Sun, Oct 10, 2010

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The forecast for the day still was for rain but as we checked the radar it looked like we might be able to take our time heading west and maybe we wouldn’t be in the worst part of it.  After breakfast we crossed back over the Columbia River Gorge to the Washington side (the interstate runs along the Oregon side) and began our way toward the Pacific Coast. 

We made a number of stops along the way with one rather lengthy one at one of our favorite spots… Dog Creek Falls.  By lunchtime we made it back to the Oregon side to the Columbia River Gorge Historic Road (Old Oregon Hwy 30) that runs from near Cascade Locks to just east of Portland.  It’s one of the last remaining sections of the old original highway built in the early 1900s.  It is a beautiful road that winds its way thru the Oregon forests and passes by at least five very dramatic waterfalls.  The first fall you encounter when traveling the road from the east is Horsetail Falls but the second is the more famous Multnomah Falls.  It is probably one of the most photographed falls in the world.  Unfortunately, just as we arrived it began to rain.  We put on our raincoats and hit the trail.  I can’t say it was a lot of fun trying to photograph in the rain but we did the best we could to keep ourselves and our equipment dry.  We didn’t tarry too long however.  As we continued along the route the weather improved and we were able to take several nice hikes to see some of the falls we have missed on previous trips. 

At the end of this drive is the historic Vista House, built by Samuel Lancaster, a Highway Engineer who supervised the Columbia River Highway Project. It sits atop Crown Vista a high point on the gorge from which you can see up and down the river.  As Lancaster described it, the Crown Point promontory was the ideal site for “an observatory.” And it could “serve as a comfort station for the tourist and the travelers of America’s greatest highway.”  It’s a beautiful building with a dramatic views.  As we walked around the overlook after touring the museum inside, the sun began to peek through the clouds.  Yes, things were looking up!

We had used up most of the day and still had about a 100 mile drive to get to our planned destination of Canon Beach.  We hit the road again and made the drive into, thru and out of Portland with ease.  From the west side of Portland it was about 50 miles to Canon Beach and the drive went quickly with just one short puppy break.  Once in Canon Beach we headed straight to our usual motel Inn at Canon Beach and got a room.   Then it was off to Warren’s Pub for a good dinner and we finished just in time to make the short trip across the street to one of the public parks on the beach for the sunset.  The temperature on the pacific coast is almost always cool and we joke that it is always 55 degrees and today it was just about that as we walked out on the beach.  The good thing however was that there is often a healthy wind as well but tonight it was perfectly calm.  We stayed out on the beach until the sun set below the horizon and we made calls to both our mothers to tell them we were standing on the west coast. 

Back at the room we have a nice fire going in the fireplace and are going to relax.  The forecast for the entire week is perfect for the coast and we plan to enjoy every minute of it. 

We are well tonight and hope yall are too.

Peace, Hope & Love,

Donna, Charles, Paris & Dodger