Bend Oregon

This morning we woke up and had a buffet breakfast at our hotel. Mmm, delicious! Then we drove to Newberry National Volcanic Monument (aka Lava Lands) and drove to the top of a cinder cone volcano that last erupted a few thousand years ago and took a hike around the rim (with a North Dakota like wind!). After that we drove a couple more miles and hiked through a lava tube. A lava tube is a cooled lava river that's hollow. Basically like you're walking through a giant culvert underground. After a hike through a lava tube that was more than 2 miles roundtrip, we went on another hike to see a waterfall...it was more like a series of large rapids but still worth the hike. Then a little leftover pizza, a Trader Joe's trip for "snacks" (Kelsey's favorite...Trader Joe's and snacks), and a quick trip to use our free range balls on the driving range of the course adjacent to our hotel.

I took a picture of Kelsey with Park Ranger Josh. He was a charming man with beautiful hazel eyes. Kelsey begged to have a picture taken with him. She said, "that's the hottest Park Ranger I've ever seen!" It was taken on top of the old volcano.

Ice in the entrance of the lava tube. They used to "harvest ice" from the tubes and butcher things in them because it's like a natural refrigerator. They also said mammals (bears included) sometimes use the tubes to hide out. You know, to get away from the cops after they commit a crime. When we entered Yogi was hiding from the Park Ranger because he had stolen some "pic-a-nic baskets." He was worried that at this point of his life he'd stolen enough "pic-a-nic baskets" to change it from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Me with a lantern ducking under the low ceiling of the lava tube. Without the lantern there was no chance of seeing. Pure darkness.

The water fall/big rapids we hiked to see.

Some tree hugger we saw on the way back. I plan on gaining weight and making clothes out of bark so Kelsey loves me as much as that pine tree. There were some humongous trees that I couldn't imagine ever being cut down...unless I was the one making millions from cutting them down. I'd rate the tree 8/10 and the tree hugger 10/10.