We got to the Mazama Village campground at Crater Lake and set up the tent, then spent the rest of the day chillin’ and reading. It was pretty warm when we set up camp, but it quickly clouded over and a thunderstorm rolled through, with lots of lightning and loud cracks of thunder. We also got our first peek at Crater Lake when we stopped a viewpoint before getting to our campground.
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Next day, we explored Rim Village, including the lodge. Had lunch at the lodge, and also saw some great views of the lake and Wizard Island.
After lunch, we drove around the rim (basically, around the lake), stopping at various viewpoints for pictures. At one viewpoint, there was a pretty blue bird and some chipmunks hanging around. Greg suggested we break out the cashews and man, do those animals like cashews! Greg first threw a cashew at the chipmunk, but the blue bird actually flew down from a nearby tree and snagged it. After that, we fed both the bird and the chipmunk, with the bird flying back and forth between the nearby tree to get cashews, and the chipmunk practically begging for them. Both seemed very used to people and being fed by said people. The chipmunk was way cute. It pretty much would take nuts out of our hands. At one point, the chipmunk even climbed up on Greg's lap (Greg was sitting on a short stone wall), looking for more cashews. Too bad I didn't get any pictures or video of that happening - I was too busy being amazed that the chipmunk was so bold in his quest for more cashews.
Stormy again that night, but not as much as the night before. It was cooler during the night though - Greg says in the 40s. Chilly! I’m probably kind of a temperature weenie. I get whiny when it's too hot or too cold.
