Mother Nature Will Build It and They Will Come

8/5/14
Let me go back to yesterday.  After a masterful job of setting up camp it was off to view the great Crater Lake.   According to geologists, some 400,000 years ago volcanic eruptions built 12,000 foot Mount Mazama. It is one of a line of volcanoes ranging from Northern California into British Columbia.  Two of the Earth’s crustal plates collided, and “wah-lah”, eruptions of magma proportions began to happen.  Lady Mazama had her days of fame some 7,700 years ago, spewing lava and ash for miles and thus creating some amazing formations, which we will get to later.  Fast forward to now, and the collapsed lid is now a deep basin filled with centuries of rain and snowfall.  We joined an international posse of sight seers at the Rim!  Meeting and chatting with folks adds such a personal dimension to trips!  Met a couple from Chico cruising and camping on a gorgeous Harley..what a way to go.  Took a photo of a grandpa, daughter, and her four children meeting up between Salinas and Seattle.  We heard German, French, and Chinese spoken all around.  It’s a bit mind-blowing thinking about families from far away imaging and planning their great American vacation and saying, “Hey, let’s go visit that Crater Lake in Oregon!”.
Ron has already filled you in on last evening’s weather and screaming child. I did have a Hershey’s bar in the bear pantry and was ready to go and bribe big time!
Fast Forward to today.  Found the camp showers to be hot, large, and fun to get to.  I had to walk to campground circle “F” to get there but it was filled with lots of campers.  It was like going to one of those RV shows.  There was one humongous “Rock Star” rig.  I can’t even begin to imagine how they settled it in the space.  There was not one thing set up outside...how sad.  Lots of amazing aero-dynamic Airstreams...truly works of sophisticated engineering, and everything in between.  Right now, I am just so elated with our Coleman tent, enjoying fresh air, and feeding all my new chipmunk friends the peanuts I so thoughtfully remembered to bring along.
One last note before Ron and I explore the local coin operated wash and dry...the neighbors with the screamer moved on.  Tonight is the presentation by a park ranger Dave Harrison in the conveniently located amphitheater entitled “Picture this: Statesmen, Shutterbugs and the National Parks”.  Should be fascinating.  And, yes, as a teacher I can write this entire excursion off the taxes!
N