A Helicopter Ride Over Mount St. Helen's

We took a beautiful bridge over the Columbia River and into Washington State, the evergreen state.  Surrounded by rivers, lakes and streams made for beautiful scenery.  Contrary to popular belief, the sun was shinning and the skies were blue!  We stopped at the welcoming center and gathered information for our stay.  Without hesitation, our first stop Mount St. Helen's National Park!  Remembering the event in 1980, we both wanted to learn more about the volanic eruption.  We secured a spot for the night in a nearby RV park that overlooked the Cascade Mountains and watched a beautiful sunset.  With full hook-up, we were able to view the Olympics and watch Michael Phelps win his 21st medal!  Traveling this way truly has its benefits!  Morning arrived quickly and we were on our way to the park and visitor center to plan out our day.

There are 3 visitor centers along the hour long drive to the crater.  We stopped at the first and watched a movie explaining the eruption that took place on May 18th 1980.

  The 5.1 magnitue earthquake blew 60,000 feet of heated ash into the sky resulting in 1300 feet of the mountain's top to launch outward and crumble down the hillside.  The valley below Mount St. Helens was instantly scoured by heat, wind, ash and rock, killing plants and animals and drowning out rivers and forests; winds reached over 300 miles per hour, the landslide reached speeds of 155 miles per hour and temperatures reached 660 degrees Fahrenheit.  The landscape was so barren and completely gray with ash, that people visiting the area right after the eruption said they felt as if they were color-blind.  Although plant and animal life have come back to the area, there is still a sense of barren landscape in the surrounding area.

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We hiked along some of the trails and although the event was 32 years ago, we got a true sense of the devastation.  Steam continues to escape from the crater and ash scatters into the sky.  The ash that fell is 200 feet deep and still very evident in the landscape.

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The trees that were snapped like twigs litter the landscape.

However, new life continues to emerge.  Thouroughly enjoying our visit and on our return home, we passed a sign for helicopter tours.  Feeling brave, or insane...not sure which, I jumped on board for a flight over the crater.  Being 8,000 feet high in a helicopter certainly was not for the faint of heart!  But, somehow I mustered the courage and was grateful for an inside view.

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Spirit Lake still littered with debris of fallen trees which is clearly seen in the north part of the lake.  In the distance is Mount Ranier in all it's glory.  Mount St. Helen's once stood as that.

Happy and thankful to be back on the gound!

Although the captain was well trained and the flight was fairly smooth, it was a bit un-nerving.
    
                          
However, we had so much fun, we decided to hi-jack the helicopter and take the captain hostage! :)
Thank you Guy for this wonderful exhilerating experience.  One, not to be forgotten.  Still on a high...and a bit excited for having done this, I calmed myself down with a glass...or two....okay; three, of wine.  We headed towards our next destination of Ranier National Park and found a RV park in the middle of nowhere.  We woke to the sound of cows mooing at our window!

The Oregon Coast

Back in the RV and heading North on route 101....pacific coast scenic highway.  The sun is shining but it is still cool outside and we find ourselves wearing fleece.  The winds are strong and constant.  I need to add here, that on one of Guy's daily 5 mile runs, he decided to jump in the cold waters (58 degrees) of the Pacific Ocean and swim.  Although, I was not there to view the site, he claims he lasted less than 5 minutes.  I refuse to even put my toes in the surf! We spent 3 days in Oregon exploring the coast and a bit of the southern central area.  The people are friendly and simple.  It appears that life is not complicated on the west coast!

Our first stop was the Sea Lion Caves.  A little mom and pop operation that has been in existance since the 1930's.  We took an elevator ride 200 feet down and inside a cave where sea lions have been nesting since the 1800's.  It was mating season, so we only saw one.  Guess she couldn't get a date....

The waters of the pacific are cold....and the perfect breeding ground for these mamals.  Back outside, we visited the overlook where we were greeted by the barking sounds of these amazing creatures.  Sunning themselves on the rocks, they appeared to be very content.

I wish I had done a video to capture them frolicking in the water.  We were mesmorized.

Hungry for lunch, we hopped back in the RV and contined along the scenic hwy.  Truly a gorgeous coastline!  We saw some camera crews on the side of the road, so stopped to investigate.  Apparently, a huge dock washed up shore from the remanents of the Japan Tsumani.

A cleanup crew and crane were on site to cut up the huge chunk of cement into moveable pieces and remove from the beach.  We reflected on the people of Japan and the horrific event that they experienced.  Debris continues to wash up along the shoreline almost everyday.

We walked the beautiful Agate beach area for a short while as the wind was cutting and the blowing sand "smarted" our legs.  Needless to say, my hat blew off many times throughout our walk.

The pups enjoyed their romp on the beach and were reluctant to leave. But there was a lighthouse around the bend that we were anxious to view up close.  We are glad we did, as this was another place to view seals and whales.  The ocean is expansive here and the views incredible.

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-a beautiful sea lion who appears to be smiling for the camera--

We enjoyed our time in Oregon, chatting with the locals and taking in the scenery.  Although beautiful, I could never find myself living here.  Too cold and windy for my taste. If we wear fleece in August, I can only imagine what the howling winds of winter bring.  Below are a photos of our stops along the way.

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stopping at a seaside cafe for lunch

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I could not get my fill of these---

leaving Astoria...we head over the Columbia River into beautiful Washington State.  We take with us beautiful memories of Oregon.

Trail Angels on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)

Leaving Crater Lake National Park and at the crossroad of North and South, I received a text from my dear friend Marit who has been hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since end of April.  Her text reported that they, (she and her friend Mark) would be at Seiad Valley, California around dinner time.  We had hoped to meet up during our travels and have been communicating along the way for the past couple of weeks.  This finally seemed like the right opportunity to support my friends on their hike even though it required a 3 hour ride back south to meet up.  I immediately texted her saying we were on our way!  But, she never received the text as her phone was off to conserve battery life.  Anyway, long story short.....we headed back south along a scenic route along the Kalmath River and enjoyed the view along the way.  We arrived to the trail where she reported she would be, but all we saw were some of their hiking buddies.  On the trail, you acquire a "name" and are no longer known by your birth name.  They reported to me that "Moonwalker" and "Mark Trail" should be on their way soon!  So, we sat and talked to "Last Minute", "Bucket" and a few others about their adventures on the PCT, which runs from Mexico to Canada.  A mother and son team asked if we could take them to the trail head, and we were happy to oblige.  On our way there, I spot two lone hikers on the side of the road.....dirty and tired after their 29 mile hike of the day.  Guy screeches the RV to a halt, and I yell out the window..."wanna ride?"  Moonwalker looked up and to her astonishment, recognizes my face as tears fill her eyes.  Since she never received my text back stating we were coming, she was totally suprised to see us.  I have known Marit since 4th grade....and we were certainly inseparable during our highschool years. It was so wonderful to see her!!  We dropped off the other hiking team and Moonwalker and Mark Trail climbed on board to the short ride back to the campground where we had reserved a spot for the night.  We spoiled them on Steak and fresh veggies...which is nearly impossible to come across on the trail.  Marit and I drank a bottle of wine as Guy and I listened to their adventures.  Amazing stories and pictures they shared with us.  The next morning, chef Guy, prepared an amazing protein filled breakfast and coffee with a "kick". 

Guy and I decided to hike in with them for a couple of miles to properly say our good-byes. 

Two miles seemed nothing to the 1000 that lie ahead for them especially with the 35 pound back pack on their back.  They are on their last leg of California and plan to enter Oregon in the next day.

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It was sad to say good-bye and Guy and I stood there as we were in awe of their journey that lies ahead.  They thanked us for being their "trail angels"  A term used for people who help the thru hikers.  Hugs and kisses and we were back on the trail going opposite directions.  Once back to the campsite, we cleared our cubbards of nuts, veggies and other rarities for the hikers and left them in the "hikers box" for future hikers heading this way.  It was a wonderful experience and it was great to connect with my friends.  Talk of hiking the Long Trail, a 232 mile trail through Vermont was discussed for next summer, as well as biking the coast of California and across the U.S.  Who knows....perhaps we will give up the RV next summer for our bikes!
                                           
Back on the road.....we were heading back north through central Oregon and the beautiful mountains, hoping to reach Florence, along the coastline for dinner.

Crater Lake

We had hoped to arrive early to the park, but administrative duties held us up most of the day. Despite complaining about it, it is nice to have technology to allow bill paying and the sorts at our finger tips.  It also gave us a chance to take in the people of Southern Oregon....a breed of their own.  After lunch we were back on our way up north to Crater Lake.  Once again, we were lucky to secure one of the last RV sites.  It seems luck is always on our side....and we are filled with gratitude once again.  After dinner at the lodge, we went to a ranger talk discussing the past and future of the lake.  Quite interesting and it just made us thirsty for more.  Interestingly enough, and our luck continuing to expand, Guy was able to secure two of the last tickets for the boat tour in morning.

We were up early and excited to be on our way.  So, after Guy had his daily 5 mile run, we headed to the north rim.  There is only one safe way to the lake and that is down a very steep switchback trail that decends about a mile.  We arrived just in time, as the boat was full and waiting for us to depart.

How did the mountain at 7000 feet altitude become a lake?  A massive volcanic eruption almost 8,000 years ago left a deep basin in the place where a mountain peak once stood.  Centuries of rain and snow filled the basin, forming a deep blue lake whose waters are of unmatched color and clarity.  It's the deepest lake in the U.S. reaching 1,943 feet at its deepest point.  The lake is 6 miles across and the clarity is 100 feet deep!  The two hour tour was full of interesting facts and beautiful scenery.  I have never seen water so clear.  Although swimming is allowed, the 56 degree water was certainly not an option for me.  But, we did partake in filling our water bottles and drinking the pure water.

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We were suprised to see snow still lingering, but after learning the average snow fall is 544 inches (44 feet) per year, it made sense.  I am sure this will be winter paradise in a few short months.  The air is clear, and the blue sky matches the water of the lake.  At this high altitude, it didn't take long to get a little color in our cheeks.

  After the tour, with fresh water in hand,  we hiked back up to the rim and began our trip around the rim.

  Crater Lake is a must see and we are grateful for the experience as this was a last minute decision to visit. 



Redwood National Park

We continued our drive along the Northern California coastline taking in all this diverse state has to offer.  Giant redwoods on the right, Pacific ocean to our left made for breathtaking scenery.  That word, "breathtaking" is a common thread throughout our travels.  It seems the next place we go is more beautiful than the last, and that just dosen't seem like it could be possible.  Again, this drive had many stops along the way to take in the scenery.  However, our rig was too big to take some of the side roads, unpaved roads and steep switchback trails....Bummer.  However,  we were able to take the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway which was very similar to Avenue of the Giants.  The 10 mile drive passes right through the heart of the old-growth redwood forest and features a resident herd of Roosevelt Elk.  One lone stag ruled over the herd and we were unable to get close for a picture.  Suffice it to say, he was quite impressive with the rack he carried high and with pride!  We continued our drive along 101, the famous coastal hwy, reaching Jedediah Smith Redwoods state park where we secured one of the last sites for the night.  Ah, a dream come true....sleeping under the giant redwoods! 
This park is the northenmost of the 30 redwood state parks that dot the California coast from Monterey to the Oregon border and one of the most popular, so we feel extremely fortunate to stay for the night.    The Smith River with it grade one rapids and crystal clear warm water flows right alongside the park.  There are many self guided trails that  meander through the redwood groves.  We hopped on our bikes and explored the area before calling it a night, but not before our neighbor spotted a black bear cross through their campsite.  Interestingly enough, we still had a quiet and restful sleep.  Off to an early start, we were back on our way.  But, not before stopping and allowing Jubilee a swim in the crystal clear waters of the river.  This also served the purpose to help rehab her knee.  She is recovering from her surgery amazingly well and we are the ones having to keep her at a slow pace so she doesn't re-injure herself.

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It was here where we climbed along the rocks of the shoreline and it was here where I almost placed my hand on a rattlesnake that was sunning itself.  I am still shaking as I write this blog.  Needless to say, I was done with this place and we climbed back in the RV and continued heading north....crossing the border into Oregon.  We found a quaint little restaurant named "Bless My Soul"  where we dined on southern soul food and it was delicious!  A little taste of home for Guy.

We found a RV park right across the street and began to make plans for our visit to Crater Lake.