| The first day of driving found us — because the big football game in Eugene backed up I5 from Portland — detouring off the highway just to get to Eugene | Turns out, there are still three places crossing the Willamette River served by ferries instead of bridges | We found ourselves at the Buena Vista crossing | In 2011, this ferry was upgraded from a five decades-old diesel-powered ferry to the overhead-electric one we rode | The ferry appears to be guided by cables, with electrically driver propellers providing propulsion | The whole ride is only a few minutes long |
| Farms in the Willamette Valley, west of I-5 | Classic barn | This barn’s looking a little run-down | Fortunately, even with all the delays, we made it to Eugene (barely) in time for our reservations at Cafe Soriah | We haven’t been in years, and it was a real treat to eat there again | The saganaki was a big hit, especially with the kids |
| Looking upriver from the hotel room balcony | Downriver | The river has parks and paved trails along both sides, so we enjoyed a walk from the hotel | This pedestrian bridge connects the two sides of the river | Sunlight sparkles on the river | The river trail includes a scale model of the solar system |
| The low morning sun is clearly a problem ☺ | Guinness rushes to catch up | A cute and well-kept house along the river trail | Our hotel, from the other side of the river | River House Community Center | This large gaggle of geese, and their duck friends, are being bullied… |
| …by these two Canada geese | And everyone says Canadians are so nice! | Drawing what he sees | Later on, we strolled around campus | This street is blocked to motor vehicles, and lined with bike racks | For some reason, the business schools have the nicest buildings |
| Family photo by the pioneer man | The Collier House dates to 1886, was purchased by the university in 1896, and today houses the Music faculty offices and events | Southwest corner of Willamette Hall | Albert and Betty by the soccer fields | Taking a break | The Ducks’ ball field |
| There’s a historic cemetery in the middle of campus | Waiting for the clock to chime | The south side of the Knight Library | Another fun favorite restaurant in Eugene is the O.E.S. (Oregon Electric Station) | The building was constructed in the years 1912-1914, served as an actual station for electric trains until 1933, and the restaurant took over in 1977 | A construction-related backup crossing the Willamette Pass was made worse by a serious accident on the other side |
| Peek-a-boo view of Crater Lake | Getting better | Smoke from widespread forest fires to the south made for poor visibility | But there are lots of other mountains and volcanos out there in the distance | We stopped at the Cloudcap Overlook, a great place to view the lake, and site of a well-known photo of Harvey | It’s so hazy, you can barely see Wizard Island |
| Taking in the view | Panorama from Cloudcap Overlook | Family portrait | Phantom Ship in the distance | A very hazy Wizard Island | Our carriage awaits |
| Innaias is as impressed by the gravel as by the lake, it seems | Using binoculars to enhance the view | The interior at Crater Lake Lodge, at Rim Village | Panorama from Rim Village | One of many gullies leading to the lake | It is amazing the harsh conditions a tree can survive |
| Even by the end of summer, snow still remains along the base of the western ridge | Beautiful blue | With the sun to our backs, the haze wasn’t quite as problematic | The official ferry is the only way to access Wizard Island | Flynn and Guinness pause for a photo | The volcanic nature of the rocks make for some wonderful hues |
| Hard to believe that this stump can support even the barest stragglers of branches that are present | It was just the right time of day to see dozens of these ground squirrels running around | Given the harsh winter conditions, it seems safe to assume that these particular squirrels hibernate | Well-bleached trees | Rock-climbing | Crater Lake Resort had lots of mosquitos, noisy campers, and sulfurous water, but it was still a nice place to stop for the night |
| The resort, a mix of cabins, campsites, and RV parking, is right next to a small creek | The place provides canoes, including this wider row/canoe hybrid | The creek was very shallow, making it relatively safe but tricky to navigate in places | Flynn did a good job keeping up with his paddling directions | This bend in the creek was just outside the cabins we stayed in | Debra got her own private tour ☺ |
| Guinness and Flynn horse around at Lassen | Flynn and Innaias | At the Bumpass Hell trail head. Lassen Peak is behind, to the right. | The truck is small but visible in this long shot that includes the peak far in the distance | Corinne on the early part of the trail | Even with the haze, the views are spectacular |
| Debra and Innaias make their way to the Bumpass Hell end of the trail | Coming ’round the bend | Bumpass Hell comes into view | One section of hillside was covered in pretty purple flowers | Bubbling hot springs in Bumpass Hell | Perhaps not as widespread volcanic sites as Yellowstone, but every bit as impressive even so |
| As at Yellowstone, varying temperatures and organisms result in a variety of colors | Of course, mud from volcanic ash is still just mud | Sulfur colors the hillside | A big pond on the east end | Clouds of vapor occasionally made this boardwalk tricky to walk along, as visibility was reduced to almost nothing | A beautiful turquoise pond along the north edge |
| Innaias walks with Debra | Flynn exploring on his own | The western bowl of Bumpass Hell | This squirrel has clearly been fed far too often by humans | It ran practically right up to Pete’s feet before he took these pictures | Lake Helen, with Lassen Peak behind |
