the journal

Our last day proved to be the most exciting for me.  After sleeping in this great campsite I was walking back from the latrine when I saw the real rattlesnake on the rocks three feet from me.  I leapt ten feet to the right and ran like Mercury back to the campsite.  Wow, it could have only happened to me.  After calming down I stayed on the river with Skip when Debbi and the others went on a hike up to “Suicide Point” overlooking our campsite.  Skip and I had a great time chatting so it was a wonderful alternative.  The rest of the day we cruised down the river, swam on a nice sandy beach, docked at the little historical museum and finished a truly memorable three days of rafting on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. 

Many of the routes I’ve driven have been spectacular.  I really enjoyed the desert landscapes of Nevada and Arizona, the cliffs of the Pacific Coast Highway and the salt flats of Utah.  But once we got to the Columbia Gorge and the Columbia River I was mesmerized.  The beauty of the mighty river and the grandeur of the mountains was special.  We drove along the river for miles.  Then we came across the Columbia Gorge museum.  This was fabulous.  We were able to hear the geological history of how the gorge was formed (glacial flooding you know) and see how the area was settled.

There was so much to do in downtown Portland.  We had a full day of sight-seeing, shopping, dining and walking.  The best places to see good stuff are the Portland Museum of Art, Rose Garden and Japanese Garden.  The art museum had two wonderful exhibits – Escher from early woodcuttings to the study for a major installation and a Tattoo art power point show on a hugh screen. The Rose Garden was part of a public garden complex on a major hill above the downtown.  There we so many varieties of roses on display.  But the crown jewel for me was the world class Japanese Garden.  Once again our hotel was an example of great renovation to a truly modern design.  Previously a Days Inn, Hotel Modera, was real uban chic.  Just loved it.

The best way to get from Portland to Seattle is through Mt. Rainier National Park.  We traveled the back roads to get to the park and then up over 6000 feet for a spectacular view of the (volcanic) mountain.  At the park’s entrance we went on a little nature walk and enjoyed the grandeur of the trees.  On the way up to view Mt. Rainier we stopped to see wonderful streams and a few wildlife surprises.  There definitely was a bear in the woods near the vista and I got a good shot of a beaver cruising the road. Mt. Rainier was worth the detour.

Throughout this adventure I have been most surprised by the fact that I am surprised at the places I’ve loved.  To drive through the Oregon wilderness and rural communities seeing the farms and ranches is a spectacular experience.  I was alone on the road for most of the drive seeing another car only once every fifteen minutes or so.  The expanse of land with the farm houses, cows, horses and a few other creatures was georgeous.  The barns were the most attractive in their design and deterioration.  You will see this in the photos I just couldn’t resist taking.  In the Oregon remoteness is Crater Lake.  Now that is a sight of Xtreme beauty.  What more can I say.  The Lodge at Crater Lake was also cool beyond belief.  The design was early mission and rugged western.  And there were rockers everywhere… LOVED THAT.  I highly recommend this as a fabulous getaway from civilization.  It must be exquisite in the winter.  But alas, I had to leave and drive to southern Oregon.  Notice the name of the road I took there.  I had to take a photo of the GPS listing because it brought to the surface a troubling emotion I’ve had since crossing the Mississippi River.  Here’s the deal.  I wanted to read about places I will be going so I found several books that gave me a sense of the history of these places: Alaska by Michener, a book about Louis and Clark’s expeditions and a novel about the experience of Native Americans on the Trail of Tears.  I could only finish one of these books because the treatment of Native Americans in our history was so deplorable and heartbreaking.  So in my usual Cathy fashion I chose not to dwell on this terribly sad part of history.  Maybe that’s why I feel I am doing my part to make things better for the remaining Native American population by supporting their casinos.  LOL.