(June23– written by Dave)

34 Miles – 4,200 feet climbing

We slept well at the Last Resort – though having a glamping tent meant we went to bed a little later than normal last night – oh for the creator comforts of a couch and lighting. This morning we splurged again getting brekkie rolls at the Dry Creek store. They seemed small when I ordered them, so I ordered a “side” breakfast burrito. The burrito proved overkill and made for a slow start to our riding. We ate everything, but perhaps we shouldn’t have.

Today was all about the climb. From the Last Resort to the summit above Diamond Lake it is 30 miles and about 4,000 feet of climbing. There were a couple slight downhills but for the most part, it was all up. I don’t think my GPS registered anything over 7% so it was gentler than yesterday but it was a long slog still the same. It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes to reach the top.

Lower down on the climb we rode alongside the Umpqua and North Umpqua Rivers. In the morning light they made for nice photos. I stopped quite often but Nancy didn’t mind as she was in low gear spinning day mode. Back in 2017 when we rode this route we didn’t ride past the Last Resort until early afternoon and didn’t reach the top until the fading light. Today was much more fun in that regard.

We topped out at 5,397 feet, then had a short 2 mile down hill to the Diamond Creek Resort where we finally felt ready to eat some lunch. Maybe that burrito was a good idea after all. Nancy was thinking a room might be nice but I talked her into camping. It is much cooler up here at 4,900 than it was down in the Willamette Valley. We stayed in a room in 2017 because we arrived shattered in a thunder storm and we were worried about the weather that night. Today it’s 75 with a nice breeze coming off the lake, perfect camping weather.

The campground is massive but this time of year only takes one-day first-come first-serve on about 50% of their sites. We picked one out then used the weak mobile signal to pay for it online. They only staff the entrance booth on Thursdays to Saturday. I guess that saves some money but there’s something nice about being greeted by a ranger in a traditional National Park Service green and brown uniform.

Once we got camp set up we walked down to the lake and dipped our legs in the water. The water was pretty cool but very clear and refreshing. I’m not sure about swimming it but the soak did make our legs feel better. Diamond Lake is quite scenic; I may have taken too many photos.

Fishing appears good as several anglers at the lodge and one guy down at the lake shore had big hauls. Even with me using all my charm, none of them offered us a share of their bounty. Looks like spag bowl for dinner.

Tomorrow were off to Crater Lake. We have a shorter day than today but there is a good climb up into the park. Once we reach the rim, we’ll ride around the lake on the west side to the famous lodge before we head down to Mazama Village to camp. I know we’ll be higher in elevation at the rim than we are here now but I’m not sure how high Mazama Village is. Being lowlanders, we noticed the thinning air at 5,400 feet today, but then again, that could have had something to do with all the climbing we did to reach that point.