Getting There

Woke up Friday morning mucus filled and coughing, ready to head south. We had planned to leave around ten, but woke up at ten. Changed the time to 11AM. Shortly after twelve we hit Route 97 heading south facing a 5 ½ hour drive to Lassen National Park. We figured we would get to the park around six and camp there.

Paul is intrigued with landscape, landforms, geological history so driving through the volcanic legacy of Central Oregon intrigued him.

“If we had more time, I’d love to drive off and explore this area more.”

Then we saw a sign for the Lava Cast Forest. We had to go. Screw the schedule.

It was a short 1 mile hike through and area that had been devastated by a volcanic explosion 6000 years ago.



As the lava flowed downhill, it would form around the trees. As the trees burned and the lava cooled, it would leave behind molds, though here they are called casts.


It added about an hour to the trip, but worth it.

We needed gas so we followed the signs to Sun River, just outside the park. Unfortunately, Sun River is not your ordinary town, it is some kind of resort. All the houses look the same and there are not normal streets; there are roads that are connected with circles that do not tell you where you are going. We went around circle 6, circle 9, circle 7, saw the golf course, avoided all the families riding bicycles together on the bicycle paths that run parallel to all the streets and circles. After 45 minutes, we had to stop and look at the maps posted at each circle. Apparently we needed circle 10 to get back to 97. In all the time, there were no gas stations. We found circle 10, even found a sign to 97, and surprisingly, as gas station, just inside the entrance. Now 3 o’clock, we were back on the road.

More pretty vistas, small country towns and the open road. With more planning we, could have made a trip to Crater Lake, but realized a little too late how close it was to the highway. The next big town was Klamath Falls, just before the California border, which we got to around five. Dinner at a Black Bear Diner, a stop at the auto supply store for headlight and blinker bulbs, a stop at Safeway for hiking food, an hour and half later, back on 97. Ah, zee open road…

More gorgeous vistas, mountains and hills in the distance, highlighted by the setting sun, our over packed hurdling down the highway and those familiar red and blue lights behind us.

“And we’re getting pulled over.”

“Hello, I’m officer [someone] with the Oregon State Patrol. Just want to let you know this will be recorded. I’m pulling you over for doing 70 in a 50. Why were you going so fast?”

What answer are they looking for when the ask this?

I was in the passenger seat so I had opened the glove compartment to look for the registration.

“What was that that fell out?”

Not seeing anything fall out, Paul and I searched the packed floor and could only guess it was the quarter sitting on my backpack.

“Do you get pulled over a lot Mr. Weaver?”

“Not in a while, but just yesterday for having a headlight out that I just fixed.”

“Because you seem nervous. I saw your hand shake when you handed me your license. Can I see your hand?”

Paul held out his hand and yes it was shaking. I felt bad for him. Twice in two days.

“Where are you headed? I see your car packed.”

Connecticut.

“Okay, I’ll be back.”

I asked Paul if he was nervous. He said yeah, it sucks getting pulled over. I gave his hand a squeeze. We both figured he’d be getting a speeding ticket. Damn.

The officer comes back.

“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. I’m going to ask you a lot of questions. Whenever I see someone so nervous I usually find something. If I search the car, will I find anything? Any marijuana, open containers of alcohol, anything?”

Uh, no.

“Really, if I get the canine unit out here will the dogs find anything?”

No, nothing. You can have a look.

“Where are headed tonight?”

Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Over his radio we here, Weaver, Washington, all clear.

“You have the car all packed up.”

We’re headed to Connecticut, taking two weeks to get there.

“I’ll be honest, I ask a lot of questions when drivers are nervous because 9 times out of 10 I find something, but I believe you I do. Okay, I’m going to let you on your way.”

Hmm. Weird. Actually, a cool cop overall, polite. I never felt nervous, but unexpected.

We wouldn’t have minded the K-9 unit, but it would have delayed us even more.




On our way again, finally into Northern California, gorgeous view of Mt. Shasta and we keep going.





States visited: 3
Dogs met: 2
Cats met: 3
Necessary urinations in unauthorized locations: 0