Today we wake up to crisp, but not very clear skies as the smoke is still very much in the air. Bob and I have time to walk before breakfast in the hotel and then we are on our way again. Today we follow the Columbia River for nearly 60 miles. It is fascinating to watch the trains on both sides of the river as well as all the wind farms high atop the gorge walls.
We cross back and forth over the river several times winding our way across northeastern Oregon.
As we head south toward the Bend, OR area, the land looks more like Montana and Wyoming with rolling grasslands and cattle grazing. We are still looking for our cowboy on a horse. Seems in this age, they all drive trucks or an ATV. Jerry’s eagle eye spots Mt. Hood in the distance. We estimate we are about 50 miles away. We have photos, but don’t think they will show up on the blog.
There are not many choices for lunch, so we stop at a local grocery and purchase sandwiches, drinks and chips and look for a nice picnic spot. We are rewarded by a spectacular find for a picnic—the Peter Skene Ogden Scenic Viewpoint. There is a gorge that drops 300 feet with a small stream at the foot. The park is well kept and we enjoy our picnic in a lovely setting. 
At LaPine, OR, we learned that Oregon is one of only 2 states where it is illegal to pump your own gas. ( see the end of the blog for the other state.)
By late afternoon, Jerry is driving up to Crater Lake. All he can think of is “no shoulder, no railing, no way!” We arrive at the entrance to Crater and are totally blown away by the awesome beauty. All the calendar photos and hype on the internet over this park does not begin to match actually being there in person. We snap photo after photo and just revel in the natural beauty. If you have been here, no words are necessary, and if you haven’t, there aren’t enough words to describe how awesome this caldera is created nearly 7,000 years ago.
We hate to leave, but we are excited about our next lodging stop at the Runnning Y Ranch. We are not disappointed as we check in to our 2 BR/2BA house. Another awesome experience. We eat right on the ranch property and are soon back to settle in with internet for all. Jerry remarked about how much happier he is when internet is available. We are all happier if we would admit it.
Running Y Ranch is a 3600 acre working ranch with the only Arnold Palmer-designed course in Oregon. At one time, the land was owned by Walt Disney and today is managed by Holiday Inn. We love having our own little place with peace and quiet. We saw 5 deer this morning (Sunday) on our walk.
(The other state is New Jersey.)
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