Blue (water) day at Crater Lake

It was a bit chilly this morning when I left Bend, OR. I must be used to it because low 30s didn't feel all that cold to me. On the other hand, I start feeling hot when the temps hit 70s! When I arrived at my destination of the day, Crater Lake National Park, it was downright pleasant...sunny and mid-50s. And, there was (thankfully) no sign of that smoke I experienced yesterday. I soon discovered there were so few visitors...at least traveling along the east Rim Drive...it felt like I had the whole park to myself! My first view of the lake from Merriam Point seemed almost surreal in the morning sun. That dormant cone is known as Wizard Island.

As I drove along the Rim Drive, I stopped at the many overlooks to take photos and just drink in the view. One thing I noticed almost immediately...it was SO QUIET! Not even the sound of birds chirping, or the wind blowing. Just silence. Amazing.

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. And, why is the water so blue? Apparently, all the other colors of the spectrum are just absorbed by the lake's deep waters. As I continued around the rim, the angle of the sun brought out the colors of the surrounding volcanic terrain. With the addition of the smooth surface of the water, it made for some beautiful reflections. The little island is called the Phantom Ship and it literally looks like it's levitating!

After a quick sushi picnic lunch, I headed over to check out The Pinnacles. These unusual chinney-like formations are called fossil fumaroles, created when hot volcanic gases rose up through the ash and solidified it. It was an easy walk along the overlook trail, where I not only saw many pinnacles, but also a cheeky golden-mantled ground squirrel with a nut in its mouth.

Tomorrow, I travel to Sacramento for the first of four concerts I'll be attending. I can't wait to see Brian Fennell again...he goes by the name SYML, which means simple in Welsh. Oh, I forgot to mention for those who are interested...tonight I'm staying at my third hotel on this trip with the dreaded half pillows. Thank goodness for my own king-sized pillow!