July 6, 2009
In keeping with our Lewis and Clark adventure, we left Woodland for White Salmon, east of Portland on the Columbia River. There were several route options available, the most direct being to follow the freeway to Vancouver, WA then continue on WA-14, a 2-lane with who knew how many twists and turns. This road is true to the river and meanders through numerous villages. The longer route was to stay on the freeway through Vancouver and Portland to Hood River, Oregon where a bridge connects to White Salmon. Locals recommended the freeway as timelier and more scenic looking over to the Washington side. Sounded good!
We wound through the big cities uneventfully and started lapping up the view; mountains, fruit tree groves, vineyards, waterfalls, wide rushing river, all the way to Hood River, a surprisingly large town. Then there was THE BRIDGE. It absolutely must be wider than it appeared to be beyond the tollbooth. If you had to fit through the tollbooth to board the bridge, we barely made it. A logging truck was heading straight for us: “Get the mirrors in!” Only by thinking thin and not breathing did we clear all obstacles. The White Salmon RV Park is a small, but roomy, nicely landscaped individually owned business.
The Gorge Loop is the Columbia River between City of the Dales on the east and Multnomah Falls on the west. We were in the middle-perfect! A trip east on WA-14 proved that we had made the correct choice for RV travel by freeway. Our destination, Beacon Rock, is an ancient volcano core and one of the largest monoliths in the world, straight up. From the parking lot there are 2 routes, climbers–not us–go left, hikers–us–go right. We walked to the river facing side of the rock to find stairs that wound back and forth in 47 switchbacks, clinging to the face of the rock. This state park is the site of one of Lewis and Clark’s camps and was once private property. Mr. Biddle bought it in 1915 because the Army Corps of Engineers was going to use the raw material to build a nearby dam. He hired an engineer and together the men spent the next 3 years building the stairway that still exists today. He then gave the historic site to the state with the stipulation that the public never be charged for admission. And so it is. The legacy of the man stands as tall and strong as the rock he championed. The view from the top includes marshes, mountains, farm lands, and of course, the river. It has been used as a look out by all the people who traveled this route for centuries.
We next traveled the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon complete with stonework walls to keep travelers from dropping off! This road made the bridge look roomy, but Horsetail and Multnomah Falls virtually splash on to the road, well worth the trip. A little hiking would yield several more falls, but we were short on time. The Dalles is one of the oldest cities of the area; a trading and meeting point of Indians and later, traders. The site is named for the long stretch of rapids nearby. There is also a natural rock formation that creates a type of fort. We sacrificed seeing the town for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and a sit-down lunch. Wish we had allotted more time for the area. We bought salmon on the way home for another delicious meal. Indians are allowed unlimited fishing rights on river, whereas all other have strict limits. Therefore, the best salmon is roadside, in coolers.
Navigation on the Columbia was once an iffy thing, with spring swells and numerous rapids. Original navigation plans included locks to bypass dangerous cataracts. Now the rapids have been flooded by the creation of dams. Interestingly, dams do not cross the entire waterway to allow for boat and salmon navigation.
It is safe to say that we needed more time, but we were due in the next location. We drove the length of Oregon, right down the middle. Farm land rolled over hills, we skirted Mt. Hood, marveled at lava fields, gasped at major ravines in the desert and arrived again in wooded mountains and another volcano, Crater Lake.
NEXT TIME: Stay Longer!
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Woodland, Washington
June 29, 2009
We spent the week of July 4th at the beautiful Columbia Riverfront RV Park on the banks of the Columbia River, near the mouth of the Lewis River. Our back window faced the river and rolling hillside on the Oregon side. Groups gathered in the evenings for bonfires on the driftwood-strewn beach.
On the 4th, we avoided all traffic and crowds by cleaning house, cooking at home, and resting up for the evening fireworks display courtesy of the RV Park owners. Campers gathered in sweaters and blankets along the beach, the driveway and at sites for the show scheduled to begin around 10:00. Each group on the beach had their own fireworks display so we had a show that filled the sky, across the park grounds shore from various sources. Not planned or orchestrated by a single entity, but varied, colorful and great fun. The very nicest part of the night was smiling and feeling the celebration on the slow walk home, no traffic or stress.
The town of Woodland is fairly sleepy, good for bike rides on the quiet streets. We found tasty, inexpensive restaurants for our salad-based diet. The farmer’s market was small, but full of local bounty. The local Visitor’s Center host was very helpful in planning our week. It is also where a small commuter van stops each weekday to take people to Portland. We had expected to see some sign of damage from the Mt. St. Helen blast of 1980, but found that the eruption went north and west. The south and east had no effects to speak of. In terms of population centers and damage this was the best of a bad situation.
We took several side trips across southern Washington. On July 3 we took our bikes to Lake Sacajawea Park (Lewis and Clark once again) in Longview, WA. The park is a city block in width and at least 4 blocks long with a bike path along the entire loop. The path even cuts under the bridges at each intersection to avoid car traffic. We made the 3.5 mile loop, admiring lovely old homes in addition to the beautiful park grounds. The reason for not riding more was a very cool Fourth of July festival. We put the bikes away and walked through the crowds to window shop.
Another day we took a trip into Portland on the commuter van. We had no plan at all except to see the city. We began in the midst of department stores and tall buildings then hiked to the largest book store in the world. What a treat! We love used book stores and Powell’s was overwhelming! Four floors of a building that covers a city block is organized by color with maps and signs all over to keep the book traveler from getting lost. We walked through various quarters of town, which really was designed in quarters. The founding fathers laid out the town with a multi-block park symmetrically placed at each compass point. Parks are shaded by large old trees, colorful with flowering beds and punctuated with statuary. We most enjoyed the museum/university area.
One highlight of our Woodland stop was a trip to Mt. St. Helen’s and another to the Lava Tubes nearby. We drove up into the mountains through fog, winding around rocky peaks, tall pines and small villages along a river. As we broke out of the fog MSH was instantly visible! No clouds, just snow covered, jagged volcano crater. Nothing less than miraculous! We stopped for pictures at an overlook of the valley and Kalama River. The usually shrouded crater was clearly visible against a blue sky. We met 2 couples from England at this stop. They were spending 6 weeks traveling the Oregon Trail. I was amazed that this bit of Americana would attract Brits. They were winding down the trip and had loved it.
We drove on to the visitor center which sits directly opposite of the crater for an ideal view. The drive from our photo stop wound through pines with small billboard-type signs from Weyerhaeuser giving the year in which the pines had been planted. The visual effect of uniformly planted pines of a uniform type was eerie. It was like perfectly horizontal lines across the forest. The closer we got, the more obvious damage was still apparent. There was very little vegetation. Everything facing the open-sided crater was gone or, like the visitor center, less than 28 years old. We arrived at eye level and I blindly took one photo after another. We were 5.5 miles away, crater and lava dome, clearly visible. My wonderful new camera had a large LED screen, great except in sunshine, at which time it becomes mostly black. I had no idea what images were captured, clearly seen when we checked it out inside. Of course by the time we went to get more pictures, clouds. So another spectacular event is in memory only.
The Johnston Ridge Visitor Center has a wonderful movie of the volcano, interactive exhibits and stories of people from the blast. All work to create sense of awe. Several hiking paths are available, but we had a long drive back and did not go far.
We went to the Lava Tubes, two words we would never have put together prior to this trip. We learned that lave tubes are a passage of lava underground. The sides in contact with the earth cool more quickly, allowing the inner lava to continue to flow and drain. After learning of their existence, we found that they are very common in volcanic areas. We donned headlights and coats for the trip down a natural entrance about midway through the tube. It was even darker than the Taft Tunnel, but mercifully we didn’t have bikes. We had a wonderful adventure on the short trip, but decided against the longer more strenuous version which stretched out in the opposite direction.
We talked about a trip to the coast, but decided to leave it for the next time through. Our stop in Woodland had been far more fun and relaxing than we had anticipated. It also taught us to plan well ahead for holidays.
NEXT TIME: Astoria
We spent the week of July 4th at the beautiful Columbia Riverfront RV Park on the banks of the Columbia River, near the mouth of the Lewis River. Our back window faced the river and rolling hillside on the Oregon side. Groups gathered in the evenings for bonfires on the driftwood-strewn beach.
On the 4th, we avoided all traffic and crowds by cleaning house, cooking at home, and resting up for the evening fireworks display courtesy of the RV Park owners. Campers gathered in sweaters and blankets along the beach, the driveway and at sites for the show scheduled to begin around 10:00. Each group on the beach had their own fireworks display so we had a show that filled the sky, across the park grounds shore from various sources. Not planned or orchestrated by a single entity, but varied, colorful and great fun. The very nicest part of the night was smiling and feeling the celebration on the slow walk home, no traffic or stress.
The town of Woodland is fairly sleepy, good for bike rides on the quiet streets. We found tasty, inexpensive restaurants for our salad-based diet. The farmer’s market was small, but full of local bounty. The local Visitor’s Center host was very helpful in planning our week. It is also where a small commuter van stops each weekday to take people to Portland. We had expected to see some sign of damage from the Mt. St. Helen blast of 1980, but found that the eruption went north and west. The south and east had no effects to speak of. In terms of population centers and damage this was the best of a bad situation.
We took several side trips across southern Washington. On July 3 we took our bikes to Lake Sacajawea Park (Lewis and Clark once again) in Longview, WA. The park is a city block in width and at least 4 blocks long with a bike path along the entire loop. The path even cuts under the bridges at each intersection to avoid car traffic. We made the 3.5 mile loop, admiring lovely old homes in addition to the beautiful park grounds. The reason for not riding more was a very cool Fourth of July festival. We put the bikes away and walked through the crowds to window shop.
Another day we took a trip into Portland on the commuter van. We had no plan at all except to see the city. We began in the midst of department stores and tall buildings then hiked to the largest book store in the world. What a treat! We love used book stores and Powell’s was overwhelming! Four floors of a building that covers a city block is organized by color with maps and signs all over to keep the book traveler from getting lost. We walked through various quarters of town, which really was designed in quarters. The founding fathers laid out the town with a multi-block park symmetrically placed at each compass point. Parks are shaded by large old trees, colorful with flowering beds and punctuated with statuary. We most enjoyed the museum/university area.
One highlight of our Woodland stop was a trip to Mt. St. Helen’s and another to the Lava Tubes nearby. We drove up into the mountains through fog, winding around rocky peaks, tall pines and small villages along a river. As we broke out of the fog MSH was instantly visible! No clouds, just snow covered, jagged volcano crater. Nothing less than miraculous! We stopped for pictures at an overlook of the valley and Kalama River. The usually shrouded crater was clearly visible against a blue sky. We met 2 couples from England at this stop. They were spending 6 weeks traveling the Oregon Trail. I was amazed that this bit of Americana would attract Brits. They were winding down the trip and had loved it.
We drove on to the visitor center which sits directly opposite of the crater for an ideal view. The drive from our photo stop wound through pines with small billboard-type signs from Weyerhaeuser giving the year in which the pines had been planted. The visual effect of uniformly planted pines of a uniform type was eerie. It was like perfectly horizontal lines across the forest. The closer we got, the more obvious damage was still apparent. There was very little vegetation. Everything facing the open-sided crater was gone or, like the visitor center, less than 28 years old. We arrived at eye level and I blindly took one photo after another. We were 5.5 miles away, crater and lava dome, clearly visible. My wonderful new camera had a large LED screen, great except in sunshine, at which time it becomes mostly black. I had no idea what images were captured, clearly seen when we checked it out inside. Of course by the time we went to get more pictures, clouds. So another spectacular event is in memory only.
The Johnston Ridge Visitor Center has a wonderful movie of the volcano, interactive exhibits and stories of people from the blast. All work to create sense of awe. Several hiking paths are available, but we had a long drive back and did not go far.
We went to the Lava Tubes, two words we would never have put together prior to this trip. We learned that lave tubes are a passage of lava underground. The sides in contact with the earth cool more quickly, allowing the inner lava to continue to flow and drain. After learning of their existence, we found that they are very common in volcanic areas. We donned headlights and coats for the trip down a natural entrance about midway through the tube. It was even darker than the Taft Tunnel, but mercifully we didn’t have bikes. We had a wonderful adventure on the short trip, but decided against the longer more strenuous version which stretched out in the opposite direction.
We talked about a trip to the coast, but decided to leave it for the next time through. Our stop in Woodland had been far more fun and relaxing than we had anticipated. It also taught us to plan well ahead for holidays.
NEXT TIME: Astoria
Centralia, Washington
June 22, 2009
Up until the Rutherford’s departure, we had had an agenda of sorts. We clearly wanted to get to specific points and geography dictated the order. We had a specific date to meet Rick and Pat and then 4 of us were in the planning. Now, we had a wide open map and time frame. Too many options is confusing! I don’t know that we had ever had this particular problem before. Russell met the challenge and decided it was time to head for San Francisco – YEA! We were enjoying Washington, so there was no hurry to leave. In addition we had yet to visit the volcanic peaks that hold so much beauty, mystery and power. I selected the town of Centralia, so named for its location between Seattle and Portland. The plan was to be able to easily drive to the coast, Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helen’s. The reality was that we were equally far, not equally close, to all desired points.
Still, Centralia, and the neighboring town of Chehalis, was a great stop. We were out of gloomy pines and in the bright sun. We needed to repair the RV, restock provisions, and generally get reorganized. We were also forced to take stock of what traveling had done to our bodies. It was seriously time for revisiting a diet plan. This is also where we picked up our bicycling adventures. We were busy!
We found a wonderful path courtesy of the Rails to Trails program again. We rode through several miles of countryside, the farms and hay fields of central Washington. We took a day trip to the coast which whet our appetite for more coastal towns.
We set our sites on Astoria and the Columbia River. Silly me! We were coming up on the July 4th weekend, any campground within 50 miles of Astoria had been booked solid for months. And so we headed next for Woodland.
Up until the Rutherford’s departure, we had had an agenda of sorts. We clearly wanted to get to specific points and geography dictated the order. We had a specific date to meet Rick and Pat and then 4 of us were in the planning. Now, we had a wide open map and time frame. Too many options is confusing! I don’t know that we had ever had this particular problem before. Russell met the challenge and decided it was time to head for San Francisco – YEA! We were enjoying Washington, so there was no hurry to leave. In addition we had yet to visit the volcanic peaks that hold so much beauty, mystery and power. I selected the town of Centralia, so named for its location between Seattle and Portland. The plan was to be able to easily drive to the coast, Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helen’s. The reality was that we were equally far, not equally close, to all desired points.
Still, Centralia, and the neighboring town of Chehalis, was a great stop. We were out of gloomy pines and in the bright sun. We needed to repair the RV, restock provisions, and generally get reorganized. We were also forced to take stock of what traveling had done to our bodies. It was seriously time for revisiting a diet plan. This is also where we picked up our bicycling adventures. We were busy!
We found a wonderful path courtesy of the Rails to Trails program again. We rode through several miles of countryside, the farms and hay fields of central Washington. We took a day trip to the coast which whet our appetite for more coastal towns.
We set our sites on Astoria and the Columbia River. Silly me! We were coming up on the July 4th weekend, any campground within 50 miles of Astoria had been booked solid for months. And so we headed next for Woodland.
Anacortes, Washington
June, 2009
The town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island north of Seattle on Puget Sound, connected to the mainland by bridge. The short trip north led through port towns, industrial areas and farm lands. Anacortes is the primary connection to the San Juan Islands, with ferries running to the largest, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, and Lopez. We chose to go to Lopez on a day trip. It is the smallest, closest, and least commercial of the 4. We drove to the island village and enjoyed a small artisan/produce fair. All 4 of us visited with merchants and other shoppers. While driving to a lighthouse, we were followed by a bald eagle. The lighthouse trip proved to be too long to allow us to meet the returning ferry, maybe next time. The ferry ride was great fun. It takes travelers past some of the smaller isles in route to the major destinations. Many islands of the group are not much more than large rocks protruding from the Sound.
In Anacortes we stayed at Pioneer Trails RV Park set in a beautiful pine forest. We cooked out and had a fire to warm our feet in the evening. Strawberries, which can be bought on every other corner, are beyond the best – deep red color, sweet and luscious! We walked downtown of this ship building and fishing community, stopping for a sunset drink in the hotel cupola. We also enjoyed a walk on a pedestrian bridge to visit with seals in the bay.
Driving south, you come to 2 wonderful bridges over Deception Pass headed to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Original Spaniards thought the 2 islands were actually 1 separating The Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Saratoga Passage of Puget Sound. The pass, a deception, was found quite accidentally by Joseph Whidbey, an English sea captain. The bridges meet on a small isle conveniently left for the purpose. Turbulent waters in and around the pass are due to the extreme depth. We were able to watch eagles soar and hike beneath the bridge to the shore.
Anacortes is our last camp with the Rutherford’s. Pat had to return to work and Rick decided to turn home as well. It had been a wonderful 10 days, but all good things must end. They called us all through the trip home providing travel tips.
NEXT TIME: Walk on the ferry, or take bikes and take a longer trip through the islands.
The town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island north of Seattle on Puget Sound, connected to the mainland by bridge. The short trip north led through port towns, industrial areas and farm lands. Anacortes is the primary connection to the San Juan Islands, with ferries running to the largest, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, and Lopez. We chose to go to Lopez on a day trip. It is the smallest, closest, and least commercial of the 4. We drove to the island village and enjoyed a small artisan/produce fair. All 4 of us visited with merchants and other shoppers. While driving to a lighthouse, we were followed by a bald eagle. The lighthouse trip proved to be too long to allow us to meet the returning ferry, maybe next time. The ferry ride was great fun. It takes travelers past some of the smaller isles in route to the major destinations. Many islands of the group are not much more than large rocks protruding from the Sound.
In Anacortes we stayed at Pioneer Trails RV Park set in a beautiful pine forest. We cooked out and had a fire to warm our feet in the evening. Strawberries, which can be bought on every other corner, are beyond the best – deep red color, sweet and luscious! We walked downtown of this ship building and fishing community, stopping for a sunset drink in the hotel cupola. We also enjoyed a walk on a pedestrian bridge to visit with seals in the bay.
Driving south, you come to 2 wonderful bridges over Deception Pass headed to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Original Spaniards thought the 2 islands were actually 1 separating The Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Saratoga Passage of Puget Sound. The pass, a deception, was found quite accidentally by Joseph Whidbey, an English sea captain. The bridges meet on a small isle conveniently left for the purpose. Turbulent waters in and around the pass are due to the extreme depth. We were able to watch eagles soar and hike beneath the bridge to the shore.
Anacortes is our last camp with the Rutherford’s. Pat had to return to work and Rick decided to turn home as well. It had been a wonderful 10 days, but all good things must end. They called us all through the trip home providing travel tips.
NEXT TIME: Walk on the ferry, or take bikes and take a longer trip through the islands.
Seattle, Washington
June 15, 2009
We met up with Rick and Pat at the Lake Pleasant RV Park, a beauty with sites along the perimeter of two small lakes. Again we really enjoyed being able to share cooking responsibilities with them and collaborate on some great meals.
We did the tour of downtown; Pike’s Market, docks, shops, Nordstrom’s Flagship! I was amazed by downtown. This is a city with half the population of Dallas and twice the downtown. They have managed to keep businesses open and well in an era where many cities are in decline. One obvious thing they have done is to keep their sports teams in the downtown area. Dallas certainly missed that boat! (They have managed to keep the Mavs and Stars, but let the Rangers and Cowboys, and now Cotton Bowl get away.)
Russell and I took a tour of underground Seattle, a real treat. It is in the old downtown area of Pioneer Square. Our guide gave a very humorous view of the founding fathers and their many missteps. In this area you enter buildings on the second floor; all first floors are under street level. This was not the original design. I guess all of us know too much about how our hometowns came to be and harbor a little disdain toward the leaders we know a little too much about.
The Rutherford’s tired of gloomy Seattle and went on to the next destination. We stayed on a bit to handle some business and regroup.
NEXT TIME: stay awhile
We met up with Rick and Pat at the Lake Pleasant RV Park, a beauty with sites along the perimeter of two small lakes. Again we really enjoyed being able to share cooking responsibilities with them and collaborate on some great meals.
We did the tour of downtown; Pike’s Market, docks, shops, Nordstrom’s Flagship! I was amazed by downtown. This is a city with half the population of Dallas and twice the downtown. They have managed to keep businesses open and well in an era where many cities are in decline. One obvious thing they have done is to keep their sports teams in the downtown area. Dallas certainly missed that boat! (They have managed to keep the Mavs and Stars, but let the Rangers and Cowboys, and now Cotton Bowl get away.)
Russell and I took a tour of underground Seattle, a real treat. It is in the old downtown area of Pioneer Square. Our guide gave a very humorous view of the founding fathers and their many missteps. In this area you enter buildings on the second floor; all first floors are under street level. This was not the original design. I guess all of us know too much about how our hometowns came to be and harbor a little disdain toward the leaders we know a little too much about.
The Rutherford’s tired of gloomy Seattle and went on to the next destination. We stayed on a bit to handle some business and regroup.
NEXT TIME: stay awhile
Washington State
June 15, 2009
What a surprise! It is a short drive across the Idaho panhandle to Spokane. Once through the city you are in rural Washington, Gone are the rugged peaks of Montana and Idaho. The land opens up to rolling hillsides covered with agriculture. The growing season was in full swing with mile after mile of farm land. You could smell the alfalfa being mowed and bundled. We saw row after row of Quonset-type portable buildings full of hay. We loved the smell of it storing in the barn. Alfalfa is dessert for cattle, heaven help the person who gets between a longhorn bull and alfalfa! In one area the farmers even had signs on the fences to tell what was growing. We loved that. We thought Washington was just for apples-how very unenlightened of us.
About mid-state farm land plays out and hillsides become more rugged. Our next shock was a gorge that opened to reveal an amazing lake, deep blue with black cliffs dominating the sky. We crossed a beautiful, modern bridge on our way to another drastic topography change. We entered the forested tall mountains with plunging waterfalls and one lake after another. Our trip on I-90 was one jaw dropping experience after another.
NEXT TIME: STOP!
What a surprise! It is a short drive across the Idaho panhandle to Spokane. Once through the city you are in rural Washington, Gone are the rugged peaks of Montana and Idaho. The land opens up to rolling hillsides covered with agriculture. The growing season was in full swing with mile after mile of farm land. You could smell the alfalfa being mowed and bundled. We saw row after row of Quonset-type portable buildings full of hay. We loved the smell of it storing in the barn. Alfalfa is dessert for cattle, heaven help the person who gets between a longhorn bull and alfalfa! In one area the farmers even had signs on the fences to tell what was growing. We loved that. We thought Washington was just for apples-how very unenlightened of us.
About mid-state farm land plays out and hillsides become more rugged. Our next shock was a gorge that opened to reveal an amazing lake, deep blue with black cliffs dominating the sky. We crossed a beautiful, modern bridge on our way to another drastic topography change. We entered the forested tall mountains with plunging waterfalls and one lake after another. Our trip on I-90 was one jaw dropping experience after another.
NEXT TIME: STOP!
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