The Dalles and Hood River, Oregon
The Columbia River and its many personalities were on full, unfettered display today.
Despite a soft morning rain – known as “Oregon Sunshine” in these parts – guests boarded two motor coaches at The Dalles and moved west toward the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. Several stories were told at the Center/Museum: the rigors and adventures of the Oregon Trail; the inundated Celilo Falls salmon fishery; an overview of the flora abounding in the High Desert; a brief raptor lesson starring a live owl and a bald eagle. Because winter pears and apples were in their prime, hanging from trees in Hood River Valley orchards, the Museum featured an outdoor collection of brightly painted “Running Fruit Ladders.” Placed along major highways in the Gorge, this colorful display was described as “art at 65 MPH.”
Entrepreneur Sam Hill’s historic highway (a serpentine route of 80 miles along the Oregon hills above the Columbia River) drew guests to a brief overview at Rowena Crest, one of the Gorge’s premier viewing platforms. Within half an hour, guests walked and rode bicycles along the old highway through the Mosier Tunnels. Hood River town received guests, as did several orchards and wineries on the slopes of the Hood River Valley. Appetizers, sips of a refreshing white pear wine, and a selection of cheeses were hosted by the White House Winery, followed by a catered lunch at the next-door Mt. Hood Winery. Several guests also accompanied Hotel Manager Anna Marie Becker Hoover to Rasmussen Farms in search of fresh fruit for the boat.
Sunbreaks accompanied the National Geographic Sea Bird as it moved through Bonneville Dam and past Multnomah and its sister falls on the Oregon shore. Opposite this famous, watery sight, Washington State displayed Beacon Rock (named by Lewis & Clark) and the dramatic basalt double wall called Cape Horn.
Despite some snacks and a delicious lunch in Hood River Valley, guests participated with gusto in the onboard crab feast. The evening was topped with a presentation by Road Scholar leader Don Popejoy, entitled “Lewis and Clark Reach the Pacific.”
