Page:Motoring Magazine and Motor Life October 1913.djvu/7

Snowy peaks and pinnacles above the lake.

were compelled to register before entering the National Park. The roads in the Park are in very passable condition, and the motorist can find nothing to complain of in this respect, all the way to the rim of the lake, where sits the tavern.

We were about the first automobile touring enthusiasts to penetrate the wilderness protecting the lake, and at that time enjoyed the distinction of climbing farther through the snow than any other car. At that, we were unable to drive the car entirely to the tavern, as no road was cut, and the snow, beat upon by the hot sun, was mush like in consistency and in places very deep. The car was left standing in a sheltered place, while we, suit cases and baggage in arms, labored up the hill over the snow to the Tavern on the rim of the lake.

The morning of the sixth day was spent fishing—that is to say, rowing about the limpid surface of the lake, for we fished but very few minutes—and that afternoon at 2:40 we said good-bye to the lake and the lake's hostelry en route to Klamath Falls by way of Fort Klamath. We put up at the White Pelican Hotel, where accommodations are excellent, having covered, since leaving the Crater Lake, a fraction over 60 miles.

Trexalls—a farm house on Eagle Lake—proved our destination the night of the seventh day. We traveled 160 miles by way of Merrill, Malin, Lookout, Adin and Grasshopper. To Merril the roads are good, but at Malin we missed the road that leads over a bridge, and were compelled to ford the stream. The water was deeper than we hoped, and as a result, in midstream the engine stopped running. Water filled the pan and the muffler, even pouring into the body of the car. However, the carbureter was set high enough to clear, and therefore was able to fulfill its function properly. The starter turned over the motor. The muffler cleared out somewhat and the motor started humming. We were able to pull out on our own power, although a larger car, which followed us, was not quite so lucky. Once on shore, we drained two gallons and a half of water out of the crank case. Putting in a fresh supply of oil, the journey was resumed.

Then came 68 miles of absolute desolation. The country assumed the shape of a plateau, sans trees, sans foliage, sans life. There was to be seen not one living object. No farm houses, no human beings, no animals, not even a jack rabbit greeted us. The road was in frightful condition. For miles the center of the road was so high as to make travel over it very uncertain. In many places it became necessary to straddle rocks. On one of these we noticed a deep scar, and a smear of oil. Then, for several miles, was visible a stream of oil. Some unfortunate tourist had knocked off the drain

Seventy miles of God-forsaken waste.