The Dalles on the Columbia River
The stories of the Columbia River basin are as diverse as the men and women who retell them. The Dalles has a colorful past; and today we witnessed some of that rainbow firsthand.
‘Les dalles’ or the ‘flagstones’ or ‘paving stones’ was the way the French-Canadian fur traders described the humongous basalt formations here that channeled the Columbia River when it was free flowing. Our exploration was preceded by a raucous reception at dockside by some of The Dalles’ finest—barroom gals—reenacted courtesy of The Dalles Chamber of Commerce.
Then it was on to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. It was a mecca of learning as guests and staff explored a wide range of exhibits including Lewis & Clark, the geologic formation of the Columbia Gorge, the fate of Celilo Falls and the history of Wasco County—once the largest county in the United States! Then everyone split off to partake in their favorite activities. There was hiking, bike riding, exploration of the Rock Fort—where Louis and Clark set up camp in both 1805 and 1806—and even some time to visit the historic area of downtown. The warm weather made being outside ideal.
In the afternoon, the fulfillment of Sam Hill’s vision for tourism in the area was evident all around. We had traveled on portions of the restored Scenic Highway earlier in the day; and then visited Maryhill Museum in the afternoon. The Museum included some fascinating exhibits with a history of Sam Hill, an exceptional display of hand-woven Native American baskets, and a Rodin collection. There were also wonderful opportunities with the outdoor sculptures that decorated the grounds of the museum.
A short Zodiac ride provided by the crew got us from shore to National Geographic Sea Bird where we were treated to delicious wines and hors d’oeurves on the upper deck. The ship sailed on and then entered the John Day lock, with its guillotine downstream gate, where we were raised 103 feet in order to enter the Umatilla Lake. The guillotine door on the lock weighed over 800 tons! It was a ‘really’ big day all the way around.
