To date, Oregon, perhaps, it seems to me the most beautiful and diverse state of America. It seems that here you can find almost all possible landscapes of the United States.
I have heard many good things about the staff and finally decided to go there to make your own opinion. Once is not enough, we had to ride twice, it is too big.
The first discovery was waiting at the gas station, which had to come immediately after the entry into Oregon from Washington.
I drove up to the usual column out of the car, stuck a credit card and put the gun into the tank.
And then out of nowhere I ran a woman on the go, and began to shout: "Hey, what are you doing there?".
"You never know in America idiots" - I thought, and began to fill up, trying to ignore this strange question, the answer to that, I think, was obvious. But the woman came quite close and was not appeased, turning already precisely to me and not to the voices in my head: "What are you doing?".
"Well ... ... refuel ... '- I descended to answer, his whole appearance indicating that there continue to talk about what did not.
Then the lady, apparently folded mind my accent and Canadian numbers, deftly caught the hand of the fuel nozzle and more calmly explained that in Oregon, people can not do refuel the car, because you never know what ...
Frankly, I have even after this explanation still thought that I was just trying to cleverly routed to the tip of an unnecessary service.
But after a quick search on the net it turned out that such idiocy is really the place to be and not only in Oregon, but also in New Jersey.
In general, Oregon markedly different from neighboring Washington, and not for the better.
The towns that are found here, are pretty poor and clumsy.
It is noticeable that in the average income of the population there is less than that of the northern neighbors.
The largest city in the state - Portland.
Although pleasant enough, and surprisingly original, still produces the impression of a provincial town.
Even in the heart of downtown is no feeling of the business center, which revolve billions of dollars - all is quiet, calm, somehow at home.
But the story about Oregon - this story is not about the city.
The Oregon Coast
Oregon is beautiful its nature, and in particular a completely different scenery, which can be found here.
The state is actively developing tourism.
You can verify this by going to the movie theater in Vancouver, which is required to show advertisements that in a humorous way will entice you in Oregon.
There's even a site, do not consider for advertising, "Seven Wonders of Oregon", which lists all of the most deserving regions of the visit.
They and we took over the key point of our road trip.
The first miracle - The Oregon Coast, Oregon Coast.
"Ha! - Tell you. - What's so wonderful can conceal the coast? "
Yes, in general, nothing but stretching beyond the horizon of endless coastline looks very nice.
Again, as long as you go along it, the scenery is constantly changing.
Unchanged remains one - want to live near the sea and stay here forever ... or at least until the first storm.
In good weather, the coast just gorgeous.
It would have traveled along it up to the California, but had to turn off inland.
Crater Lake
next miracle - Crater Lake, a lake in the crater of an extinct volcano.
And this, I tell you, really a wonderful place.
The holiday weekend, however, had to defend not so acidic stopper to get here, but it's definitely worth it.
I do not know how well you can estimate the scale of the photographs, but believe me, it's something big.
All this mess is almost two-kilometer altitude in the mountains.
Here I would probably be happy to come again. Just stand on the edge of the crater and look pensively into the distance.
Painted Hills
Prior painted hills we arrived already at sunset, but the sun, unfortunately, was hidden behind the clouds. It has been seen that there is very nice, but would like to see it more and in good light.
I had to sit there for an hour, waiting for the last rays of the sunset through the clouds burst forth and illuminate the valley.
And yet, wait!
Some quite unearthly landscape.
It's a pity that such a beautiful light shone not for very long, and the sun had gone down after a few minutes below the horizon.
Mount Hood
Mount Hood - this is again the volcano.
About him, I can only say that he alone among the sticks rather flat plains and is visible from a distance because of a lot of miles, and that the road, which part is passed through it - a complete ass to go, if it's snowing.
The Columbia River Gorge
Columbia River forms the border between the states of Washington and Oregon.
The river itself, to be honest, did not make much of an impression.
But the valley of waterfalls nearby, somewhere between Mount Hood and Portland, really worth a visit.
We do not really lucky with the weather, but even in the rain we were not disappointed with what they saw.
Falls are a lot, for every taste.
For one, you can drive very close, and to have other well stomp up the forest trails. Here it would be necessary, of course, spend much more time than we allow our frantic schedule.
Smith Rock
Smith Rock, as well as Mount Hood, does not fit into the surrounding flat terrain, but because looks more unusual.
Just in the middle of the plain stretches to the sky ridge of steep cliffs, among which and to which several hiking trails are laid.
People come here well, very much. So much that I have to ride around, waiting until someone fall down and release the parking space.
Someone is coming to look at the rocks with viewing platforms near the parking.
Someone like us, goes on the trail to the top, to cast a glance neighborhood.
And someone chooses a more extreme way of climbing - climbing here also missing.
The Wallowas
Uallova, forgive my locals freestyle transliteration - a mountain range on the border of Oregon and Idaho.
In principle, I can not say that the mountains themselves me as a particularly impressed. Perhaps because of these mountains we near Vancouver dime a dozen.
But the road that leads to the region of the central part of the state, very memorable.
Landscapes are changing every half hour.
And each following the previous beautiful.
Every now and then there are some alien formations.
Caught perfectly flat, like a table, a plateau.
Rivers flow, ladybugs grazing. Idyll shorter.
I looked straight photo, I was already back in Oregon wanted.
In general, at the moment, from what I've seen in the states, Oregon - a sort of US probe. Here in different regions can be seen in almost all the landscapes that can be found in this country. If not always on the same scale, but still.
Personally, I definitely want to go to Oregon again, it is very good there.
