Crater Lake
On day three the prescribed course was from Fort Klamath to Mosquito Lake (better known as Diamond Lake) via a trip around Crater Lake. To get EFI credit (every fabulous mile), one also needed to do an out and back to the pinnacles. Michael did not want to go completely around the lake or do the out and back to the pinnacles. Instead we went part way around the lake and then retraced our steps, in order to stay next to the lake the entire time. Michael’s goal was to be the lantern rouge and he did not care about EFI credit.
Route around lake without out and bak to pinnacles. We did not go completely around lake.
Altitude! and steep at times! Oregon roads are gently sloped and beautifully maintained. The gentle slopes are lovely on a tour, since you can always just go slower if you are tired. However, I am better at shorter, steeper climbs and I liked having something to sink my teeth into on this day.
I never remember this stuff when I get home, so I took a picture. However, “crater formed by volcanic explosion” really is not that hard to remember.
Wizard Island
Mosquitos preyed on us as we rode and every time we stopped. I got 9 bites on my ass. The little suckers bit me through my shorts. I got bitten as I climbed. They saw me and thought “she’s not used to the altitude- let’s go get her,” and they chased me down and sucked me dry.
Crater Lake, blue rim, and me
I love my blue rimmed front wheel with purple nipples. The purple nipples create a lovely purple haze that delights me and cheers me up on gloomy days.
Mary, Diane, Michael, me, Andrea. Picture by Steve Rogers. I am not really that short.
Diane could make this very loud seal barking noise. She first demonstrated it on this ride. At first, the noise was really quite annoying, but after a couple of weeks, it grew on me and I found it amusing and somewhat endearing.
“Take a picture of me by this snow bank!”
I was so excited to see snow. I scoured the landscape, looking for a snow bank in order to have my picture taken in front of it. Poor Andrea took this picture. She hadn’t even had a moment to catch her breath after climbing a somewhat longer than expected and steep hill (at altitude), when I accosted her, shouting orders at her to take my picture. I have been living in California so long, that I now find snow exciting. I am glad it does not snow where I live. I thought of my friend Charleston as this picture was taken and thought about how much he hates the cold. I was happier than I look.
View looking away from the lake. I should really know what these mountains are, but I don’t.
Imagine a lot of loud seal barking noises being made as this picture is taken.
Crater Lake, clouds, and pollen
I grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia and my fifth grade teacher went on a trip to Crater Lake. She treated us to a lecture and a slide show of her trip. As a kid, the west coast seemed a world away and an impossible place to ever go, but I wanted to actually see the lake and I never thought I would. I was very happy to have had the opportunity to see it.
Crater Lake and peaks
View from our camp site at Mosquito Lake (Diamond Lake)
The campsite was not as mosquito ridden as I thought it would be.
On your wheel 