The end of Oregon and beginning of California, with pictures of course!

My appearance garnered giggles from college age locals last night.  A seamless transition between our life in the woods and city life is near impossible.  I was reminded of this fact as I edged through the small crowd of students gathered to smoke on the steps of our hotel- which also served as the Saturday night watering hole.  We’ve seen one shower and one flush toilet in the past 11 days.  We had no intention of coming to Arcata, much less getting a hotel room, so I was still wearing my long underwear under my shorts while sporting socks with sandals and the stench of six day sweat.   Oh well.  At least now we will have a shower. 

After leaving Portland, we heading into the Mt. Hood wilderness and found a really great campsite with no one else around.  Ashlin had a blast climbing over her tree bridge and exploring the area while Katie and I played with our new tent.  We took a slow and easy morning at camp on the 4^th then moved into the Three Sisters Wilderness area where we found camp at a place called Lava Lake.  Ashlin made a friend at camp and we had our coldest night so far as the temp hit freezing and we woke to frost on the ground.  We said goodbye to Ashlin’s new friend and made a short drive to Waldo Lake in the same wilderness area.  Oregon has two of the nation’s three cleanest lakes and this one comes in second behind Crater Lake (which is only 45 miles away).  It was freakin’ gorgeous and so clear it was like pool water.  We had another hike cut short because of snow but had a great time boot skiing back down the side of a cinder cone volcano.  The next morning we decided to head back to the coast rather than stay in the mountains since our hikes have been truncated.  We found a crazy packed campsite on the Oregon coast and literally chilled on the beach.  We planned on staying another night on the coast but overcrowded and over developed campsites kept us moving south.  We tried to camp in south Oregon but came upon pollution from a laminate mill in Brookings and so we had to keep moving.  It was appalling how thick this smoke was.  It carried for 100 miles down the coast and into the Redwood forest of California.  We drove until the smoke ended but it was then 10:00 and we were in Arcata which is why we got the hotel room.  Now we have to leave so I will end it here.  Enjoy the pics!

Checking out our new tent.  Also found this amazing campsite by a small river.

Family pic at our campsite.  Ashlin loved walking across this log, she would say, "I have to go to school now"

Lava Lake in Three Sister's Wilderness, Oregon.

Ashlin made a friend, yay!

Early morning pic

Fishermen getting ready

Ashling "fishing" with her no hook fishing rod.  Look at how clear this lake is! @ Waldo Lake

On our hike, tons of snow!

Boot skiing

More

Our campsite at Waldo Lake, Ashlin found herself a little course through the woods

That is a thumbs up to Derek's "fry-dini" sandwhich.  The only way we could get her to try it was by saying Derek's mom came up with the idea.  After that she said, "How did Mamaw think of such a great sandwhich?"

Trees

It is like one of the things you put your head in to get a picture, but it's a tree!

Pretty

And clear

Driving through Eugene and we spotted this.  Dalton 4-life!

Beach in Oregon

Ash was freezing but couldn't help herself

Just goofing

Although I am on a beach, I am wearing two long sleeves, my rain coat, and my winter hat.  Then I was warm.

Playing chase with the waves.  I think we can all remember doing this.

Coast of Oregon