Day 14 - Bandon!

The Crater Lake National Park entrance was only about an hour and a half from Topaz Lake NV so I got there early in the morning.  It was about 52 degrees in the park at 9:00 am.  I was back in tree country!

The first stop was the visitor center where they had a 20 minute video about the park.  It was busy but not like Yosemite.  The lake was formed when the top of the volcanic mountain collapsed in on itself forming the crater.  The volcano still has some puffing to do and created the cinder cone that is the island in the lake.  The only source of water for the lake is the rain and snow that fall inside the crater.  There are no incoming or outgoing rivers.  Its a balance of precipitation, evaporation and seepage.  They said they average 44 feet of snowfall each year so there is a lot of snow!

The view of the lake is quite spectacular and the high purity of the lake produces its blue color.

Elmer enjoyed the views as well...

It was at this stop that 3 women hikers, probably in their 20s, came along past the jeep.  Clearly they were camping since they had full backpacks with sleeping gear.  I asked if they were hiking around the lake and they answered, "No, we are hiking to Washington."  Wow...the Washington border is about 250 miles from Crater Lake.  I did not ask them where they started from.

There is still snow in the park, in fact some of the hiking trails were still closed although all the roads were open!

The drive from Crater Lake went through Roseburg OR and on to Bandon, familiar territory.  Home again, Home again!  Thanks for following along!

Day 13 - NV to CA to OR

I started the day in Nevada, drove into California and stopped in Oregon.  Most of the day was just driving but I did stop at the Lava Field National Monument just south of the Oregon border in California.  The morning was pretty, probably the nicest view from a hotel during the trip.  That is Topaz Lake, NV.  I did have a problem with cell phone coverage.  I was in an AT&T dead zone.  Just a half mile up  the road I was able to get a signal.

Yet another road construction delay...actually there were two of them along the way.

There were many pretty views along the drive north.

The lava fields were visible above ground in some areas but seemed to be covered with more vegetation than the lava fields I saw on the 2017 drive.  It probably means these are older.

Some of the main interest in this lava field is the many (over 500) lava tube caves that are present in the area.  You can go into about a dozen of them but need flashlights, helmets etc.  They do have one that is near the visitor center that is lighted and has a paved pathway in it.  I went down into it for about 100 yards then looked down the tube that seemed to just go deeper and smaller .... claustraphobia kicked in so I headed back out.

The stairway down into the lava tube cave.

In Klamath Falls OR, Elmer and I went to look for a place to have dinner.... we found where we had to go!!

Tomorrow I continue north to the Crater Lake area.  I have always want to see it.  Then west to Bandon.

Day 12 - Yosemite

Driving north today, through Yosemite National Park.  Of course we had to have some road construction along the way!  Only about 10 minute wait this time.

There was a history museum soon after I entered the park.  It was actually a collection of various horse drawn wagons ranging from laundry carts to chuck wagons to livery wagons and people coaches.  There were also a number of buildings that had been on the park property and were moved to this area for preservation.  The included a Wells Fargo station and a covered bridge.

The views are quite majestic with the incredibly large rock formations.  I took a few pics although better ones are online.

Even in the park there was the obligatory road work...

More driving north into Oregon tomorrow. I will get as far as Klamath Falls which sets up the final drive into Bandon on the 28th with a drive through the Crater Lake area.  There is a Lava Fields National Monument along tomorrows route that should be interesting.  I saw lava fields in Oregon on the 2017 drive as well. 

Day 11 - Trees...big big big

This morning was all about driving to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  The drive was almost 6 hours just to get to Sequoia so it was a long day and I did not do a lot of stopping or picture taking along the way.  I passed through Bakersfield and by the Edwards Air Force base.  Saw a military jet zoom by at one point.  I did not mention it but earlier in the trip I did see a couple of crop dusters at work.  They were working fields next to the road I was on.  Very low flying with a quick turn at the end of the field.  All the windows were up and the vents on internal air as I went by!!

It seems to be fix the road season...I spent 20 minutes or more waiting for this to open up.  Chatted with Susan while waiting.

Arrived at Sequioa about 12:30 or so.  It was an uphill, switchback drive both before the entrance gate and after. 

Yes, if you look closely, that is Elmeer up on the sign.

This was on the way up the mountain.  Not to the big trees yet.

There was even contruction within the Park!  This was about 15 miles up the road.  They open it up once every hour so you  could have a long wait.  Fortunately Elmer and I only waited about 10 minutes.

After the road work we started seeing the large Sequoias.

Headed between two seqoias

And here you are looking up at one...

The day ended in Dinuba CA rather than Fresno.  I have been staying at Best Westerns most of the time to build up some reward points and the Fresno BWs just did not sound too appealing based on their reviews.  This one is just fine.  There are lots of orange, lemon, grape and other crops being grown here.  The fields go on forever.  I did get a nice sunset over the orang grove...

Have not yet figured out tomorrows route....maybe it will just be a wildcard day!

Day 10 - Joshua Tree & General Pattton

Early driving went deeper into the desert. 

The first refueling stop had an unusual attendant!

The General Patton Museum was the next stop.  The desert area near Chidriaco Summit CA was used as training grounds for Patton's tank divisions and infantry groups.  They trained in the desert under conditions that would be similar to the North Africa campaign.  The museum has some Patton materials along with other military artifacts. 

This tank was one you could climb into and sit in.  They had the turret off.  You can see the turret in the background.

They  had some other vehicles as well including and original jeep and a cadillac ready for a general.

For my Philco friends, there was only one radio on display...a Zenith Trans Oceanic.

Outside, where many of the tanks were displayed, they had this friendly warning....

Just down the road was the entrance to the Joshua Tree National Park.  I drove around the park for about 3 hours reading the various displays and looking at the scenery.  This is Elmer checking out one of the Joshua Trees.

At one place in the park about 1:30PM it hit 110 degrees!  Most of the  time it was around 96 to 98.

These were some unique looking cactus plants.

It was a bit hot for a picnic but during the cooler months it might be nice.

Heading north tomorrow with a swing through Sequoia National Park then into Fresno CA.

Day 9 - Changing Plans

I knew today would be a longish drive so I wanted to get started early.  Unfortunately, yesterday my windshield was hit with a stone from a passing truck and it chipped and started a small crack in the windshield.  Fortunately there was a windshield repair store open on Saturday but not until  9am.  I was on their door step promptly and they took me right in.  $20 and 15 minutes later I was on my way.  Hopefully the treatment will stabilize the crack.

It wasn't long before I was in Arizona.  Turns out AZ is always on Mountain Standard Time so I gained an hour as if I had hit the Pacific Daylight Time Zone.
The country changed again with a much drier look. The next shot was taken, if I remember correctly somewhere along Indian Service Route 5 on what was the Navajo reservation.  At one gas stop there was a Navajo rancher filling up his 4x4 pickup and he asked if I liked my Jeep.  We chatted a bit, shook hands and wished each other safe travels.  A smile and friendlyness is the secret sauce.

I had decided not to go to the Grand  Canyon since that would be about 10 hours of driving and I already had a late start.  I have been to the South Rim and I am sure it will be very crowded since this is vacation season.  So I headed south and then west going much of the way on I 40.  This route took me past the Petrified Forest National Park which I had not seen (or if I did I did not remember it!).  It is a vast area encompassing the petrified wood forests along with many geologic and archeologic features and sites.  There are "painted" desert features with many different colors showing in the layers of the soil.

Forests of petrified wood, these next three are Crystal Forest

Below is the Agate Bridge, a tree that was petrified and remained intact while water eroded away the ground underneath to create a bridge.  Eventually it will  weaken from further weathering but for the time being it is supported by a concrete base to help preserve it.

On the way to I 40 and along I 40 there are portions of the historic Route 66.  In some  sections there is highway but at this point the highway has been removed and all that was left was the row of telephone poles that stood next to the highway.  This particular spot had a little marker and the shell of an old car.

At one point near the end of the day I stopped for dinner.  Where else could you find the Roadkill  Cafe on Route 66!

Tomorrow will be a drive down the Patton Memorial Museum in California, drive through Joshua Tree National Park and then to Twentynine Palms CA.