I've been trying to get a reservation at the Crater Lake Lodge for years, but it's so popular, it's always booked up. This year, I was lucky enough to find an available room just 4 days after they officially opened for the season. Since Crater Lake is at 7,000 ft, they have a lot of snow still lying around. The last thing I wanted to do was go back into winter weather, but it certainly is a beautiful place. With the sun shining, it was actually pretty warm. We had a picnic lunch outside one day, but the birds were pretty aggressive about trying to steal my SunChips.
Crater Lake was formed hundreds of years ago by a volcano sinking into itself so there are a lot of interesting rock formations like these "hoo-doos." You can't hike down into the crater on the south end, because it is too steep, but you can hike along the rim. We mostly hiked along the road, because the snow drifts were so deep we couldn't really see the trail.
I spent a few days beforehand at my consultants' meeting in Portland. For my annual sightseeing adventure, I walked over to the Alberta neighborhood for breakfast. It's a quirky, off-beat kind of neighborhood currently being renovated with lots of small cafes, craft shops, and thrift stores. Its got a bit of a reputation as an artists' hangout, so you see a lot of murals on the buildings.
And, of course, I picked up a few new ideas for electronic demos at my workshop. This one is a robotic-controlled finger. When you hold the sensor in your hand, you can make the finger bend at 2 different joints. I think Violet would love this project, because it's made out of giant Slurpy straws. My boss gave me several to bring home and make my own. I'll have to see if it's as easy to make as it looks.
