Pristine Perfection

Of all the photos we’ve taken in our 4.5 years of RV travel, that ^^ may be my favorite ever!

Visiting Oregon has been quite nostalgic for me. I lived in Portland for my first two years out of college. Returning to this gem of the northwest afforded an opportunity to reconnect with dear friends which has filled my heart to overflowing. We’ve also been blessed to experience more of creation’s beauty in this region of the country. We even dipped into northern California. God’s creation never ceases to inspire and amaze us.

My favorite has been Crater Lake in Southern Oregon. My repertoire of laudatory adjectives seems insufficient to describe the magnificent beauty Skip and I beheld when we glimpsed its pristine perfection. I promise… there’s no photo editing in the images below.

The massive eruption thousands of years ago of Mount Mazama created the basin that is now Crater Lake, reaching a depth of 1,949 feet, making it the deepest lake in the US and the seventh deepest lake in the world. Fed by snow melt, the purity of its crystal blue water is beyond stunning. Since blue is my favorite color, I wish I could carry a bottleful home. We were blessed with a blue-sky, no-wind day. The stillness of the lake added to its reverent beauty. We stood in awe.

Forests afford a beauty all their own. With our dear SOWER friends Joel and Darlene, we visited the majestic Redwood Forest in northern California. The massive trunks of these stately giants are staggering to comprehend.

To the southwest of Crater Lake National Park, Skip and I hiked through Umpqua National Forest along an ATV / snowmobiling trail. We found a different kind of beauty and diversity in this thick forest…huge pinecones and little cones, massive trees and seedlings, decomposing trees and an exposed trunk revealing the rings of its age. In the distance we saw the incredibly pointy Mt. Thielsen, reaching 9,184 feet to heaven.

While in California, we also visited the Pacific coast. The spray of the waves against the rock formations was magical. I loved witnessing the rhythmic power of waves cresting and crashing on the beach.

For some crazy fun, we enjoyed a speed boat trip to Hellsgate Canyon on the Rogue River in Grants Pass with Joel and Darlene. The massive rock walls of the canyon were impressive. We were soaked through as the boat whipped in circles causing huge waves of spray and screams by all onboard.

And then…

I spent my afternoon with local EMTs, a couple of ER nurses and an ER doctor. A combination of heat stroke and hypothermia knocked me off my feet. I know… that’s a weird combination. To address the heat stroke, my friends were dousing me with cold water, so much so that my core temp dropped too low. Certainly not the adventure I’d hoped for, but it was a sobering reminder to drink more and stay away from open water on a bright sunny day topping 100 degrees. I’m all better now!

Next on our trip… Bend, Oregon. Hope you’ll come along for the ride!