September 01, 2003

Day 13 - Hole in the Ground

Lost Forest to Crater Lake.

Labor Day

Asleep at 10 and up at 8 - breakfast of oats and eggs and canned goats milk. Leave The Lost Forest the bumpy roads put me to sleep and take an hour nap before noon. Pass the 4wheelers campsite there is a sign that says "Camp Bunny. Private Property". Only humans I saw in Lost Forest.

Feeling lonely this morning and head back to the town of Christmas and call John from a pay phone collect, our connection is bad so we don't have much time to talk, but he knows I am alive, it is the first outside communication in over a week.

Stop at Fort Rock a pre-historic rocky butte where people have lived in caves for 9,000 years. It is humbling how long humans have lived in this one place it is easy to see why, it is secure like a castle and on the edge of different eco-systems for food gathering. From here the foothills of the Cascades start and there is more water and trees and animal life. Forest jeep trail into the Deschutes National Forest in search of The-Hole-in-the-Ground .. this audio clip (.wav) best describes what it was like finding The Hole.


--Hole-in-the-Ground

The Hole in the Ground looks like a meteor strike but it really is volcanic in origin. A hot steam bubble formed under the earth and when the steam exploded the was crater left behind. Nearby I also visited The Big Hole in the Ground which is even bigger, but less dramatic as it is covered in forest and eroded. Took another nap for 2 hours at The Big Hole while listening to a radio show about "The Rat Pack" on XM. Lots of naps today.

From here it is a 2+ hour trip to Crater Lake to the south and the drive is bumper to bumper and tiering. Pass many cars covered in dust with bicycles on the back headed north to Portland returning from Burning Man and there is headlight-flashes and honks and waves because it is easy to see who went to Burning Man from the war-badge of salty white desert dust covering the vehicles.


--Natural Bridge, Rogue River.

Arrive at the Crater Lake area and make camp outside in the Rogue River National Forest. Stop at The Natural Bridge. Campsite is along the Rouge River and is beautiful and completely private. Cook a decent meal tonight of seaweed soup and chicken stock, asparagus, chicken livers, carrots.


--Getting ready for dinner. Perma-dust on truck. Temperature cold.


--Campsite for the night.

Posted by stbalbach at September 1, 2003 08:18 PM
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