The Great Outdoors! – Crater Lake and other excursions

This one has been quite an enjoyable week for us. We’ve been able to spend a good amount of time outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been having. I had forgotten how nice summer in Southern Oregon really is! Now that we’ve been reminded, hopefully we’ll be able to take advantage of what’s left of summer and introduce Emma to some more outdoor activities, she seems to really enjoy being outside.
Saturday saw us taking a much-needed family excursion out to Crater Lake. For those of you who don’t know, Crater Lake is a National Park here in Oregon that once was a large mountain, that is until it blew it’s lid – literally. It’s now a gigantic crater filled with water with a lone island (Wizard Island) poking out on the west side of the lake. The weather was perfect: not too hot, and not too cold. We took some time too take in the view, listen to an educational schpeel on the lake, and enjoy a picnic lunch.
On the way up to the lake we stopped of at a spot on the Rogue River called “Natural Bridge”. It’s a section in the river that flows through an old lava tube causing a “natural bridge”. It was cool to revisit this spot, as we had been there about three years earlier with both of our families – good memories! Also, on the way back from the lake, we stopped of for a quick hike out to the Mill Creek Falls. These falls are amazing! They’re pretty tall – not too sure on the exact height – and seem to just come out of the side of a huge cliff. The short hike out definitely makes them worth a stop if you are ever in the area.
For Family Home Evening we were lucky enough to join Justin and a friend, Jenna on a quad bike excursion. The bishop of the local singles ward lives up in the hills above the Eagar’s and has access to a good size piece of land where we were able to go riding. This was the first time that I had ever ridden a quad so it was more of an adventure to me than it really was in reality. We spent a good half hour riding along trails that took us up along ridges, down through dried up riverbeds, and through large pastures. Thanks Jenna for allowing me to use your quad; and thank you Bishop Trapp for taking me out there to enjoy your backyard :)
On top of all these outdoor activities, Traci and I also found time to play nine holes and enjoy a picnic lunch with Emma.
As you can see, we are really enjoying our lives here in sunny Medford. But for the next week or so we'll be in even sunnier Arizona meeting up with old Hawaii friends and participating in an Eagar family reunion. We'll let you know how all that turns out.
Till next time…