August 17: Crater Lake to Beaverton, Oregon

Beginning trip mileage 4535 miles.

We got up about 5AM and Brenda perked coffee in the restroom while I shaved. We drove up to the rim of Crater Lake for the sunrise. Brenda had asked the ranger at the campfire about places to view it and he had said the Lodge was not the best place since there was a mountain at the sunrise point. He suggested Wizard Island overlook so we drove around there.

The sunrise was very beautiful over the lake - but of course you had dark water. We watched until the sun was up and then woke the boys and had breakfast there. After breakfast the boys played around, feeding chipmunks, and Mark saw a larger animal - about hedgehog size, golden in color.

We returned to the lodge area for a little while and looked at the lake - it was pretty, but you didn't get the deep blue color with the sun coming across the lake at a shallow angle. I was glad we had reached that western shore point in the late afternoon - the color was exquisite then.

We drove down to the Park Headquarters and took a path to a wildflower trail. Jeff went on ahead and Brenda stayed behind to mail postcards, so Mark and I went around the beautiful loop trail where many types of wildflowers had been identified along a clear small stream and a meadow.

We had good views of the mountains as we exited Crater Lake to the north, and crossed the wide open space we had seen from the top the previous night. Soon we plunged into forest land again on the fast Hwy 138 to the east and 97 north. We headed up 58 northwest toward Eugene.

We climbed the Willamette Pass to 5128 ft and then started downward toward Eugene - it seemed like we went downhill for 50 miles - we had to get to near sea level at Eugene.

Close to Lookout Point Dam we stopped at a turnout to take a picture of the river and mountains. We noticed a large patch of blackberries - the vines were loaded. We spent the next 20 minutes or so grabbing up blackberries - probably more than a quart. We left the motor running to do this since we had already rolled the car off once.

We headed on in near Eugene and found a coin laundry by asking around. I got gas and the van restarted - to my relief. Then I parked by the laundry and we ate lunch while the laundry was in. Brenda bought some cookies for desert.

Heading up I5 to the Beaverton area, we wandered about and found Charles and Wanda's house from the sketchy directions we had gotten over the phone, plus asking folks, Brenda's detective work and the telephone directory.

Bob, his wife Lecia and baby, John & Mary and Stephen were there when we arrived. This is a fun-loving, joking group and we had a nice visit and dinner with them.

This was family night at the church, so Bob, Lecia, Stephen, Jeff, Mark and I hoined in the softball game. I got a tour of the nice new sanctuary they occupied about two months ago. Returning to the Hobsons we followed John and Mary to their apartment and spent the night there - except Jeff who shared Stephen's room at the Hobson house.

August 18: Mt Hood Loop with Hobsons

Starting trip mileage 4835 miles.

John and Mary left early for work and Brenda and I made ready to go to the Hobson's for breakfast. Just as we were about to pull out Charles drove up to see if we wanted to drop the van off to get the starter replaced. We did so we dropped it off at the Firestone where he gets his work done, and also asked them to put on a tire. Within minutes after arriving at the Hobsons they called to say my shocks were shot so we had all that working while we went on our tour.

We had a big breakfast of blueberry pancakes and eggs and finally took off in their station wagon - Wanda & Charles, Stephen, Lecia and baby Chris and us. We stopped by and picked up fruit and peanuts for snacks and headed around the first leg of the Mt Hood loop, down Hwy 26.

We stopped at the alpine slide. Stephen, Jeff, Mark, Charles and I rode the ski lift up and the alpine slide down. We got a fantastic view of Mt. Hood going up and I regretted not taking my camera up.

The alpine slide was a smoothly formed concreted path slalomed down the mountainside. We rode on little wheeled carts which fit on the concrete track - sort of like mechanics creepers. It was a nice ride.

We drove on up to the famous Timberline Lodge, built by WPA labor during the depression. It is a massive woodwork and stone creation.

We drove over to the Hood River Dam, to the Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery. At the Bonneville Dam we watched through glass as the fish swqm through upstream through the fish counting area above the fish ladder. I didn't get to see any fish jumping up the ladder - there are spring and fall runs and we were between them.

We drove on to Multnomah Falls and several other falls along the Columbia Gorge as we completed the loop. Charles had to rush to church for Wednesday night activities. Mark went skating with with Bob and Lecia and Jeff went to the movie Star Wars with Stephen, his 19yr old girlfriend and her 16 yr old sister.

Wanda, Brenda and I went on to church for prayer meeting and afterwards out for sandwich and pie at the "Plush Pippin" with Lou and Bill Walker. Lou is the Home Mission Board representative for the Washington-Oregon Convention and Bill is Vice President of Tektronics. We were joined by the director of missions for the Northwest area, including part of Canada. He was quite a story teller.

We ended a very pleasant though rushed visit at the Hobsons and retired to John and Mary's for the night.