Crater Lake is known for its perfect blue waters and there
really is nothing quite like your first view of it as you peer over the edge. It is like looking into God’s own
swimming pool. As tempting as it is to jump in, the 1000 foot cliffs tend to
keep out the unwashed masses. It is also amazing to thing of think of what it
once was and what sort of explosion took it down. Morbid curiosity has me
wondering what would happen should it ever get bored and decide to explode
again. Portland could start a whole new industry in steam baths. For now it is still under snow so
unfortunately running at 7000 feet was not in the cards for me. Shucks.
Crater
Lake is not without its wildlife and they are known to be aggressive. I have
yet to experience Alaskan Mosquitoes, which are supposed to be as big as their
bears, but I will give the Oregon Mosquitoes credit for drawing a lot of
blood. I may need a transfusion by
the time it is over. It is
probably a good thing I don’t want kids because it will be a miracle if I don’t
have Zika by the time this is over.
I finally broke down and went to the camp store looking for a (final)
solution for the little bastards.
I selected a large citronella candle and considered various ointments,
lotions and potions. The clerk was
an overly helpful, up-in-your-business type. This was tolerable while we were discussing my fire making
skills and his suggestions for improvement. However, when it came to the mosquitoes, he deemed my
strategy all wrong. Outside of an oncologist
office, I have never seen someone so adamant about bathing yourself in poison. The only solution is DEET, according to
this man. When I expressed my
reluctance, he rolled his eyes and told me I would be back tomorrow for “the
real stuff” because the DEET is fine, “just” as long as you don’t eat it or
breath it. It desperately made me
want to know what he did for a living before he retired to be a summer clerk in
a national park. Marketing? Sales? Torture?
I’m
sure he meant well since Oregonians believe in helping each other. For example, at the gas stations, there
is someone there to pump your gas.
This is something I find incredibly awkward when I pull up so the tank
is on the wrong side of the car. You would think 12,000 miles later I would have this down. I
am sure they sold this law as job creation and an important service to little
old ladies who never learned to pump their own gas but it just tells me that
someone in the Oregon legislature didn’t like getting his suit wet while pumping
gas in the rain. They also believe
in helping each other die so maybe that explains the DEET.
In
the mean time, I am having romantic candle lit dinners with myself as the
beasts feast on my flesh. Time to
try out the bear spray.
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