Date:         Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:07:54 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Was Crater Lake/Lakeveiw..now Trip Report, same area
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Just pulled in from 4 days of exploring  the area mentioned in the Subject
line.  We didn't get quite to Lakeveiw but we did get to Paisley, Or..just
up Or. Hwy 31 from there, and despite the town's annual Mosquito Festival
around this time every summer, we saw few during our overnight up the
Chewaucan River nearby.
  Better back up and start from home:  Lyle, Wa. (on the Columbia River
about 60 mins east of Portland, Or)

 Headed south (through Maupin, Or towards Bend..) about 2pm Sunday and after
some exciting route finding and plenty of dusty back road driving, we
succeeded in finding a way from Madras, Or. to Sun River on very back roads,
with one backtrack due to a wildfire road closure.  The wind was howling
around some violent thunderstorms.  We camped near Sun River in National
Forset on a side road, planning on a bicycle ride up McKenzie Pass the next
morning..but that road was closed, too.
  Next stop  Diamond Lake.  A short day's drive down the Cascades Highway, a
route we've been meaning to explore for many years.  The 84 "topless
westie-sort of" with it's VW 1.8liter gas inline motor gave us a nice
25.3mpg on that leg.  The campground (Forest Service(?)) at Diamond Lake was
pretty nice..very extensive.. and right on the lake shore.  With my Old Guy
pass, the fee was 1/2 price and it being a Monday, there was some room to
choose.  Somewhat amusing to watch the few "lost"  RVs try to negotiate
through a normal campground...They belong in RV Parks or Freeway
Reststops...they are too large to actually fit into a campground..
  Next morning off to Crater Lake, where we rode our bikes round the lake
from the Rim Village.  A spectacular road round the crater with lots of up
and down hill.  The vehicle traffic was pretty bike-friendly.  From there
down to the Williamson River near Klamath Falls where we overnighted in a
forest service campsite near the river and I got some fly fishing in.
  Next day, headed east up the Sprague R. towards Lakeveiw but we cut
through the backwoods again...from Bly to Paisley over small (but paved this
time) logging roads.  About 8 miles west of Paisley we camped on the
Chewaucan river, and again I got out the fly rod for some small rainbows.
Wonderful campsite (free) right on the river.
  Next morning (today) headed direct for home..Up Hwy 31 to La Pine on 97
where we filled again for an amazing 26.4mpg..Seems the van really likes
thoses mountain back roads..I usually get average of about 23-24mpg..
  So all in all, a great trip.  We went to some of those places 'we always
wondered about' that we'd passed by on the main North/South routes, headed
for other far away adventures..The camper was perfect for just this kinda
trip...Even getting lost in Bend, I just did a quick "U-Turn" (illegal, I'd
bet) right in a street and hardly had to slow down..With good ground
clearance and my granny gear (5-sp manual trans) growling around finding a
good camp spot or coming out of a riverside fishing access it not too
dramatic.
  Thanks to all who suggested for this trip.
  Don Hanson