Crater Lake was a beautiful sight...it is hard to describe the beauty of this place!! Pictures just don't do it justice!~
We saw all kinds of wildlife...Jim was hand feeding this little chipmunk, he was so cute. At one time he crawled on my lap...I was a little freaked out!~
One day in the snow & the next day on the Rogue River in a jet-boat, so awesome!!~
Over the bridge to Vancouver, Washington...these water lillies were all over the place~
There were incredible wild flowers of all colors everywhere~
Yes, the sign says "no trespassing"...go figure!`
~Mt Bachelor~
While we were traveling through some backroads in Oregon there were several beautiful Christmas tree farms & fruit stands with fresh picked strawberries, blueberries, rasberries & marion berries...oh my goodness they were so unbelievably yummy! You could buy them on an "honor system". You took what you wanted (or picked what you wanted) and left money in a metal box.
Salmon berries were just growing on the side of the road~
Picnic at Drake Park on the Deschuttes River~
The greatest fireworks show we have ever seen & it was only 55 degrees!~
The Oregon coastline is gorgeous...there were so many bridges, light houses, & sea life to see~
It's hard to see in this picture...this was a gray whale & her calf who were lost in the Klamath River. They were suppose to be in the ocean, I really hope they survived!!~
Sea Lion Caves, so fun to see but soooo smelly!!
California...two different days in the Redwood Forest was absolutely awe inspiring~
The tree we were able to drive through~
~Mt Hood~
~Portland's International Rose Test Garden~
Tillamook Cheese Factory, the BEST jamoca-almond-fudge ice cream ever!!~
A crazy thing happened at this place in Lincoln City, OR. A patient at work highly recommended that we eat at this place where they serve the best clam chowder (topped with shrimp)in the world, in their opinion. I looked up the address & the hours on my phone, just as we were driving into this town. It said it closed at 8pm. It was 8:15pm. As we drove by, disappointed that we didn't make it in time, we saw a sign that said it was open. We went in & ordered the clam chowder. While we were waiting, our waiter asked where we were from. We said AZ. He said he grew up in Scottsdale. I said I grew up in Scottsdale. He said he grew up on Exeter. I said I grew up on Exeter. He grew up 5 doors down from me!! He is a younger brother to one of my school mates. We had a good time reminising about old friends & neighbors. What a small world!! I don't eat clam chowder but Jim agrees that it WAS the best clam chowder he has ever eaten!
We went to a crazy street fair & some interesting farmer's markets~
These signs were everywhere, I would have been concerned but it only drizzled 1/2 hour during our entire trip, we really lucked out. The weather was perfect!~
The weather was anything but perfect in Phoenix the night we flew into Sky Harbor. Although, my flight to Milwaukee last summer still tops my most frightening experience on an airplane (if you don't count flying in a little airplane with my Dad as the pilot)!! We could feel the rough weather, see lightening in the sky, dust storms swirling around, & rain on the windows of the plane. The pilot tried to land once but couldn't, we circled around the city & came in for another landing & the pilot still was unable to land. We were re-routed to San Diego, landed, refueled, & waited in the plane until we got an ok from Sky Harbor. Several hours later we finally arrived safely into Phoenix where it was hot & humid!! Speaking of how small this world really is, while we were patiently waiting, we met one girl & her family on the plane which happened to be my neice Tracy's best friend growing up & another guy who was a friend to Jim's cousin Steve's kids. Wow!~
This trip was worth every single penny we spent, it was incredible!!
