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<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0Mt. Shasta as north of Redding. \u00a0And very pretty. \u00a0The whole forest around here was actually really gorgeous. \u00a0I may need to plan a trip here sometime.<\/p>\n
JA slept a lot on this part of the roadtrip. \u00a0He drove most of the way to Yosemite, so it was my turn to drive to Oregon. \u00a0I don’t mind – I love driving, especially when the scenery is pretty. \u00a0We stopped around here to refuel and grab decent coffee, which improved things drastically. \u00a0Next stop: Crater Lake!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So we arrived at the park after closing. \u00a0No closed gates, just no need to check in at a guard station. Which is fine – we had a pass so everything was already paid for at the beginning of this whole trip. \u00a0Hardly any cars to be seen – either we really missed something or this just isn’t a popular place. \u00a0This sign was on the road up to the crater area – I thought it was pretty damn funny. \u00a0And kind sad that people need to be told to not be idiots.<\/p>\n \u00a0Tada! \u00a0Wizard’s Island! \u00a0In Crater Lake!<\/p>\n \u00a0The water is so deep blue here! \u00a0It’s pretty incredible. \u00a0This picture doesn’t do it justice. \u00a0I have no idea how to even begin to try.<\/p>\n \u00a0There is almost no one else up here. \u00a0With it being past closing time, I guess everyone saw what they wanted to see and took off or went to the campgrounds. \u00a0This is so unbelievably perfect and peaceful here right now. \u00a0JA and I couldn’t be more thrilled, even being as tired as we were. \u00a0This was heaven compared to Yosemite. \u00a0No one crowding for pictures, no noise, no idiots to tell to stop doing stupid things…just us and this beautiful, peaceful, amazing setting.<\/p>\n \u00a0Yup. \u00a0This might be one of my favorite parks. \u00a0I wish now that we had planned for more time here.<\/p>\n \u00a0Going down stairs hurt. \u00a0A lot. \u00a0JA and I took it really slowly and carefully down these. \u00a0Never thought this would happen.<\/p>\n \u00a0So blue! \u00a0And the shore just drops right off.<\/p>\n \u00a0There’s a trail that leads out to a lookout area up there. \u00a0Really wish we had planned on more time here, darn it. \u00a0We’re definitely not hiking this now though. \u00a0It’s late and we’re still far too sore from yesterday’s adventure.<\/p>\n There is a gorgeous little lodge right next to the lake. \u00a0The rooms were too expensive for our budget this trip (and I think they were fully booked anyway), but they had a restaurant downstairs. \u00a0They also had a lovely little balcony\/waiting area overlooking the lake, complete with rocking chairs and…<\/p>\n \u00a0…drink service! \u00a0Yay! \u00a0Perfect way to end the day – a beer in a rocking chair by the lake!<\/p>\n \u00a0We didn’t stay the night here, but I wish we would have. \u00a0There were people on the side of the road getting ready to star-watch and all I can imagine is it must have been magnificent out there, with no cities or light pollution around. \u00a0We stopped a bit here and there to look, but we just didn’t plan the time for it. \u00a0The goal was to try and get to Portland tonight, but that plan was cancelled when we both realized we couldn’t stay awake.<\/p>\n Unfortunately at that point, we had already left the park and were in a forest in Oregon somewhere. \u00a0The nearest stop that wasn’t creepy\/possibly bear-ridden was a well-lit rest area. \u00a0I’ve never slept at one before and I wasn’t too happy about it, but JA has slept at one before and it was better than falling asleep on the road. \u00a0We pulled the sleeping bags out of the back area of the car, leaned the seats back, and slept in the car.<\/p>\n Back to Yosemite Day 2 Part 2<\/a>\u00a0::: On to Portland to Yellowstone<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" July 30, 2016 Waking up today was not easy. \u00a0We were still pretty worn out from yesterday. \u00a0But we packed things up and set out. \u00a0Our first stop was at a convenience store in Yosemite park so we could gas up and I could get coffee. \u00a0I am not a happy person without coffee and apparently I’m not pleasant to be around if I don’t have coffee. The coffee at the gas station tasted like it had been there over…<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n