Diamond Lake, OR
We only had about an hour or so between campgrounds today so we decided to take a scenic drive through the mountains on the Cascade Highway. Good decision. We drove along a two way highway thick with trees and when we reached a high point in the road there were even more trees as far as the eye could see. Occasionally a snowy mountain pinnacle peaked through.
We arrived at Diamond Lake, just a bit north of Crater Lake, about noonish. Last year my buddy, Neise, and I camped on this lake and we really enjoyed the 12 mile bike path that circumvented the entire lake. (Of course the annual square dancing hoe down at the resort was a hoot too!) I vowed to come back with Ned and I can't think of anything that makes me happier than having Ned with me, healthy and up for the ride.
This lake has the largest USFS campground I've ever seen and it takes up one complete side of the lake. There are also several smaller USFS campgrounds on the south and west side. Knowing that it's a holiday week we didn't have our hopes up for getting a campsite, let alone a primo one. Voila! We were in luck and scored a campsite right on the water.
If you've been following us the last 6 weeks it'll come as little surprise to you that the first thing we did was jump on our bikes. We rode to the resort, sat on the patio and had lunch, and then took off for the bike ride around the lake. Spectacular!! This ride is simply amazing and one of my faves. On a paved path you ride alongside the lake, through meadows, groves of ponderosas, through marsh land and near wildflowers. It's a nice up and down mix, with an occasional bridge or stream to cross. It really is one of the best bike rides.
After that fun adventure and working up a sweat, we couldn't wait to pull on our suits, blow up the floaties and test out the water. Yeah! It was heaven. We swam and goofed around in the water forever. At one point the wind was blowing us down from our campsite so Ned, Mr. Engineer, rigged up this entire system. It consisted of a large branch lashed to a fallen tree then a rope tied to it. We then tied the rope around Ned's ankle. So, all I had to do was hold on to Ned, who would then pull us upstream with the rope. We were laughing so hard at our goofiness that I thought I would drown. The only reason we got out of the water was to go for another bike ride. This time our mission was to scope out each and every campsite on the lake (The loops go from A thru M) to find the perfect one. Ned would dictate into his iphone as we drove by the sites such things as "This one would be great with kayaks" or "This would be perfect for Little Ricky and Winnie".
There is a resort here, but I definitely use that term loosely. It hasn't been touched since 1957 and it shows. There's a well worn lodge, some very dated cabins, a tackle & bait shop and general store that basically specializes in campfire food (s'mores anyone?) and a boat rental shop. If Banff and Lake Louise were the epitome of upscale this is the other end of the spectrum. But you know what? I love this place all the better for it. Nothing makes me happier than seeing families bike together, kids playing in the water, and people fishing. One of the best things about this lake is that a wake over 10 mph is not permitted. As a result, there are no speed boats or jet skis. It makes for such a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. At one point late this afternoon, we sat at our campsite and watched a group of people float by in their rafts. It was hysterical watching them with to stay together as a group while balancing their beer as they sat more in the water than out on half filled air mattresses.
This evening while sitting at our campsite we watched the sun slowly sink over the lake and behind the mountain. Ah, summer you can't beat these good times.
This is our last night on the road. Tomorrow we head home and I can't think of a better place to stay to celebrate our last evening traveling. This place has all my favorite things: a paved bike path, great swimming, a beautiful view of the lake and great people watching. (Of course the flush toilets and showers ain't too bad either). I feel incredibly blessed.
