We awoke to bright sun and beautiful blue skies which we enjoyed all day. We began the day with a trip to Astoria Column. It is a very interesting concrete tower that is 125 feet high. The Column is a final in a series of 12 historical markers built in the early 1900s and was dedicated in 1926. The Astoria Column has the early history of of the Northwest territory in a series of murals going around and up the outside. Astoria is the oldest settled city west of the Mississippi dating from 1811. The Column is a tribute to Pacific Northwest explorers and Astoria’s settlers. We climbed the 164 steps and were rewarded with a magnificent 360 degree view that included the Columbia River, the Pacific Ocean, Lewis and Clark River and of course the surrounding mountains. It boggles the mind to imagine the rough terrain and wild river the first settlers traveled and the hardships they endured.
When we climbed down we continued on our way. We again traveled through some amazing scenery along the Columbia River Gorge. Part of our travels took us on to Historic Route 30 with trees forming a canopy over the road and “waterfall alley”. Although we didn’t stop to view any of the falls we were lucky enough to see one along the road but no photo opportunity. Historic Route 30 ended & we joined Interstate 84 & US 30. We lucked out with our next rest room break at Bonneville Lock and Dam. The visitor center is full of many exhibits including the construction of the dam, history of hydropower, and the salmon ladder that has been designed to facilitate the salmon swim upstream to spawn. We were again treated to wonderful vistas on the observation deck.
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As we continued on our way Eastward along the Columbia River, the Dalles and part of the Oregon Trail, we watched the terrain change from the lush forested west side of the mountain to the arid, sagebrush covered lands of the eastern dessert and then back into pine tree country as we climbed into more mountains.
The vistas of the gorge, hills, mountains, valleys, farmland and a few vineyards are indescribably beautiful. As we snaked around the mountains passing signs saying “snow area” or “chain up area”, Wayne was reminded of his trip with Greg towing a trailer behind the Corolla slip-siding up and down snowy, icy roads in late November 2005. Happily today, it is dry roads and sunshine!