I had moved to Michigan in 1991 and took a position with the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a residential vocational rehabilitation program that combined community housing with work for pay within the context of a therapeutic environment. Mike lived in Seattle and was writing the book on this approach. He instilled into my thinking a paradigm that made my program's subsequent success possible. Over the years, I've only seen Mike a few times-- primarily at national meetings far from home and once when he stayed with us in Michigan while doing an national accreditation survey of a nearby facility. Mike and his wife Debbie now live in Eagle Point, OR, a small town on the banks of the Rogue River and a couple of hours down the highway from Crater Lake. Both the O'Malleys and Crater Lake were on my list and when I realized the geographic coincidence, a stopover was arranged.
Having decided the mountains of eastern Washington held bad ju-ju for me, I chose to leave Olympia and that fair state by way of Interstate 5 due south. With my satellite radio tuned in to the Metropolitan Opera, I began my ride on what motorcyclists refer to as "the slab." Once past Eugene, OR however, I-5 becomes an entirely pleasant experience, wending its way through the coastal hills of eastern Oregon with broad sweeping curves and glorious views of Oregon farms and ranch land. At Grants Pass, I cut east to Eagle Point where I was warmly welcomed by Mike and his wife. The following day, I headed for Crater Lake which is one of those places kids growing up in the east see pictures of but rarely get to experience. It's up there with the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and the presidential heads in South Dakota.
 |
| Oregon ranch house |
 |
| The best huckleberry pie |
Oregon Highway 62 climbs through prototypical Oregon evergreen forest, occasional crossing a ridge with vistas of high grass valleys and mountains on the horizon. Debbie had directed me to stop at Beckie's Cafe about half-way up and try their huckleberry pie. I did. It was better than the huckleberry pie I had in St. Mary, MT. I followed it with a piece of marionberry pie. This is not a pie named after Washington, D.C.'s former mayor and national embarrassment. Marionberries are a kind of blackberry. But huckleberries are something else again. Now if you are not from a very limited area in the Rockies, you have probably never had a fresh huckleberry. The link above should tell you more than you want to know, but be assured the flavor is intense and sweetly explosive. It's also a favorite of grizzlies in the Rockies so there are certain risks associated with random huckleberry hunting. Those are not cow patties in the berry patch!
 |
| Attention to staying in one's lane is amply rewarded |
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, almost 2,000 ft. (700 m.) at its deepest point. A massive volcanic eruption more than 7,000 years ago left a big hole where the top of the mountain had stood. Over the centuries, rain and snow melt filled the crater with water. Although less than 2% of the lake bottom has been explored, research has discovered hydrothermal pools that indicate a heat source at the bottom of the lake.
A perimeter road winds itself around Crater Lake yielding numerous dramatic viewpoints and trail-heads where I was able to get off of the motorcycle and spend some time in the woods. The azure blue of the water is legendary and Wizard Island, looking like a volcanic cone, juts up out of the water at one side. Native American oral tradition "recalls" the eruption and the area remains a prominent ritual site for tribes in the area. In fact, private ceremonial activities, including vision quests, take place at Crater Lake today as they have for centuries. Like my stay at the remote Mayan ruins of Uaxactun last March, my first visit to Crater Lake will never be forgotten.
Check out this aerial view. Hope to post some photos soon!
 |
| Crater Lake, Oregon |
 |
| Oregon's broad landscape |
No comments:
Post a Comment