School Kids Suck

Even though this was uploaded on Friday, we typed the post like good kids on Thursday evening but had no internet.

Yesterday (wed) evening we received a call from the rafting company that told us that some school kids skrewed us out of our places on the rafting trip today (thurs) and would we like to go a different day (um no). So they gave us numbers of other rafting companies that we should try. Since our original rafting company did NOT have the courtesy to call us before 12 hours before the trip (you'd think that the school trip was planned in advance of this..) the other rafting companies were closed for the evening. We left messages but by 10am this morning they had all called to say they were booked solid for the day anyways.

luckily, we had back up plans....

We swiftly packed our bags and headed up to Medford, OR to sample the delights of Harry and David HQ. Unfortunately....the tour we tried to get on was SOLD OUT (must have be

en the school kids again...blast). Instead we just shopped for pears and grapples (apples that taste like grapes). We also found out,

 much to our dismay, that Harry and David was owned by a zillion dollar Japanese industry and not the quaint pear growers. Such is life.Harry and David shared a strip mall with the Oregon visitors center, where a nice old woman tried to sell us a map of all the covered bridges in Oregon that she thought we should be interested in for sure! After we respectfully declined her kind offer, we gathered various other helpful paraphernalia.

Not discouraged, we decided to just head up to crater lake. After all, the Oregon visitors center had a list of all these super cool hikes we could do. During the drive, we organized our thoughts about which ones we should do first and which we should save for the following morning.

The drive up was beautiful - we stopped at the Rogue River Gorge.... which was apparently formed by collapsed lava tubes. The Rogue River is also a nice turquoise color....we were a bit sad that we wouldn't be spending the day on it paddling. oh well.

After we blazed through some snow storms (and some beautiful forests and mountains and rivers) we saw the turn off for crater lake. Then we realized that it was a bit snow-covered. Leslie insisted it was the right way.  so since we were lucky enough to pawn off the PT Cruiser and get a Subaru - we decided to brave the 10 foot snow drifts in the road and get a work-out at the same time. We had no shovels - but shoes work fine in a pinch.

After our 90 mile detour (not an exageration at all) to the North Crater Lake Entrance, we arrived safely at the park entrance and were greeted by the AM Radio station for crater lake proclaiming that there was no lodging or hiking trails available in the park at this time and all winter activities had also ceased for the season. great....
So we pulled up to the entry gate and they reassured us that the lodge was in fact open for the season...as of yesterday. phew. So we proceeded to the visitor center to watch a movie about

 snow removal and some sort of story about finding crater lake. I am NOT sure it is the most efficient use of Federal monies to spend it on such extensive snow removal when it is open for like 

a few weeks. not my choice I guess.

After seeing the visitor center I was reassured that people were not kidding when they said it would be very snowy (pict) and I'm wondering why the bike store we called didn't tell us we were crazy when we asked if we could mountain bike up here. um yeah.

So we got to the lodge and checked in and had a nice beer and lunch overlooking the caldera. then went for a really short hike...of ALL the

 open trails...and some of the general snow fun ...hey, we made the be

st of what was

 available for sure. LIke my snow angel? 

We decided to check out Rim Village just to make sure we were not missing anything...then while Will was shopping for embroidered sweatshirts with the crater lake logo, the power puttered and ceased to exist in any useful form.

ahhh...and then the fun started. Thank goodness we were with Leslie, the life of the party. She is SO much fun to be around.

we took a nap.

then we looked around.

then my phone died b/c there is not real service.

then we organized Leslies life goals.

then we ate sandwiches for dinner. expensive sandwiches. very expensive sandwiches....but they came with a smile.

then we organized Will's life goals.

Then we ate dessert...

then we went to bed....at 8pm. What else were we supposed to do?

AHA! and then...there was a flicker...the power! it turned on! and here I am writing.

Next up:

Rogue Creamery, wineries, Smith River, power, internet access.

NOTE: We will add pictures when they are uploaded