Oregon Trip: Up to Bend

I was tired as $h!t this morning and drudged up for the drive up to Bend. Totally wasn't feeling it so I took it easy.

I did stop up at Crater Lake for one last look...and, yes, a few more pictures. Don't worry, my 10+ panoramic shots were even enough for me and so i held off a bit.

Since I detoured out of Lava Beds NP in California, I had to stop by and see some lava beds on the way up to Bend. So I stopped at Lava Cast Forest. This site is only accessible by driving on a 10 mile unpaved road (thank you again Budget!) I started to wonder if there really was anything at the end of the road. Thinking that very few took this road, I secretly hoped that it was more of a local thing and that perhaps there would be a nice hot springs for me to soak in. Well...there wasn't.

Lava Cast Forest features a 1 mile loop trail where you can sample a bit of what the lava flows did to the forest of yester-eons ago. The lava basically pasted through the forest and encased the trees which killed them (of course). After the tree decayed over time, they left a lava casting in their place. The terrain is something out of some sci-fi movie, as it is covered with sharp pumice. Hard to imagine anything would live here, but surprise. Aside from the few trees and other small plants, on the pumice grows lichen which will eventually break down the pumice into dirt and sand. This area will be rich with tress again...but probably not in the same time in which humans existence.

Tomorrow: Portland