I flew to Portland on Friday morning to meet up with Keith and Melissa, beginning a several day road trip through southern Oregon, northern California, and the Oregon coast. The primary reason for this trip was to run the Avenue of Giants Marathon in northern California on May 1, but we planned several stops before and after the race to make for a fun adventure. Friday was primarily a driving day, and we drove from Portland to Shady Cove during the afternoon. Our motel, the Maple Leaf, was a very pleasant surprise, and we enjoyed a good Mexican dinner that night as well.
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| Driving through a rainbow |
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| Our motel in Shady Cove |
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The next morning, we made the one hour drive from Shady Cove to Crater Lake National Park. I've wanted to visit this park for many years, so I was extremely excited to get the chance to see it in person. The lake fills the old caldera of collapsed Mount Mazama. It is the deepest lake in the United States, and one of the purest bodies of water.
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| Entrance to Crater Lake National Park |
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| Wizard Island in Crater Lake |
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| Crater Lake |
The lake was spectacular! We spent time at the main visitor center before making our way to the Rim Village, the only location open this early in the season. It was shocking to see how much snow was present at the rim. We walked along the rim for some great views, but hiking without snowshoes was out of the question this time of year.
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| Wizard Island |
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| Visitor Center |
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| Rim Village snow banks |
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| Keith enjoying the views |
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| Crater Lake |
We spent a couple of hours at Crater Lake before making our way to Eureka, California for the evening, We drove through some redwood forests along the way, and enjoyed some great views of a the coast, a preview of things to come!
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| Along the way to Eureka, CA |
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| The coastal views north of Eureka, CA |
