October 13, 2016 Belknap Hot Springs, Oregon

A big storm was coming so we left Bend to get over the Cascade mountains before it started to snow or something.

Rain on the volcano west of Bend. The rest of the mountains were fogged in by the storm. We passed through the  cute town of Sisters.

Through huge ponderosa forests. There was fog and lots of rain. It rained all day almost nonstop. We are in the Pacific Northwest after all-this is normal.  We are on the dark side(rainy side) of the Cascade mountains.

We are now camped at Belknap Lodge, hot springs and gardens. We have been here a couple times before to soak, but this is the first time we camped here. Really nice resort. The bus in our spot.

The upper hot springs pool that we had never been to is right by the bus. This is another part of the campground in a cedar grove right by the river.

We also did not know they had gardens here. We did a walk thought them. Some hydranga and roses. These guys were playing in the rain and fall leaves.

They don’t have a diningroom here, just a grill by the big pool. John took me  out to dinner by the river. See the carved eagles on the tree by the river? Part of the garden closest to the bus.

Mushrooms, changing vine maples, ferns on a tree and another hydranga. John is standing by the source hot spring- it is 140 degrees here where it comes out of the ground.

John walking by the river into some of the walk in tent sites and gardens. The old power building with a pagoda top.

This was the best, the Secret Garden. It was a walled garden with this inside. Beautiful. As you can tell it is still raining.

John walking back on the trail at dusk. The bridge back to the lodge and big hot spring pool. It is nice to be back in Oregon. There are so many trees and plants and green.