Thursday, Cycle Oregon, was my second time riding up and third time there, but the first time I really got to experience it. After college, my roommate and I drove to the rim on an overcast, late October day. No one else up there to be seen. We were very aware that mountain weather can change very fast and that we had a lousy car if it did so we stayed maybe 15 minutes. 2012, Cycle Oregon went up the south entrance from Klamath Falls (I'm guessing that is what indyfab referred to), then around the rim clockwise. I made the mistake of going left at the fork and descending down toward Diamond Lake. I had to climb back to the rim from the meadow at 6000' on my 42 x 23 fix gear. From there it was survival. I rode the rim and down to lunch, but I did not experience it, instead just focused on "gotta get to lunch".
This time, the ride went very well. Same bike, same gear, but all according to plan. I rode it for my mom who I witnessed passing two weeks to the day before. Many stops as she would have wanted. It was still very hard. 7 years older at my time in life does that. Crater Lake is a special place. It was to the people before us who witnessed it being born from the now non-existent Mt Mazama. It now will be special to me forever.
Oh, and one of the best fix gear descents anywhere - the rim down toward Diamond Lake and that meadow. 42 or 43 x 12 (95" or 97") is perfect. It was the descent to die for when I was going the wrong way. Done right last week - it still is.
Ben