August 29, 2008Heading down I-5 through Portland, we get as far as Woodburn by dark, so we are happy to have one of those parking lot type RV parks conveniently off the interstate. We mistakenly opt for a DQ for dinner where a chili dog turns out to be a corn dog with chili sauce - apparently some sort of language barrier. The following day we head to Eugene to visit Gene Costanza. It is wonderful to take a break from the road for a day. Gene is a great guy as well as a fantastic painter and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and his wife Rhonda. We found a pasture south of Eugene to do a quick study. The following day it was back on the road to head to Crater Lake. At this point, I am becoming concerned with how much grandeur my brain can hold. We spend the afternoon on the perimeter of the crater and take the long hike down to the lake access. (My legs still ache from Yellowstone but I reluctantly follow Roger knowing it will only hurt on the way up…) The water is cold and amazingly blue and a few kids take a dip just to say they did – I’m ok with just observing.
In late afternoon we head west to Grants Pass for the night.
