mothers day

Friday, July 27, 2012

Across Oregon



Monday we headed down from Bear Mountain to head to Oregon - first step of the way.  We had waited until Monday to head West from Boise because CamperWorld was supposed to have our new awning in so that we could get it installed before heading off on our trip.  
Not knowing when it would be in we gave up on it and decided to wait until we get back to Boise after our trip through Oregon, Washington, top of Idaho, Montana and back through Idaho and then finally home to Utah.  I decided to post a blog with a few daily pictures.

On our way - the weather is gorgeous...not a cloud in sight!
The first night we went to Emigrant Springs State Park in Oregon - halfway between Le Grande and Pendleton.  It was in the mountains and just simply beautiful
Oregon has some beautiful state parks...hundreds of them!!  Most for day use but many for overnight camping too.  The are
There is actually a freeway behind these trees.  At first we were concerned that it would be noisy and keep us awake at night but we slept right through it all.
This is Ed hooking up the truck to the trailer the next morning.  The picnic table in front of the trailer is where we ate dinner that evening.  I was going to serve breakfast out there too but it was a bit too cool. So we ate in the trailer.  This state park was halfway between LeGrande and Pendleton Oregon....we drove into Pendleton to do some sightseeing.  Evidently in the late 1800's the chinese community dug tunnels under the city to make delivery of laundry and such easier!  A whole underground city developed - a grocery store and restaurant...even an ice cream parlor (taking advantage of the cooler air underground for keeping the ice cream freezers cooler!)  However, it was closed on Tuesdays!!  Bummer !

This is where we stayed Tuesday evening.  Ainsworth State Park...along the Columbia River Gorge area (about 50 miles East of Portland).  This is the view behind our trailer (and of the trailer next door)

I love how the trees are green all over in this country.  Moss doesn't just grow on the North side!
We left Ainsworth State Park about 8:30 in the morning and headed on into Portland and beyond to a lovely little island in the middle of the Columbia River called Sauvie Island.  We got the full tour of the Island as my Google Navigator on my cell phone took us the wrong way TWICE!!!  The island is literally covered with small farms growing flowers and plants and berries and fruit.  Almost every house has a sign in the front yard saying they have fresh dairy or flowers or blueberries or homemade lace for sale.   This is the Columbia River (with a boat right in the middle of the picture)...I was trying to get a picture of Mt St Helen's.  Its there, but you will have to double click the picture to see it.

This was a big barge that went up the river while we were enjoying the beach.  It was one of several that went by and would create big waves after it went by.  I thought it looked like it might be fun for body surfing and waded out into the river to try it but the water was tooooo cold.  I said forget IT!!    Note please the beautiful blue sky...that is the only blue sky we have seen since Wednesday!!   It did clear up this afternoon (about 4:45) but was rainy and cool all day long till then.  Jo says that tomorrow will likely be the same! Oregon/Washington weather!

I loved this old tree on the pathway from the road to the beach!!!   It looks like it spent years growing in the water
Thursday morning we woke up to cool weather and so decided to leave the trailer at the campground where we were staying on Sauvie Island and head to Astoria.  

Hopefully I can get this to publish like I want to and will update you with our trip to Fort Clatsop and Washington State in a couple of days

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful country!! Looks like you had a very nice time.

Kristanne C. Willden said...

Glad your enjoyin it. It is pretty country.