After watching the Riders/Lions battle it out for the west division semi-final (CFL football), my heart had to be re-started several times. Finally, in second overtime the Riders got it done. Whew. On to Calgary!
After watching some of the Toronto/Hamilton game earlier, Hailey was not as excited about the game as I was!
Prior to this, Hailey and I were still in Bend, OR. Friday was time for an overdue fuel filter replacement, and a drive up Pilot Butte, a cool 360* viewpoint in central Bend. Great views all around, specially of the mountain ranges to the west – all snow covered volcanoes!
Hailey got out for a walk around, and to stare down some of the many dogs up there. I think she is the first cat to be seen up there!
Friday nite I went to the Summit Saloon. I had to check out the great music from the DJ – whose house we were camped outside!
I had noticed a weird scratching-clicking noise from many vehicles around Bend. Then I realized the sound was from studded tires. I didn’t want to be around when they became necessary!
Saturday it was time to make a mile before the weather caught us in the high country. We headed south on 97 out of Bend, then turned across the north side of Crater Lake National Park. 
I questioned whether the north park entrance would be open, but the accumulated snow on the road shoulders as we approached the pass at 6000’ answered that question for me.
Soon, snow and ice were built up on the road in front of me and snowplows were having a hard time scraping the frozen stuff off. Luckily the park entrance is at the high point of the pass, and after getting to lower elevations the roads were bare again, and eventually the snow in the ditches was gone as well.
It was cool enough that Hailey took shelter inside my jacket as we were driving.
After a few breaks along the river’s edge, we joined I-5 for just a little ways – heading northbound, which seemed counter productive! But that part of I-5 is more or less east-west, so northbound actually took us towards the coast and west to Grants Pass.
Then it was southbound again till a suitable spot was found with open sky to the south so we could set up the sat dish(es) and catch the Leafs game on Saturday nite, and the Riders semi-final on Sunday. A nice quiet spot just south of Cave Junction filled the bill very well.
After packing up and a coffee Monday morning we headed on south and were soon into California – passing through ‘plant’ customs without incident!
Soon, we were at the coast in the sunshine and 14C temps!
Hailey was curious to see what all the waves were about.
It's been a few years since we've seen snow piled alongside the roads like that. Hope it's many more years before we have to see it again!! Guess it just serves to make the warmer California air all that much more special. Yaaaay Hailey:))
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