Brushing Up on My Volcano Lingo in Central Oregon

We were on a mission!

We had two more national parks to visit in southern Oregon and northern California while the weather conditions were still optimal. And I soon realized that I would need to brush up on some of my volcano lingo such as ...

Caldera ... Crater Rim ... Fumarole ... Lava Tubes ... Magma ... Obsidian

as we were going to be in one of the most active volcanic areas in the continental US.

(Wikipedia)

It would also be helpful to re-learn the names of the four main types of volcanoes ...

Cinder Cone ... Composite (Stratovolcano) ...  Plug (Lava) Dome ... Shield Volcano

And, of course, it's always important to know if these volcanoes are ...

Active ... Dormant ... Extinct

So after leaving San Juan Island, Washington we made a quick stop in downtown Seattle to check out a few of the famous sights like the Space Needle, the original Starbucks Coffee Shop, and the "flying fish" at the Pike's Place Fish Market.

Can you see it???

From there it was on to Portland Oregon where we discovered the sinfully good things that come in pink boxes at ...

VooDoo Donuts.

VooDoo Donuts has many "interesting" choices

that are bound to make your blood sugar erupt!

From there we headed across a stretch of highway that we last traveled through in 2020. We recalled it as being some of the most beautiful national forest areas that we have ever seen. This time, however, the landscape had changed dramatically due to the devastating wildfires that swept through central and southern Oregon in September of 2020. 
 

Now there were huge expanses of burned trees and bare mountainsides.  But the green ground cover and an occasional "hardy" pine gave us hope that this forested area would someday show off its natural beauty once again.

Fortunately, the mountain town of Sisters, Oregon was spared from the devastation. We found a nice boondocking spot in the national forest just outside of town

and were happy to wander the streets of this cute village. We could have happily stayed a few more days, but as I said earlier, 

... we were on a mission!

First stop ...

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Newberry National Volcanic Monument is located just south of Bend, Oregon and serves to protect the area around the Newberry Volcano. Still an active volcano, a section of it last erupted about 1,300 years ago.

We were able to drive up and walk around the rim of the cinder cone known as Lava Butte.

Although this area was estimated to have last erupted 7,000 years ago, it was fascinating to still see the miles of lava

... and a few hardy plants attempting to "brighten up" this rather bleak landscape.

The next day we visited a different section of the park that has seen more recent volcanic activity. Here, beauty was emerging as the powerful water carved its way through the rocks to form Paulina Falls. 

A little further down the road was probably the most fascinating area of Newberry National Volcanic Monument ... the Big Obsidian Flow. Obsidian, as I'm learning, is volcanic glass. It is formed when lava cools very quickly and thus is very dense and heavy compared to the lava that we saw on the Lava Butte Trail.

Pictures hardly do it justice, but this obsidian rock has a deep black color and a shiny hue. It is very dense and has sharp edges when broken ... just like glass. Because of these qualities, obsidian rock was highly prized by Native Americans for making cutting and hunting tools. 

And a fun fact for my medical friends ... obsidian rock was even used experimentally as a surgical instrument, and they found that the incisions that it produced left hardly any scarring when compared to traditional surgical scalpels.

And while I would have loved to take this obsidian "heart" home with me, just the quick act of holding it for a picture gave me a small but deep cut on one of my fingers ... but I can attest to the fact that there is no lasting scar. I decided that it was probably best to just leave it here and avoid more finger cuts ... and  a huge fine from the Park Service.

After refreshing some of my volcano "lingo", it was time to move on to one of the most awe-aspiring sights in the United States ... a sight that wouldn't be possible had it not been for some pretty powerful volcanic action. But first, let's check out some more waterfalls,

have dinner under the shadow of Mount Theilson,

and enjoy a sunset behind Diamond Lake.

Next stop ... Crater Lake National Park!

San Juan Island, Washington: Island Time

 

There is something special about island time ...

and I thought that we would experience more of those "laid back" feelings when we visited Vancouver Island. But Victoria and the southern half of the island seemed to have more of a "hustle and bustle" atmosphere.

We experienced a better sense of "island time" when we visited one of the smaller islands that make up Canada's Gulf Islands National Park. Their sandy beaches, green forests, and solitary lighthouses made us want to stay a while longer.

But it was time to end our Canadian travel adventures for now and cross the border back into the United States. As the ferry took us back to the Canadian mainland, we could see some familiar landmarks like Mount Baker rising high in the distant Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State. Beautifully framed in front of the mountain were the San Juan Islands, an archipelago that lies on the United States side of the border.

We had heard about the beauty of the main island of San Juan, and since we were going to be so close, we had made reservations for the ferry and campground a few weeks prior. After crossing the border, we drove down to Anacortes, Washington and  boarded the Washington State Ferry. One hour later we arrived at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island ready to find ...

island time.

The quaint seaside harbor and village of Friday Harbor greeted us. While it was bustling with tourists during the day, it became quite tranquil once the last ferry left.

Blooming flowers decorated its streets. 

Colorful shops, B&Bs, and vacation homes lined the village streets.

And ... happy day for Doug!

San Juan Island Brewery invited him to sit for a spell and enjoy a cold one.

The main island of San Juan and its smaller neighboring islands are accessible only by boat or plane. They are popular tourist destinations due to their sunny and mild year-round climate as well as their sea kayaking and whale-watching opportunities. We reserved a spot at the fairground campground on the outskirts of Friday Harbor and quickly sensed that we were in the right place to enjoy some "island time".

From Friday Harbor, it was easy to explore the island as it is only 14.5 miles long and 6.5 miles wide. During our five days on the island we checked out the local sculpture garden,

... admired the colorful flower gardens,

... enjoyed some of Washington's famous coffee at the many cute cafes,

... traveled to various locations where people had reported whale sightings in hopes of spotting a spout or two,

... enjoyed amazing scenery during our various coastal hikes,

... found a perfect location for "dinner with a sunset view" on the west side of the island,

... and learned about how the death of a pig almost caused a war between England and the United States on San Juan Island in 1859.

Yes, this "Pig War" could have been a really big deal. The dispute over the dead pig raised tensions that resulted in the British occupying the north end of the island, and the Americans occupying the south end. During the thirteen years of mostly peaceful co-existence, negotiations over who owned San Juan Island continued. Finally both sides accepted the ruling of a German arbitrator, and war was averted. The British pig that was shot by an American in 1859 remained the only "casualty" during the dispute, and the islands officially became a part of the United States in 1872.

Elegant Victorian gardens still adorn the former British end of the island which is now a part of the San Juan Island National Historical Site,

and memorials remind us of how diplomacy is still the best way to reach agreements

so that future generations can continue to enjoy ...

island time.

Vancouver Island: A Garden Paradise

When we visited Olympic National Park in 2020, we caught our first glimpse. Across the narrow waterway we could see the Canadian island that is known for its lush green natural beauty. But at the time, travel restrictions prevented us from exploring this nature-lover's paradise. Our opportunity finally arrived at the end of August when we found ourselves just a short ferry ride away in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Yes, our ship had finally come in, and it was time to explore Vancouver Island.

The Garden Paradise of Victoria

What we soon realized after we arrived on the island at Swartz Bay, was that the southern portion of Vancouver Island is very much like Vancouver itself. The largest city of Victoria welcomes tourists, but at the same time supports a large urban population. Some of the highlights of our two days there included ...

enjoying the color that fills this "Garden City",

walking around the bustling downtown area that included unique International neighborhoods,

capturing another state (or in this case ... Provincial) capital building,

and enjoying fish & chips while looking out at the boats that had recently delivered this fresh catch to the dockside restaurant. 

While Victoria's urban gardens are beautiful features in the city, a short distance away lies one of the most gorgeous gardens of all.

The Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada, attract over a million visitors a year. This 55 acre garden is the result of the creative talents of Robert and Jennie Butchart. In the early 1900s they created and nurtured the many unique floral and sculptural displays that are a part of Butchart Gardens. The gardens surround their family home, and the floral beauty is still maintained today by their descendants.

While Doug may not have promised me a rose garden, he is always more than happy to drop me off and let me wander through other people's gardens.

From the sunken garden,

to the Japanese garden,

to the path leading through the rose garden

and beyond,

I was delightfully bombarded with wave after wave of abundant color.

This floral theme continued as we made our first brewery stop on the island.  Fresh flowers accompanied the IPAs in the tasting room of Category 12 Brewing.

The Garden Paradise of Gulf Islands National Park

Located near Victoria is one of two national parks that we were able to visit while on Vancouver Island.

Gulf Islands National Park consists of a group of smaller islands that are being protected for future generations.

We were able to take a ferry ride over to Sidney Spit Island for the day

and enjoy the beach artistry as well as

nature's self-planted gardens.

The Garden Paradise of Vancouver Island's Small Towns

In the following days we headed further up Vancouver Island's east coast and found cute coastal villages that welcomed tourists  

while also supporting a year-round community of  hardworking citizens.

The Garden Paradise  Of Eatin'

Surrounded by great fishing waters, we quickly realized that we were in fish & chip "heaven" on Vancouver Island.

The sight of a roadside food truck

often "lured" us in for another delicious fish & chips meal.

Of course, those foggy island mornings seemed to make the cappuccinos taste that much better.

And the small town bakeries always came through with tasty treats to accompany our morning joe.

Even the hiking trails and city streets offered their own free "treats" with the abundance of wild blackberries that were ripe for the picking.

The Garden Paradise of Pacific Rim National Park

While we enjoyed spending time in some of the populated areas of the island, it was the natural beauty found in the island's more remote areas that was, for us, the endearing feature of Vancouver Island.

Pacific Rim National Park lies on the western edge of the island, and there we fell in love with the coastal temperate rainforests that make this island a true garden paradise. 

Moss clung to tree limbs,

and giant cedars lined the hiking trails.

Lighthouses sent out warnings from the rugged coastlines,

and sandy beaches welcomed beach lovers,

as colorful sea creatures adapted to the daily tide changes.

The cute villages of Tofino and Ucluelet welcomed the tourists

to browse through their shops filled with First Nation art

and enjoy a "brew with a view" afterward.

It was along the hiking trails at Pacific Rim National Park and in other remote areas of the islands that we found ...

The True Garden Paradise of Vancouver Island

It was these trails that were lined with gigantic trees,

alongside delicate plants,

intermingled with hardy ferns

and colorful mushrooms,

and led us to magnificent views at the end of the trail

that made our ten days on Vancouver Island so memorable.

Some of our favorite hikes included:

The Wild Pacific Trail Lighthouse Loop
Tonquin Trail; Tofino

Rainforest Trail; Pacific Rim National Park

Pacific Rim Bike Trail; Pacific Rim National Park

Cedar Tree Trail; Pacific Rim National Park

Cathedral Grove; Port Alberni

Elk Falls and Suspension Bridge; Campbell River

Ripple Rock Trail; Campbell River

Sidney Spit Island; Gulf Island National Park

Victoria City Walk

During our time there, we realized that Mother Nature has truly perfected the recipe for forming the coastal temperate rainforest found on Vancouver Island into a ...

Garden Paradise

when she started with land next to the ocean,

sprinkled it with at least 120 inches of rain each year (and held the snow and freezing temperatures),

added trees of all ages, from tiny saplings to centuries-old giants, and layered with mosses, ferns, shrubs and lichens,

mixed in rainforest creatures such as birds, beetles, and slugs.

and stirred for centuries for future generations to enjoy

... as much as we enjoyed our visit to Vancouver Island!