It seems we are following the sun. Yesterday we boarded the National Geographic Sea Bird on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. On this balmy afternoon we sailed north on the Willamette towards the Columbia. The bridges of Portland reflected the late afternoon sun.  Today we wake up in Astoria, Oregon with continuing blue skies and sunshine. The dreary winter experienced by the Lewis and Clark Expedition is quite the opposite of our experiences.  From the recreated Fort to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment to Waikiki Beach and the Astor Column, it was sunshine the whole way.  A rainbow accented our departure from Astoria.  An awesome start to our river journey.