting nature scenes.

We walked southwest to Veterans Memorial Park which overlooked Lake Ewauna, home to a geothermal snowmelt project. There we saw a variety of waterfowl including some geese and white pelicans. The Klamath River flowed into the lake where we strolled.
On the walk back, we passed the Leatherneck Club on Main Street. I'll have to see if we have anything like that around where I live.

Norma and I stopped for dinner at the Klamath Basin Brewing Company. Sitting outside, I saw several insects flying around an outside light.
Then I noticed that I was getting bit by mosquitoes. Upon returning to our room, the door and threshold were literally covered with mosquitoes.
We rushed inside and then I commenced to kill all the mosquitoes that followed us in. Though numerous, they were not as aggressive as Savage mosquitoes.

Norma and I were up early so we could make it out to Crater Lake for a boat tour. This part of the country is very special in its geologic activity. The land is much newer than the mid-Atlantic region and in some ways older than Hawaii which still has many active volcanoes.

Our first view of the lake was pretty spectacular.
Off to the left, we saw Wizard Island.
Wizard Island is a volcanic cinder cone which forms an island at the west end of Crater Lake...The top of the island reaches 6933 feet above sea level, about 755 feet above the average surface of the lake. The cone is capped by a volcanic crater about 500 feet wide and 100 feet deep. The crater was named the "Witches Cauldron" by Will G. Steel in 1885, who also gave Wizard Island its name at the same time.
Wizard Island was created after Mount Mazama, a large stratovolcano, erupted violently approximately 7700 years ago, forming its caldera which now contains Crater Lake. Following the cataclysmic caldera-forming eruption, which left a hole about 4000 feet deep where the mountain had once stood, a series of smaller eruptions over the next several hundred years formed several cinder cones on the caldera floor. The highest of these cones, the only one to rise above the current lake level, is Wizard Island, which rises over 2700 feet above the lowest point on the caldera floor and the deepest point in the lake.
- from Wikipedia - Wizard Island

In this area, the word "caldera" is used quite a bit. What exactly is a caldera?
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption.
- from Wikipedia - Caldera

Driving clockwise from the Rim Village area, we came to Cleetwood Cove Trail.
Due to the extreme instability of the steep walls of the caldera surrounding Crater Lake, Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only access to the lake shore.
- from national park sign

Walking down the trail gave us plenty of great views of the lake.

Our guide was a park ranger with a great sense of humor. He kept us entertained during our 90 minute boat ride. Here are some of the things he showed us.

The Devils Backbone is a vertical wall of dark andesite lining the cliff face and measuring about 1000 feet long by 50 feet across near the top. A dike formed by molten lava that created and filled cracks, as it forced its way up through the rock and then solidified. It has been left standing by the erosion of the surrounding material.
- from "Crater Lake Institute - Devil's Backbone"
Of the many colorful volcanic formations in the walls surrounding Crater Lake, the Pumice Castle, on the east wall, attracts the attention of many visitors. The Pumice Castle is part of an extensive lenticular bed of fragmental pumice outcropping on the crater wall about 1300 feet above the level of the lake, or 400 feet below the crater rim just south of Cloudcap. The bed of pumice has a maximum thickness of 190 feet.
- from "Crater Lake Institute - Pumice Castle"
The Phantom Ship is a remaining section of the filled conduit of a fissure from which probably poured many of the lower layers of lava constituting Dutton Cliff. The island is about 500 feet long and reaches a maximum width of 200 feet near the east end. Its east-west ridge of spires, towering 170 feet above the water, sharply divides most of the island into two slopes, one very steeply sloping to the south and the other less steeply to the north.
- from "Crater Lake Institute - Phantom Ship"
Here's some more views of the lake.

I was hoping to see some wildlife but except for one fish and a few common birds, I saw none.

I wondered about the hydrology of the lake. No river flows into or out of it although at least one very small waterfall provides some inflow.
The points where the waters of Crater Lake are lost and where they reappear are unknown. Large springs emerge at levels lower than the lake in the basins of the Rogue and Umpqua Rivers and in the tributaries of the Klamath River (Annie Creek, Wood River, and Williamson River). The total flow of these springs is many times the amount of water lost by seepage from the lake. Most of the springs have very steady flow; all are cold and clear, and the streams they feed are low in dissolved-solids content, as is the lake water.
...some of the seepage from the lake may find its way into the Rogue River, but more probably it mingles with the underground waters that feed some of the springs in Klamath River basin.
- from "Crater Lake, Oregon, Destination of Seepage Outflow"

When we first arrived, there weren't too many people there but after our boat tour, the place was packed. I changed clothes and went for a little swim. Some people were jumping off a rock about 20 feet above the water but that wasn't for me. The water was very cold though there were a few sections where it was almost comfortable. The deepest part of the lake was 1943 feet below the surface. Closer to the shore, the clear water cast a shade of green but in the deeper parts, it was blue. I brought my goggles to see what I might find in the water but it was so cold, I could not keep my face under for long. I did not see any wildlife while I swam.

The nice thing about the water being so cold is it made for an easy hike back up Cleetwood Cove Trail. I don't think I even broke a sweat because I was trying to warm up.

I know motorboats are not allowed in Crater Lake but I also did not see kayaks, canoes, or SUPs. I wondered if that was simply because it was too much work to get them down and back up the trail. It seems like being able to paddle in Crater Lake would be a once in a lifetime opportunity...one that would justify the amount of work to pull a kayak up the trail.

By the time we left the parking lot, the place was packed to the gills. It was good that we got an early tour.

Norma and I next decided to hike to Plaikni Falls.
Plaikni, a Klamath Indian word meaning "from the high country," reflects the origin of the falls high on the slopes of the volcano. The high country receives an average yearly snowfall of 44 feet. Melting snow percolates through loose volcanic soil, hits an impermeable layer, and surfaces as a spring. One spring forms the origin of Sand Creek, which cascades down as Plaikni Falls. In this lush environment, mosses and wildflowers thrive.
- from sign on trail

On this, and several other trails, we saw a plethora of Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels.
These look similar to Yellow Pine Chipmunks, which also live in the area. The main difference is that the chipmunk has stripes that go across its face while the ground squirrel does not. Also, the chipmunk is smaller. In terms of personality, the ground squirrels are more bold, as was demonstrated when one tried to see what was in Norma's backpack.
The trail was fairly flat, wide, and easy. It started out amongst the pines. But eventually, the trees thinned out a bit as the terrain became rockier

After about a mile, we reached our destination, Plaikni Falls.
The two of us had a snack at the base alongside Sand Creek.
It rained off and on during our short hike. On this day, we received the most rain during our trip, through it wasn't much.

Continuing our drive clockwise around Crater Lake, we pulled off the road to see the spring-fed Vidae Falls.

Our next stop was the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail.
Plentiful springs fed by snowmelt on the slope of Castle Crest give rise to an annual display of wildflowers in July and August. The route travels first through a mixed conifer forest before opening up to the wet meadow featuring abundant wildflowers.
- from trail sign

This easy trail took us along and over what I believe was Munson Creek.

It then led us through the woods.

We saw several small wildflowers.

Continuing our drive clockwise, we stopped in at Rim Village to check out Crater Lake Lodge.
The historic lodge first opened in 1915. It was closed for extensive rehabilitation from 1989 to 1994, and reopened in 1995.
- from park sign
The lodge as we now know it almost ceased to be, due to poor construction which led to unsafe conditions.
The average winter snowfall at Crater Lake is 533 inches. As a result, the lodge structure was required to carry an extremely heavy snow load for up to eight months every year. Neither Parkhurst [the developer] or the project's architects R. L. Hockenberry & Company had experience building structures in a demanding environment like the Crater Lake rim site. In addition, building materials had to be trucked to the site over very poor park roads, and the construction season was limited to only three summer months. These factors combined to slow construction and drive up project costs. To compensate, Parkhurst kept the structure very simple. For example, the exterior was covered in tar-paper and the interior walls were finished with a thin cardboard-like wallboard called "beaver board." The lodge had no private bathrooms and the only electricity came from a small generator.
In 1967, the National Park Service acquired the Crater Lake Lodge. The lodge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. However, the building continued to deteriorate due to lack of funds. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the National Park Service felt restoring the old building was too costly so it was scheduled to be demolished. The decision was later reversed due to public opposition. In 1988, the National Park Service approved a plan to rebuild the lodge as part of the comprehensive Rim Village redevelopment program.
In the spring of 1989, just before the lodge was to open for its summer season, structural engineers advised the National Park Service that the Great Hall was unsafe. It was so unstable they feared it might collapse from its own weight, bringing down the rest of the lodge with it. This forced the National Park Service to close the lodge pending renovation. After two years of planning, construction began in 1991. Some original materials were salvaged for reuse, but most of the original building had deteriorated to the point it could not be saved or reused. However, the Great Hall was carefully dismantled. The rest of the building was gutted and a steel support structure, modern utilities and fire suppression system were installed, and guest rooms were upgraded to modern hotel standards. The renovation was completed in the fall of 1994 at a cost of $15 million. On 20 May 1995, Crater Lake Lodge reopened to the public.
- from Wikipedia - Crater Lake Lodge

Norma and I did a little souvenir shopping in the Village.
I purchased a stuffed beaver puppet since the nickname for Oregon is "the beaver state."

Our final adventure for the day was a hike from Watchman Overlook to the 8013 foot Watchman Peak via the 1.6 mile round trip Watchman Trail.

From the Overlook, we had an excellent view of the lake, especially Wizard Island.
Walking up the trail, I spotted a family with a young boy wearing a Baltimore Ravens backpack. I struck up a conversation. They were not from Baltimore and had no ties to it. They were impressed that we came all the way from the Baltimore area to see Crater Lake. During our trip, I met a few people that took interest in where Norma and I were from...certainly much more than folks in Norway.

Like all the trails we walked on around Crater Lake, the Watchman Trail was very well maintained.

From the lookout tower, we had an even more spectacular view of the lake.
We could see the top of the volcano at Wizard Island well.
I met a fellow that recognized me from the petroglyph site. He did not recognize Norma.

Somewhere between Crater Peak and Garfield Peak, a rainbow touched the ground.
I spotted a Clark's Nutcracker bird.
On the trip down the mountain, the setting sun softly illuminated its rocky sides.
That night, we checked into a small cabin at the Crater Lake Resort in Fort Klamath. It was a very nice place.

Norma and I were up early to commence on our adventure of the day...kayaking. She planned almost everything for the trip except today. This was my day. We had a 1.75 hour drive ahead of us to meet at the outfitter, but before leaving, we took a look about the Crater Lake Resort area.

It isn't really a resort in the conventional sense. I think they call it that to make it sound more luxurious. The place had a nice homey outdoorsy feel that was to our liking. Our cabin was small but certainly sufficient.
Next to our cabin was a tent site area. Also close by was a canoe launch on Fort Creek.
Fort Creek was small and scenic but definitely low.
The two of us headed out, driving north to the town of Sunriver.

Norma and I arrived at Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe. We met our guide, Ingrid, and two other couples that would be joining us for the Lapine State Park to Big River Campground 9.4 mile downriver trip on the Deschutes River. This section is part of the Deschutes Paddle Trail.

When I originally looked for a kayak trip in the Bend area, I was inundated with information about whitewater trips. Websites tended to focus on guided rafting tours and kayak routes for experience whitewater paddlers. But Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe was different in that it offered flatwater trips. I was hoping to simply rent a tandem kayak so we could explore on our own but I quickly learned that the places that offered flatwater paddling turned into rough whitewater if you took a wrong turn or didn't get off the river in time. So I chose a guided trip.

We all had 12 foot long recreational boats...except me who had a 10 foot long boat. That was fine with me. Norma was in a Perception Prodigy 120 while I was in a Perception Prodigy 100.

Keoni (one of the staff) helped Ingrid set up the van shuttle to ensure one would be waiting for us at the takeout, which was to our north. Yes, unlike most places, the Deschutes River flows to the north.

In the below photo, Ingrid is unloading the boats at Lapine State Park. She is from British Columbia, Canada. When she isn't leading kayak tour groups, she teaches snow skiing or leads canoe/kayak trips for kids in camp.
Norma and I were some of the first ones in the water so we waited while the others launched.

Fenced cliffs and trails in the park lined the river.
There were a few riffles but nothing that a beginner couldn't handle.

I spotted a beaver lodge but no beaver.

Eventually, we came to one particularly calm section that I believe was a tributary of the main river. There, we saw some flowers that I thought were likely some type of water lily that had seen better days.
Ingrid led us through this section on her Eddyline Carribean 12 sit-on-top kayak. This area was especially serene and natural. I was hoping to see some wildlife but all we saw here were some small fish and a great blue heron.

There was one woman in the group that was particularly loud and talked a lot. She reminded me of a former co-worker of mine.

The tributary appeared to end but it turned out there was a cut through that connected it back to the main river.
After awhile, we pulled over for lunch. Sandwiches that we ordered were made by a local restaurant and provided by the outfitter.
I saw some kingfisher birds along with a cormorant in a tree.

I think by the end of the trip, the loud, chatty woman was getting tired because she became silent.

Norma and I both still had quite a bit of energy left so we raced each other. With me in a shorter boat, my handicap made us pretty close to equal. Ingrid told Norma she has good form. I think Norma is a stronger paddler than she gives herself credit for. But I still beat her...not by much.

We finished by mid-afternoon. The route was nice and scenic through I wouldn't describe it as being any more interesting than the Monocacy River in Maryland. Still, it was a great day...almost any day on the water is a great day, right?

With our kayaking adventure complete, we proceeded into the town of Bend. It was a little early to check into our AirBnB accommodations so we stopped in at a trendy grocery store called Newport Avenue Market.

Norma and I then checked into our AirBnB room. It is in a rather mixed neighborhood of new townhomes, not-so-new homes with gardens, and a few very run down homes. But it is conveniently located to the center of town. Our host, Bill, was a friendly guy who put a lot of effort into making us feel at home in his nicely decorated house. We unloaded our stuff and then set out on foot to explore the town.

We walked on a footbridge over a section of the Deschutes River. This was downstream of where we paddled earlier today.
A few whitewater kayakers braved the water. A little further upstream, we saw a dam that ensured calmer water closer to the downtown area. We walked along a path that followed the river.
Getting hungry, we looked for a restaurant. It was Saturday night so Bend was really hopping. A couple of the places that interested Norma had a long wait so we ended up eating at a placed called Soba. We sat out back in the open air while a guy sang and played the guitar. He was a good musician. His voice sounded like Joe Cocker. The food wasn't bad though it would have been better if they went light on the teriyaki sauce.

The two of us walked back to our room and tried to sleep but it was pretty hot on the upper floor so Norma didn't sleep so well. We had a fan but it was pretty loud. But like a good infantryman, I slept fine.

Not having any place we had to get to early, we slept in a bit. Bill brought us breakfast. It was good but a little light on the protein for me. He is a vegan.

Norma and I drove out to Pine Mountain Sports where we rented good mountain bikes for a very low cost. The staff was friendly and helpful. From there, we biked south towards Mount Bachelor Village and south along the Deschutes River. We rode on a few paved and various dirt trails. Haul Road Trail and Deschutes River Trail were two of the names I remember. Most were fairly easy riding for non-mountain bikers like us.
But there was at least one section where we briefly felt like real mountain bikers.
We carried our bikes down a narrow trail that was made for hikers but not bicyclists. Our slow pace reminded me of our hike through some briers in Garrett County during our first Thanksgiving weekend together on November 25, 2006. Eventually, we decided to shortcut our way up a steep section to a much wider path.

After awhile, we came to what I originally thought might be a beaver dam. It could have been at one time but now it supported a hard packed dirt trail. We crossed it and then locked up our bikes, thinking we were now on an island. The plan was to walk the loop trail clockwise on foot and then resume our adventure where we left off before crossing over the water.

Across from the raging river, we saw Lava Island.
[The] formation of Lava Island occurred 6200 years ago when Lava Butte erupted.
...lava from Lava Butte poured into the Deschutes River channel forcing the river to relocate. The lava was higher in the center, like a loaf of bread, and the river flowed around both sides.
- from signs on trail
If the Deschutes River were a book, it might be Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde because of its bipolar nature. There are plenty of rough whitewater sections, as near Lava Island, and there are sections inviting to a beginning canoeist. But you need to know where to get off the water before it turns ugly. Here's a Doctor Jekyll section.
The scenery was excellent.

We came to a rocky overhang that looked perfect for a small shelter. In fact, that is exactly what it was used for in yesteryear.
Long ago, aboriginal hunters camped in rock shelters where they made and repaired tools on seasonal hunting trips. This hunting camp was used as early as 7000 years ago and more recently 200 years ago.
- from sign on trail

We saw a long structure which was later identified as an irrigation flume.
Carrying water to thousands of acres of land, this one mile flume was built in 1905 and rebuilt in 1947.
- from sign on trail
The island that we intended to explore on the loop trail was not an island and the trail did not appear to loop. So we had to backtrack for about a mile on foot to retrieve our bikes which were locked to a tree. Then we biked on a road for awhile. We were hoping to find a place to buy food and refill our canteens but we did not.

Norma and I reached our southernmost point at Dillon Falls.

Before heading back, we found a very curious squirrel.

The ride back was on a different trail. There are plenty of trails in the area and we just happened to stumble upon some nice ones. Heading north, the biking was pretty easy since it was mostly downhill.

We stopped at Big Eddy, a fairly calm section of the river before the whitewater resumed.

Eventually, we were back on paved trails. I saw two quails.

Having finished our ride, we returned the bikes and found a nice little Mexican restaurant where we refueled.

We headed back to the house, washed up, then ventured into town for the evening. It was Sunday and things were closing up earlier than what we would have preferred.

Norma and I had a free day...that is, we didn't have anything scheduled and we didn't have any accommodations for the night. So we could do whatever we wanted. But there was still plenty in Bend to see so we decided to stay in the area.

The morning was cool and overcast.

We drove out to the High Desert Museum which recognizes the central and southeast portion of Oregon, including Bend.
The desert covers most of five Oregon counties and averages 4000 feet above sea level. While the high desert is somewhat dry, it is only arid relative to Western Oregon. The region averages 15 inches of annual rainfall. Contrary to its name, most of the high desert is not dry enough to truly qualify as desert, and biologically, most of the region is classified as scrubland or steppe.
- from Wikipedia - High Desert (Oregon)

Our first stop in the museum was an exhibit called Art of the West where art was displayed depicting the people, places, and animals of the region.

Some animals that would not survive in the wild due to an injury or some other condition were on display. One was a raccoon. The other was a bobcat.
The North American continent is home to six endemic species of cats. Of those, only three have ranges in the High Desert region: Cougar (Puma), Canada Lynx, and Bobcat. Bobcats thrive in the woodlands and high deserts of central and eastern Oregon. Bobcats have a wide prey base consisting of rabbits and other small rodents, birds, fish, and insects; and have been known to prey on deer occasionally. Females typically weigh around 15 pounds while males average about 20 pounds.
- from sign in museum
Another section of the museum housed plants and animals that glow.
The light that comes from living things is called bioluminescence. The word bioluminescence is derived from the Greek "bios" for "living" and Latin "lumine" for "light."
Land-based creatures such as fireflies, glowworms, and certain types of snails can glow. So can some mushrooms. But most bioluminescent organisms live in the sea. An estimated 90% of marine organisms are able to glow.
Living things use bioluminescence to do the primary things they need to survive: find food, find a mate, and avoid being eaten.
- from sign in museum

I found the most interesting of the bioluminescent organisms to be a fungus...but not just any fungus.
The world's largest fungi, Armillaria solidipes, is possibly the largest living organism in the world. Scientists estimate a single specimen found in Malheur National Forest in Oregon to be 2400 years old, covering 3.4 square miles. They jokingly call it the "Humongous Fungus." What makes it even more spectacular is that it is bioluminescent, meaning it glows.
Although scientists do not know exactly how bioluminescence helps the fungi, several ideas have been suggested. It may help attract insects to spread the spores or it may be a defense mechanism that prevents other organisms from eating it.
- from sign in museum

Norma and I joined a group for a guided walking tour of the outside area. We learned about the various plants in the high desert area.

A very popular area on the museum grounds was the river otter tank. Feeding was taking place so they were particularly active.

The next stop was a reptile show. A staff member spoke about and displayed lizards, snakes, and turtles.

One of the most interesting things I learned that day concerned Gila monsters.
For years, scientists have been studying the digestive systems of Gila monsters as part of research that may affect the treatment of diabetes. The saliva of this lizard contains a unique protein known as exendin-4, which has been found to have long-lasting effects in stimulating insulin release after eating, and thus lowering blood glucose levels. It has been commercially synthesized and is currently marketed to control hyperglycemia in type two diabetic patients.
- from sign in museum

Another interesting critter on display was a chuckwalla.
Next, we went to the Birds of Prey Center on the museum grounds. Norma and I discussed the difference between a raptor and a bird of prey. Do you know the difference? Raptors...
...are also called birds of prey. Primarily eat meat. Strong feet and sharp talons to seize prey. Hooked beaks to tear flesh. Best eyesight in the animal kingdom.
- from museum sign

Based on the characteristics of raptors, all raptors are birds of prey but the reverse is not true. Herons and egrets eat fish just like ospreys. They are all birds of prey. But herons and egrets do not have hooked beaks to tear flesh so they are not raptors. But an osprey is.

Outside the building, we saw a bat just above a man-made pond. It flew away after we watched it for a few seconds.

Next, Norma and I headed back to Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe...but not their Sunriver store like before. This time we went to their Bend store. It was right on the Deschutes River which made it ideal for renting a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). I did this while Norma walked on a path along the river and took pictures.

After awhile, Norma headed off on her own to explore the Old Mill District section of town on foot. She found a small frog.
I crossed under a total of five bridges until I came to a whitewater section just upstream of Reed Market Road. There, I saw an instructor teaching a few kids some basic whitewater skills. It seemed like a good place to learn.
There wasn't much interesting wildlife. No turtles, snakes, or even fish. But I did spot a couple of redwing blackbirds and mergansers near Farewell Bend Park.
The park ties closely with the history of the town.
Until the winter of 1824, this area was known only to native Americans who hunted and fished here. Members of a fur trapping party led by Peter Skene Ogden were the earliest white men to visit. John Fremont and other army survey parties came next. Then the pioneers heading further west came through and forded the Deschutes River at "Farewell Bend." A small community developed around the bend in the river and in 1905 a city was incorporated with approximately 300 citizens.
- from "Frequently asked questions about Bend, Oregon" (a broken link as of 2019)

The trip back downstream was going much too fast. I wanted to get more time on the water so I headed back upstream for awhile. By the time I started making my way back, the river was packed with folks on kayaks, SUPs, and inflatables. It wasn't exactly the place I would normally enjoy paddling but it was good to be on the water. And it was great so many folks out here were enjoying it as much as me. I wondered how many were tourists like me.
On the west side of the river, I explored a section designated a "fragile riparian area." Here, I saw some artwork.
On the east side, near the takeout, I noticed a beaver lodge.
I spent almost two hours on the water and pretty much saw everything I could see in the paddleable section of the river near the outfitter.

Our final trip for the day was to a place called Lava Butte. This is the volcano that erupted and created Lava Island, where we visited on August 2.

We stopped in at the Lava Lands Visitor Center where a very enthusiastic park ranger told us all about the area.

There was a road that led to the top of the butte but by the time we left the visitor center, it was closed to vehicles. But that was fine with us since it wasn't closed to pedestrians. We headed out on foot, enjoying the scenery along the way.

We saw volcanic rock piled up high.
Some of the recent volcanic activity in western America caused the spectacular and strange lava formations, cinder cones, and caves in this vicinity. Lava Butte, a cinder cone, contains a crater 150 feet deep.
- from Department of Agriculture Forest Service sign
Walking up the road, we had a nice view of the butte.
But not everything to see was big. Looking closer to the ground, we saw various wildflowers in bloom.
Down below, we could see just how much ground was covered with lava rock.
Zooming in, various trails could be seen.
As we approached the top, we were able to look down into the crater. In this area, some of the rock looked very red.

Norma and I walked on Lava Butte Trail Number 18 which took us around the top of the crater.
At the highest point, there stood a lookout tower.
The current lookout was constructed in 1998 and is the fourth structure at this site.
The Lava Butte Fire Lookout is one of the busiest in the Pacific Northwest. During an average year, the lookout staff call in more than 125 first reports of fires. Lookouts monitor and record lightning strikes, weather conditions, controlled burns, and assist crews on the ground.
- from sign at lookout tower
The lookout on duty called out to us and asked if we wanted to come up so we did. She told us all about her job and how she spots and reports wildfires.

Volcanoes in this area form part of the Cascade Range.
The Cascade Range is an arc of volcanoes that extends about 775 miles from Lassen Peak in northern California to Meager Mountain in Canada. Although best known for the 30 prominent snow capped peaks, the range contains more than 3400 volcanoes, including the more than 450 volcanic vents on the flanks of Newberry.
- from sign near lookout tower

We took in one final view of the mountains in the distance and then commenced our trek back to the car.
Not having much of a plan for the evening, we had a bit of a hard time finding lodging. We drove south to Lapine but everything was booked up or expensive (over $90). But after making a few calls, Norma found us a room back in Bend at Motel West. It was very reasonably priced and much bigger than we expected. We checked in after eating dinner in Lapine at La Pine Inn.

This was our last day in Oregon. We still had a seven hour drive ahead of us back to Sacramento so we figured we'd only spend a half day exploring.

The first place we went was Lava River Cave. This is a place where nature created a pipeline in the form of a lava tube.
How does lava build a pipeline? Flowing lava cools quickly and a hard, rock shell forms on all exposed surfaces. Inside, molten lava stays a comfortably searing 2100 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooling rock eventually confines liquid lava to a narrow pipeline. When the volcanic eruption ends - lava drains out leaving an empty tube. OK, now we can call it a cave.
- from Newberry National Volcanic Monument sign

One could rent a lantern near the entrance but Norma and I planned for this by bringing our camping headlamps to save money. But in the end, these proved to be far too dim. The lanterns were much superior.

We wondered if we would see more bats like the one I spotted yesterday...we certainly hoped so. But a staff member said it was unlikely, though they were there. To protect the bats from white-nose syndrome, they asked us a few questions to ensure we did not contaminate the cave with the disease. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is really bad stuff!
White-nose syndrome is responsible for catastrophic mortality levels in hibernating bats in the U.S. and Canada. Named for the white powder often visible around the nose, this new disease is likely caused by a fungus that originated in Europe.
The fungus acts as a skin irritant causing bats to frequently awaken during hibernation. As a result, they use valuable fat reserves and water that are critical for their winter survival. Bats then perish by freezing or starving when they emerge prematurely from hibernation.
Over six million bats have died from white-nose syndrome since 2006. While WNS is not known to directly harm humans, the loss of bat species from this disease would be devastating. According to "Science Magazine," bats contribute several billion dollars annually to the agriculture and forest industries by insect control and pollination.
- from Newberry National Volcanic Monument sign

Norma and I walked down a path to the entrance of the cave.

We slowly made our way down some stairs and an elevated platform. Soon, this came to an end and we continued on the cave floor. Most of the tube was very large but there were a couple of sections where we had to mind our heads.

We didn't see stalactites or stalagmites like in a traditional cave. The place was interesting at first but it didn't take long before it all looked the same. Maybe we would have thought differently had we rented the lanterns. Our weak headlamps made viewing anything challenging.

A few signs pointed out relevant information along the way.
The cave maintains a constant 42 degrees. Though we both had jackets, our hands were quite cold since we didn't think about bringing gloves. I wondered why the cave gets so cold since in Savage, my geothermal heat pump takes advantage of the ground's 55-57 degree constant temperature, even 300 feet underground. I later read on Energy.gov - Geothermal Heat Pumps that
depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F to 75°F.
Hence, the ground temperature difference between Savage and Bend is due to how for far north or south they reside.

After almost a mile, we came to a sign indicating we should go no further so we turned around and walked back.

It was good to see the light of day once again.

Norma and I drove to Newberry Caldera to see something called Big Obsidian Flow.
Newberry volcano east of the Cascade Range in Oregon, is one of the largest volcanoes on the U.S. mainland. It covers about 1600 square kilometers and contains a large caldera, Newberry Crater, that was created several 100,000 years ago by a series of devastating eruptions.
The volcano last erupted about 1300 years ago, blasting a plug of viscous lava and creating the well-known "Big Obsidian Flow."
- from Volcano Discovery - Newberry Volcano

We walked on the half mile lollipop trail out and through some of the glassy "flow." What makes this particular lava flow different than the others?
Whether natural or synthetic, the primary ingredient in glass is silica (silicon dioxide). The obsidian and pumice of this lava flow contain about 73% silica, like most window glass does. In a hot, molten state, silica's atoms tend to stick together and create webs of molecules that slow down the movement of all atoms. The surface of this lava flow cooled off before its atoms had time to organize into crystals, so we are left with glass instead.
- from sign on trail

The sides of the trail were lined with glass, either in the form of obsidian or pumice, which is frothy glass with bubbles.

Several signs on the side of the trail told us all about the area.

Age: 1300 years, Central Oregon's most recent eruption.

Length: 1.0 miles.

Area: 1.1 square miles.

Thickness: Average of 150 feet.

Flow surface: About 10% obsidian and 90% pumice.

Why is obsidian black?...tiny magnetite crystals (iron oxide) give obsidian a black tint.
- from sign on trail

A rock wall along a staircase made use of obsidian.
Chunks of obsidian lined the area with some particularly large pieces in a few areas.

Norma and I reached a viewing area where we were able to see Paulina Lake which has a depth of 249 feet and elevation of 6331 feet. Looking back, we could see just how much area the flow covered.
Obsidian was used to make arrowheads and other cutting instruments. Thus, it was valued very highly by Native Americans.
The abundance of obsidian drew native peoples to Newberry Crater. Walking for days from their winter camps along the Deschutes River, they arrived here and gathered a year's supply of valuable rock from which they would fashion tools.
As original as a fingerprint, each obsidian flow has its own chemical signature different from any other flow. Using laboratory techniques, artifacts are matched to their place of origin. Big Obsidian Flow artifacts have been found hundreds of miles away.
- from sign on trail

Though steel has, for the most part, replaced obsidian used for cutting applications, there are still some things obsidian does better.
In the 1970s, doctors performed open heart surgery on archaeologist Donald Crabtree using steel scalpels and obsidian scalpels fabricated by Crabtree. The incisions from the obsidian blades healed with hardly a trace, while the steel blades left huge scars. Obsidian blades can be shaped to a width of nearly one molecule.
- from sign on trail

There were other interesting rocks besides the smooth, black obsidian.

On the way out of the Newberry Caldera area, we stopped briefly at the Paulina Visitor Center which, like the lake, was named for
Paulina, a well-known Indian chief who was known for the swiftness of his attacks and his ability to evade capture.
- from sign at visitor center

The two of us made it out of the area around 1330. Along the way, we saw a black-tailed deer standing along the side of the road.

The air was a little smoky in some areas. I heard there was a wildfire someplace.

South of Shasta, we passed over several dry creeks. As we continued south, the land looked even drier. Once in Sacramento, I saw several signs that read "SEVERE DROUGHT." They're not kidding.
Governor Brown declared a drought State of Emergency in January and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for water shortages.
- from "California Drought" (a broken link as of 2019)

I joined my dad at the gym while Norma went for a walk with Mom to Raley's, the local grocery store. Dad and I also walked around the block. The temperature was much more comfortable than our 110 degree weather last week in Sacramento.

Norma and I did a little gift shopping at Corti Brothers, a premium grocery store.

I helped out my folks on the computer.

That evening, we went out to eat at Korea House.

On our final day, Norma and I joined my friend Ken and his sister Shari for lunch at Paragary's in Midtown Sacramento. I took a photo of us all but can't seem to find it. I think I accidentally deleted it.

We got washed up and packed up. Then the four of us drove out and ate an early dinner at Mizu before saying farewell.

It was a long flight back but I managed to sleep for about half of it.