Hood River
We were truly blessed this week: amazing weather and no traffic through the locks. We traveled 130 miles downriver overnight, leaving the Snake River behind and passing two of the Columbia River dams, and did so well through the locks that we were right above The Dalles by 7o’clock this morning. We were about to go through the lock, but as there was no traffic behind us, our captain obliged us all by waiting to enter until the rising sun projected its splendid morning colours onto the white snowy peak of Mount Hood, right ahead of us. Although breakfast was ready, we could not tear ourselves from this wonderful spectacle, a harbinger of another great day in the wake of Lewis and Clark.
Visiting the wonderful, new Columbia River Gorge Discovery Centre enabled us to prepare for our afternoon crossing of the gorge by learning all about both the human and natural history of the whole area. The grounds themselves mirror the landscape as it appeared to the exhausted settlers, many years ago. All introduced species have been removed, leaving a real botanical delight of native species. Although none of the flowers are in bloom at this time of year, the muted greens of sagebrush and other shrubs contrast delightfully with the shimmering gold of the grasses.
This feast of colours just improved as the day went on. We took sections of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway up to a look out point named Rowena Crest, and the road wound gradually up through the brilliant yellows and oranges of the big leaf maples and the oaks, particularly well set off against the dark gray of the basaltic cliffs. Sections of the magnificent highway are now abandoned, but their setting is so beautiful as the road winds through the heart of the gorge that they have been taken over by hikers and cyclists. Many of us chose to take one of these two options, whilst the rest traveled on the Hood River to explore the streets of this quaint, steep-sided town or gaze at the antics of intrepid windsurfers and kite-boarders. Due to the funneling effect of the gorge on the powerful winds from the Pacific, Hood River is often considered the world capital of wind sports, with the world record for speed in windsurfing obtained right here!
After lunch we became immersed in deep hues of green, as the increasing rainfall in the area gives rise to temperate rainforest. This thick blanket of trees is here and there slashed by the pure white of several waterfalls tumbling down to the river below.
We were truly blessed this week: amazing weather and no traffic through the locks. We traveled 130 miles downriver overnight, leaving the Snake River behind and passing two of the Columbia River dams, and did so well through the locks that we were right above The Dalles by 7o’clock this morning. We were about to go through the lock, but as there was no traffic behind us, our captain obliged us all by waiting to enter until the rising sun projected its splendid morning colours onto the white snowy peak of Mount Hood, right ahead of us. Although breakfast was ready, we could not tear ourselves from this wonderful spectacle, a harbinger of another great day in the wake of Lewis and Clark.
Visiting the wonderful, new Columbia River Gorge Discovery Centre enabled us to prepare for our afternoon crossing of the gorge by learning all about both the human and natural history of the whole area. The grounds themselves mirror the landscape as it appeared to the exhausted settlers, many years ago. All introduced species have been removed, leaving a real botanical delight of native species. Although none of the flowers are in bloom at this time of year, the muted greens of sagebrush and other shrubs contrast delightfully with the shimmering gold of the grasses.
This feast of colours just improved as the day went on. We took sections of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway up to a look out point named Rowena Crest, and the road wound gradually up through the brilliant yellows and oranges of the big leaf maples and the oaks, particularly well set off against the dark gray of the basaltic cliffs. Sections of the magnificent highway are now abandoned, but their setting is so beautiful as the road winds through the heart of the gorge that they have been taken over by hikers and cyclists. Many of us chose to take one of these two options, whilst the rest traveled on the Hood River to explore the streets of this quaint, steep-sided town or gaze at the antics of intrepid windsurfers and kite-boarders. Due to the funneling effect of the gorge on the powerful winds from the Pacific, Hood River is often considered the world capital of wind sports, with the world record for speed in windsurfing obtained right here!
After lunch we became immersed in deep hues of green, as the increasing rainfall in the area gives rise to temperate rainforest. This thick blanket of trees is here and there slashed by the pure white of several waterfalls tumbling down to the river below.
