Up before the sun shows its face, and it’s freezing cold out here. It’s so cold our car is covered with frost, but the water is hot, and the sky is on fire.
Trust me that it’s a lot comfier in the hot tub; photos, though, are equally important for helping us remember these incredible adventures, so I sacrifice myself by jumping out for an obligatory photo as the sun crests over the horizon.
Sure, it’s a little bit blurry, but it’s the idea that is important here. On a morning when the temperature is below 32 degrees (-0 Celsius), and we’re the only people up and stirring here at Crystal Crane Hot Springs in Burns, Oregon, we must commemorate our experience. What an amazing way to enter the Thanksgiving holiday.
These are the kind of views those who don’t need to sleep in are offered.
Out of the tub and into the small lake, or is it a large pond? We moved back and forth and only missed a return to the cedar-lined hot tubs in that shelter on the right. Last night we had reserved an hour in the “sauna” and wish that we’d booked another this morning. By the way, our cabin was $54 for the night, and the indoor tub was $30 for the two of us.
From the Burns area, we drove west, losing a couple of hours in Burns proper while we bought a new tire and had breakfast. Interesting discussion with the owner of the restaurant, who had just finished letting a couple of locals know that they were not going to get a new plate of food because the first one wasn’t perfect (not the first time they’d tried pulling this on the guy). He told us of the alcohol and meth problem the town was having and how many people were on welfare due to the lack of jobs and being off the beaten path for tourism. Back on the road, we headed from Bend towards Corvallis.
The road from Sisters is a majestic drive through the forest. This is not the first time we’ve traveled this path.
On the way to the coast, we drove through Cascadia and took a short detour to check out a covered bridge. This one, built in 1945, is called Short Bridge and crosses the South Fork of the Santiam River.
Moss on rocks because MOSS ON ROCKS ROCKS!
Needing the tire replaced earlier and dawdling along the way with stops at the covered bridge, time to gawk at Mt. Hood and inspect the various mosses and undergrowth meant that we were getting to the coast in the dark. Our destination for the day is Lincoln City and Devils Lake State Park, where we’ll be spending the next couple of nights in Yurt C18Y.