Sunriver/Bend, Oregon

September 5 - 12, 2008

Thousand Trails - Sunriver/Bend

Arrived here after traveling a couple of days from the Oregon coast through the Cascade Mountain Range. We traveled inland 210 miles and up 4,800 feet! After Whaler's Rest I was a bit nervous about what we might find at this Thousand Trails, but again found I just worry too much! The park is woodsy, but as soon as we pulled into our site I turned on DirecTV and had Ken go forward and then back up a bit to find just the right place for satellite reception. Then we could shut down and set up! I'm happy to report we have cell service, internet and the Red Sox!

Sunriver reminds me a bit of Pinehurst, North Carolina; the same type of village, shopping area and roadways. The only difference is instead of all those golf courses, here there are hiking trails, mountains and ski trails.

What beautiful weather here! Sunny, warm; high-70's during the day and mid-40's at night (we don't leave the windows open!) The park has a Town Square with a boardwalk sidewalk, store, library and cafe. There's two swimming pools and we plan to spend some time there so we don't look so pale!!

We spent a day driving back the way we came to visit the town of Sisters, Oregon. It's a tourist trap but clean and cute with western-style storefronts and some boardwalk or brick sidewalks.

Ken never minds taking me "shopping" anymore. We have no extra room in the coach for those little "extras" and if I buy something new to wear, our deal is I have to throw something else out! (I know, Jen, I will get rid of those pants!) It was still a fun day walking through the shops.

Any resemblance?

There were also a lot of "green areas" with little waterfalls and benches for all those husbands to sit on.

We spent a beautiful morning on a 12-mile kayaking trip down the Deschutes River. We started our trip at the park and proceeded downriver winding (and I mean winding) through the woods (where we were greeted by four or five bald eagles soaring about 25-30 feet above us - magnificent!);

through Crosswater Golf Course (visited by the Seniors Tour this summer, where we were greeted by a few groups of golfers - not so magnificent; especially when I thought they were going to hit into us; we saw many, many balls in the river!!); and finally through some log home mansions along the river. We were picked up by a ranger from the park who helped haul our kayaks back. The 12-mile river trek is only 4-1/2 miles by road.

I want to know why, when you are paddling downriver, the wind is blowing upriver. During the second hour of our trek we met up with a stiff breeze so all the benefit of the currents was diminished by the wind! This was our longest trip yet and my shoulders and neck really felt it later on. We came back and spent an hour at the pool working on getting some of our tan back.

What a day we had sightseeing! For just $5.00 we managed to cover every one of my phobias.

We started the day at Lava Lands at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. After a steep climb to that lookout building behind me, and after catching our breath at 5,020 feet, we walked around the rim of a volcano. This didn't bother my fear of heights too badly because the path was wide and I didn't have to get too close to the edge.

There is only so much room for parking up at the top of the Butte, so during the height of the season when there are a lot of people around, you have to take a number for your turn to drive up.

We then drove back down from the Butte and took the Lava Trail. This is unlike anything we have ever seen.

This is the entire Lava Trail as seen from the top of the Butte.

We then went to visit Benham Falls (which I would have named Benham Rapids instead of Falls; but what do I know!!??)

This is the Deschutes River, the same river we kayaked the day before, a little further downstream. When the lava flowed (the last time about 1300 years ago), it created dams along the river. This peaceful river turns into a demon.

This is where my phobia of being swept away by mountains of water started taking over. Ken was getting way too close to take these pictures!!

We left Benham Falls and headed to the Lava River Cave, still a part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. This is a lava tube (which I will not try to explain as I'm not really sure what it is...it gets very complicated) which is 5,200 feet long and at the entrance you can rent lanterns (this should have been my first clue!). The cave temperature is 40 degrees (second clue!)

Very shortly after this picture was taken, we turned around (at my insistence) and headed back to the cave opening. At least I can say, "been there, done that!"

We got back in the car, traveled about 20 miles and after lunch at the Paulina Lake Lodge(pronounced Paul-i-na; not Paul-e-na), started the ascent to Paulina Peak, the highest point within the Monument at 7985 feet. And here we found phobia #3, fear of heights. We traveled around the peak for approximately 4 miles, climbing about 3000 - 3500 feet.

There were no guardrails along the way and, of course, climbing we were on the right side of the road, closest to the edge!!!!!! I was driving which kept my mind on the road and I didn't look anywhere but straight ahead. Ken kept commenting on the distant vistas and how breathtaking they were.

Once up at the peak the vistas were truly breathtaking. We had a 360 degree view of Washington, Oregon and California. We saw both Paulina and East Lakes, the two lakes within Newberry Caldera (a caldera is a crater formed after a volcano has erupted and the center collapses). Originally there was only one lake, like Crater Lake, but later lava flows divided it in two. We saw The Obsidian (rapidly cooling lava that becomes a glass-like rock) Flow which is the result of the most recent lava flow of Newberry Volcano about 1,300 years ago.

Here you see the two lakes and the Obsidian Flow.

It was a long day but we saw a lot!! We have changed our plans and will leave here tomorrow for a campground close to Crater Lake. It is great being so mobile...we just pick up and go!