Day 26 - Monday 7/25/2005 -  Hot car, cool lava, cool stars...

More driving and a few tourist areas on the slate for the day.  With clean clothes and clean skin, we headed southwest for Crater Lake.  We visited Crater Lake last year, and in spite of the fact it's a neat place, we visit primarily because it's on the way to Lava Beds National Monument.  The drive is slow but scenic, with the most interesting feature being an overturned tractor-trailer that stopped traffic.  It was carrying a huge (80 foot) concrete beam, and apparently the weight shifted on a banked turn and rolled the truck into the ditch.  When we got closer to Crater Lake, we saw more of these trucks and the bridge they were rebuilding.  Guess it will be delayed.

We reached Crater Lake in early afternoon, and even on a second visit we marveled at how blue the water is.  The air was also very clear, and we were able to see something we did not see last year - Mt. Shasta.  Shasta is a stratovolcano in Northern California that is approximately 100 air-miles away, so it gives some indication as to how big it is at over 14,000 ft.

After exploring the area, we continued south though Klamath Falls, OR, and just across the CA border where we reached Lava Beds National Monument.  On the way into the park, I noticed the car was running a little hot, though not overheating.  When I stopped the car to check directions to the campsite, I noticed the car continued to get hotter.  When I opened the hood and checked the engine, I could see the electric cooling fans were not running.  I turned off the engine to let it cool.  After a short time, we started the car and the  temperature began to drop.  Lo and behold - the fans were running again.  We pulled into the campground loop and found a site.  I'm guessing the intermittent cooling problem is either the thermostat or a relay/sensor that turns on the fans.

The sun was burning down as we set up camp.  We fixed dinner, and as the sun dropped behind the ridge, the temperature dropped just as quickly.  After dark, we sat in the dark in the campsite with a small set of speakers and an MP3 player listening to "Cryosleep".  For those of you that have never heard this, go to www.bluemars.com and listen.  The Milky Way was visible as a starry haze to east, and we had a clear view until the light of the rising moon drown out the stars.

Tomorrow we will explore the park and make yet another visit to the local GM dealership.  (Redding, CA this time).