Ocian in View!
Journal Day 7
7/31/04
Cascade Locks to Astoria
We have trouble sleeping as our campsite is next to the pool & office. We are right in the middle of all the KOA action. O the joy. We break camp, anxious to make the last leg of our westward journey.
Now, in the daylight, we can actually see the Columbia R. Gorge. Am I overusing the word breathtaking? The river is a beautiful blue/green like the ocean, and is at least a mile across. The mountains close in on both sides. It's very windy; there's a constant rushing sound of wind through the pines.
As we cross the bridge from Portland OR to Vancouver WA we have a Mt. Hood sighting; a perfect snow-covered cone. Lewis and Clark saw it too.
Worthy of mention; out here the signage for road hazards is pretty simple--"Rocks", "Trucks". Leaves a lot to the imagination.
The Columbia River looks more & more like a bay as we proceed on (if you're tired of that phrase, read the L&C journals). We see huge lumber operati0ns & ships that look seaworthy. We must be getting close to the ocean. Seeing the Columbia today; controlled by locks and dams, without all of its rapids and falls, it's hard to imagine what the river was like for the Corps of Discovery. But the incredible scenery must have been the same--what I read about matches what I see.
4:00pm PDT Ocian in view! O the joy! Garrett and I give each other high fives. We did it--and in only seven days; with the latest technology!
On to Fort Clatsop National Monument. The Fort has been rebuilt exactly where it stood. This is where the Expedition wintered in 1806. A rainy, gloomy winter--only six clear days. That had to hard on Lewis, who we know suffered from depression. But they had a lot to do in order to get ready for the trip back, and plenty of Indian visitors.
Once again I was moved to tears; by finally getting here, standing where they stood, getting to make the trip, reaching the goal. There was a visitor there who I think may actually have been more obsessed with the history of the Expedition than I am. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on his conversation with the interpretive guide at the fort. At the visitor center you can buy a flag with 15 stars that has flown over the fort for one day for $45. The guy I'm talking about bought today's flag--he saw them take it down for the day, and got to keep it. I understood. My budget is a little smaller--I got 2 more hatpins and a copy of Clark's map to frame when I get home.
We finally had a nice relaxing evening at the campground even though we were almost too tired to enjoy it. We have cable TV here; but no ESPN. We keep up with the Cardinal score on ESPN. Must have been quite a game--Giants ahead 8-1; then win 8-7. I wonder what happened to Matt Morris this time? Spent a nice time by the campfire. Needed the heater again--low in the 50's.
7/31/04
Cascade Locks to Astoria
We have trouble sleeping as our campsite is next to the pool & office. We are right in the middle of all the KOA action. O the joy. We break camp, anxious to make the last leg of our westward journey.
Now, in the daylight, we can actually see the Columbia R. Gorge. Am I overusing the word breathtaking? The river is a beautiful blue/green like the ocean, and is at least a mile across. The mountains close in on both sides. It's very windy; there's a constant rushing sound of wind through the pines.
As we cross the bridge from Portland OR to Vancouver WA we have a Mt. Hood sighting; a perfect snow-covered cone. Lewis and Clark saw it too.
Worthy of mention; out here the signage for road hazards is pretty simple--"Rocks", "Trucks". Leaves a lot to the imagination.
The Columbia River looks more & more like a bay as we proceed on (if you're tired of that phrase, read the L&C journals). We see huge lumber operati0ns & ships that look seaworthy. We must be getting close to the ocean. Seeing the Columbia today; controlled by locks and dams, without all of its rapids and falls, it's hard to imagine what the river was like for the Corps of Discovery. But the incredible scenery must have been the same--what I read about matches what I see.
4:00pm PDT Ocian in view! O the joy! Garrett and I give each other high fives. We did it--and in only seven days; with the latest technology!
On to Fort Clatsop National Monument. The Fort has been rebuilt exactly where it stood. This is where the Expedition wintered in 1806. A rainy, gloomy winter--only six clear days. That had to hard on Lewis, who we know suffered from depression. But they had a lot to do in order to get ready for the trip back, and plenty of Indian visitors.
Once again I was moved to tears; by finally getting here, standing where they stood, getting to make the trip, reaching the goal. There was a visitor there who I think may actually have been more obsessed with the history of the Expedition than I am. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on his conversation with the interpretive guide at the fort. At the visitor center you can buy a flag with 15 stars that has flown over the fort for one day for $45. The guy I'm talking about bought today's flag--he saw them take it down for the day, and got to keep it. I understood. My budget is a little smaller--I got 2 more hatpins and a copy of Clark's map to frame when I get home.
We finally had a nice relaxing evening at the campground even though we were almost too tired to enjoy it. We have cable TV here; but no ESPN. We keep up with the Cardinal score on ESPN. Must have been quite a game--Giants ahead 8-1; then win 8-7. I wonder what happened to Matt Morris this time? Spent a nice time by the campfire. Needed the heater again--low in the 50's.
posted by carol1211k | 12:53 PM
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