16th June
I wake to a beautiful day. I eat breakfast at the Prospect Café and Trophy Room, where I meet a load of locals who are busy frightening two middle aged ladies who have signed up to go white water rafting on the Rogue River this morning…
I’m on the road for 0945 and first stop is the viewpoint for ‘Natural Bridge’. This isn’t an arch, like the previous natural bridges I’ve seen, but an old volcanic lava tube, which the Rogue River disappears into…
…before emerging as a torrent 200 metres further downstream…
Soon I arrive at Crater Lake National Park – great news – the Park Ranger on the gate tells me that the North entrance road will open today at noon
.
I ride the beautiful switchbacks up towards the crater…
…avoiding the locals…
…eventually arriving at the crater – it’s beautiful, like a billion carat sapphire set into the mountains…
I meet some other bikers in the car park – they are (left to right) David Minton, Joe Brandt, Eileen Minton and Larry Hornaday. Joe rides an R110RT, Larry a Honda Shadow.
David & Eileen, who are over from Herefordshire for a 3 week holiday, and have decided to buy some venerable transport…
…an R80/7 – which they bought over here and are going to leave with friends in Sedona to use on future holidays. David used to fly Shackletons in the RAF in the early 60s – he has no need to ever prove his courage in any other way…
By 1200, we’re queuing to get through to the northern entrance. I queue jump and get to follow 2 Harley Davidsons through the gate when it opens at 1230…
…we ride past some pretty heroic snow drifts – it’s not hard to see why the road has been closed this late in the year…
…this gate looked a little different on the 5th May…
I head north towards the town of Bend, where I plan to spend the night…
I travel through the Cascades, through the Century Scenic Byway – which wends its way through the lakes south west of Bend – the landscape is dominated by Mount Bachelor…
…the lakes are crystal clear and almost turquoise in colour…
…except when you try to photograph them…
I get to Bend at 1500 and check into the Hampton Inn – another good day.
I wake to a beautiful day. I eat breakfast at the Prospect Café and Trophy Room, where I meet a load of locals who are busy frightening two middle aged ladies who have signed up to go white water rafting on the Rogue River this morning…
I’m on the road for 0945 and first stop is the viewpoint for ‘Natural Bridge’. This isn’t an arch, like the previous natural bridges I’ve seen, but an old volcanic lava tube, which the Rogue River disappears into…
…before emerging as a torrent 200 metres further downstream…
Soon I arrive at Crater Lake National Park – great news – the Park Ranger on the gate tells me that the North entrance road will open today at noon
.
I ride the beautiful switchbacks up towards the crater…
…avoiding the locals…
…eventually arriving at the crater – it’s beautiful, like a billion carat sapphire set into the mountains…
I meet some other bikers in the car park – they are (left to right) David Minton, Joe Brandt, Eileen Minton and Larry Hornaday. Joe rides an R110RT, Larry a Honda Shadow.
David & Eileen, who are over from Herefordshire for a 3 week holiday, and have decided to buy some venerable transport…
…an R80/7 – which they bought over here and are going to leave with friends in Sedona to use on future holidays. David used to fly Shackletons in the RAF in the early 60s – he has no need to ever prove his courage in any other way…
By 1200, we’re queuing to get through to the northern entrance. I queue jump and get to follow 2 Harley Davidsons through the gate when it opens at 1230…
…we ride past some pretty heroic snow drifts – it’s not hard to see why the road has been closed this late in the year…
…this gate looked a little different on the 5th May…
I head north towards the town of Bend, where I plan to spend the night…
I travel through the Cascades, through the Century Scenic Byway – which wends its way through the lakes south west of Bend – the landscape is dominated by Mount Bachelor…
…the lakes are crystal clear and almost turquoise in colour…
…except when you try to photograph them…
I get to Bend at 1500 and check into the Hampton Inn – another good day.
