Mosquitoes, Men in Skirts, and a Motel Room?

Day 3: Friday, July 9, 2010

Driving and sightseeing day: Medford, OR to Crater Lake, OR to Roseburg, OR

Feature of the Day: Crater Lake

Night Accommodations: America's Best Value Inn in Roseburg, OR

If you have never been to Crater Lake before, it is exactly like walking into a postcard, the vista is that picturesque. When Mount Mazama erupted about 5700 BC, so much pyroclastic blast was expelled that the summit caved in on itself, creating a caldera, which has since then filled with snow, ice, and water. Now Crater Lake is the deepest lake in North America. The water is unbelievably blue and swatches of snow blanket the dormant volcano and its accompanying Wizard Island.

While the vista was stunning, the accommodations were horrendous; our campsite was overrun with dozens upon dozens of hungry mosquitoes. After canceling our reservation, we were left with no place for the night. All the campsites and even motels in Roseburg were booked due to a car show; Eugene was fully booked due to the county fair. Oregonians. At long last we found shelter for the night, though we were forced to rent a motel room. Access to a microwave taught us that Cindy has no idea how to pop popcorn; access to a queen bed reminded us that Lisa likes to sprawl and spin (like a ninja!) in her sleep.

Day 4: Saturday, July 10, 2010

Driving day: Roseburg, OR to Castle Rock, WA

Feature of the Day: Portland, OR

Night Accommodations: Mt. St. Helens RV Park in Castle Rock, WA

I am chagrined to admit that I slept the majority of this day when not driving. We did drive around Portland, OR very briefly, but were so turned around by our hormonal GPS system and city traffic that we mostly saw its industrial side. The City of Roses did indeed live up to its name, as the city was festooned with the flowers, and even the police cars included a rose logo. The Rose Garden, however, turned out to be a complete misnomer, as it was their sports arena (roughly equivalent to the TD Banknorth Garden/Fleet Center or Oracle).

Random fact of the day: Portland's sister city is Suzhou, China. How awesome and random is that?

Also, some men in Portland like to wear skirts. I'm from Boston, so whatever, but it still tickles me.