Returning to the Northwest, Part 3 (Columbia River Gorge and Fort Clatsop, Oregon and Longview and Long Beach, Washington)

After Sunriver, Bill and I proceeded to Longview, Washington for his motorcycle drivers’ test, taking the scenic byway along the Columbia River in Oregon.  We drove through the Hood River County Fruit Loop, not the cereal, but the roads that circle farms, orchards, wineries and vineyards (now with 45 members).  Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and oranges were all imported in the Philippines and it was a joy to touch them hanging right in their branches.  We brought a pear as huge as a basketball to the Andersons with whom we were staying for the night; together with the Mackies (both part of the DUs)! 

Then we went to the Bonneville Dam which also has a big fish hatchery for salmon and steelhead in the Northwest.  There I met Herman, a 9-ft. Sturgeon who has a big following.  Buttons, t-shirts, caps and all kinds of souvenir items were on sale for those he mesmerized, including moi!   The fish ladders were also a very instructive part of the tour of the dam that powers the Northwest.

Next we visited The Grotto, a beautiful 62-acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden located in Portland, Oregon.   The heart of the shrine is Our Lady’s Grotto, a rock cave carved into the base of a 110-foot cliff.  A life-size marble replica of Michelangelo’s Pieta is featured in its center.  On The Grotto’s upper level, we discovered its manicured gardens, religious artwork, and panoramic views of the Columbia River Valley, the Cascades and Mt. St. Helens.  There we sat in silence at the awe-inspiring Meditation Chapel overlooking the city.  Curiously, we also found a Filipino Shrine, the Dambana.

Finally, we reached Longview, we parked at Walmart, and Bill took his test. Sadly, he skidded in one routine and did not make it, along with four others (out of 5) who took the test that day).  I guess he did not have enough time to practice.  Unfortunately, he could not take a retest until a week later so we had to think fast. We decided to go to the coast, cross the Columbia and visit Fort Clatsop in Oregon, then cross the Columbia again to spend a few days in Long Beach, Washington before heading back to Longview. 

Fort Clatsop, at the southern mouth of the Columbia River, is the climax of the westward journey of Lewis and Clark. It was in Nov. 15-24, 1805 when they set up Station Camp. On January 8, 1806, they wrote about a 105-ft long whale that beached and died in the sands and from which they obtained 300 pounds of blubber!  The Fort is pretty, with re-creations of how they must have set up camp but none of the original structures still stands.  The replica that stands there now was completed in 1955. 

All along the river, you can still see the original log poles used for much of the log industry that developed after the Lewis and Clark expedition.  They are 80-yr. old Douglas fir of about 60 feet in length with 20 ft. embedded into the water. They were used for log sorting and raft making.  It is also interesting to take note of the bridges crossing the Columbia, especially the one called the Bridge to Nowhere because, at an angle, the bridge actually seemed to go nowhere!

Long Beach is the longest beach in the United States (28 miles) and the world’s largest drivable beach! We were there in early October and the beach was eerily empty and the air bitingly cold.  There are several exhibits along the very long boardwalk.  The best is the skeleton of a 38-ft. sub-adult gray whale lying on grassy portion of the beach.  In April 2003 the City of Long Beach completed the excavation and reconstruction of the bones of the whale that beached and died there in May 2000.

At a distance we also saw a huge kite flying alone, a far cry from the color and buzz on the third week of August each year when Washington’s International Kite Festival is held.  A mile from the beach is the World Kite Museum, the only American Museum dedicated exclusively to the thrill, joy, art, science and world history of kites. It has outstanding kite collections, including those of kites used in warfare, and extensive archival materials, making it the definitive information source on kites internationally.

And, finally, it was time to head back to Longview.  In the middle of practice drives there, Bill and I found Lake Sacajawea, a pretty man-made lake that ran through the center of town.  We made the hike around the lake perimeter, about 2 miles.  And beside the Library is the most unusual bridge you will ever find.  It is called The Nutty Narrows Bridge.  It is a bridge atop a busy road, connecting 2 trees on either side.  So many squirrels died crossing that road that the community built them a bridge!   

Then D-Day came.  Bill took the test.  And this time, he passed! Yehey! We were on to the volcanic origins of the West.

Next Stops: Crater Lake National Park, Lava Beds National Park and the Mount Lassen Volcanic National Monument      

Returning to the Pacific Northwest, Part 2 (Sunriver, Oregon)

We are back in Washington, currently camped at the Thunderbird Resort in Monroe.  Before writing about new discoveries here, however, let me take you back September 12, 2009, when we first crossed the border of Canada and the US past Vancouver (please see my post on Exploring British Columbia, Part 2, dated May 24, 2010).  We had travelled through Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, Yukon, Alaska, back to Yukon (including the Arctic Circle), then British Columbia in almost 3 months (we left Seattle June 29, 2009).

The first thing we encountered was the beautiful view of Mt. Baker, the third highest peak (after Rainier and Hood) in this part of the country. After taking several photos, we quickly drove to Trisha’s home and there parked Star in their driveway.  Even with a few maintenance visits for Star and the laptop, our main preoccupation was to acquire a scooter to help us reduce fuel costs of running around (Star was at 10-12 mpg). We settled on a beautiful blue Yamaha scooter named Vino!

Then we were off to Oregon for the biennial reunion of the DUs, Bill’s high school gang (please see my post on the 2010 reunion in Crested Butte dated July 31, 2010). Mt. Hood struck a beautiful pose as we drew closer to Sunriver, Oregon. It is a 3,300 acre (13.4 km²) private planned resort community in Deschutes County, a part of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Sunriver consists of residential areas, recreational facilities, the Sunriver Resort, the Sunriver Resort Lodge, and a commercial development known as Sunriver Village Mall.  

Sunriver Vacations, a conglomerate of four of the largest vacation rental companies, offers guests and the public a recreation center named Mavericks. Sunriver  also has three 18-hole golf courses, many tennis courts, swimming pools, a park, a nature center, the Sunriver Observatory, stables, a marina, a general aviation airport, restaurants, a business park, the Three Rivers School and a shopping village, all accessible via the 35+ miles (over 55 km) of paved bicycle paths. 

The community has a permanent population of about 1700, though at any given time it may have many times as many vacationers in attendance. We all shared a beautiful 8-bedroom home, each room with its own bath suite. There were 13 of us and the girls had fun taking turns making meals.  The meal times all turned out to be great debates and discussions.  Lots of deer came to be fed on the deck while some of us enjoyed the warmth of the hot tub and wine. There were lots of activities to fill our days, and nights:  biking around the village (Bill and I shared a tandem bike), canoeing and picnicking on the banks of the Deschutes River, and eating out and shopping in the touristy town of  Bend. 

We also visited the High Desert Museum, took a hike up Newberry Volcano to view The Great Obsidian Flow.  We also took a day trip to the famous Crater Lake National Park with the bluest, deepest lake waters,unfortunately smoke from local forest fires prevented us from truly enjoying the view.  Fortunately, Bill and I had another opportunity to see it on a beautiful, clear day (see my future post on volcanic California).   Another day we took a day trip and hike through the trails up to Todd Lake with a full view of the Three Sisters of the Cascade Range (headline photo).

Everyday Bill would steal a few minutes to practice driving Vino because he still only had a learner’s permit.  He scheduled a driver’s test after the reunion, in Longview, going back up to Washington for a day after a tour through the beautiful Columbia Gorge. At the same time, the guys would sneak in a few minutes at a time to teach me how to ride a bike…sadly, in vain…for I am one of those few who cannot achieve balance (whether in biking or in life…hehehe).

In the end, the ‘class picture’ shows how much the group enjoyed the reunion, everyone thinking…’Until the next time…in Crested Butte!’ 

    

Next Stops: the Columbia Gorge and Longview, Washington

Flying to Alaska for a Wedding, Part 2

Last year we were able to go to Tok, Valdez, Palmer, Anchorage, Whittier, Homer, Wasilla, Denali, Fairbanks, North Pole, and Chicken, Alaska. This year, when Cris and Mitch went off for their honeymoon, we took the opportunity to go to Soldotna/Kenai, Seward, and Mt. McKinley.

Soldotna and Kenai are on the mouth of the famous Kenai River on the Kenai Peninsula, just slightly off the same road we took to Homer last year.  So we got to revisit the usual spectacular scenes of glaciated mountains glistening above the waters. Together with Homer and Cooper’s Landing (where we stopped for the best smoked salmon chowder I ever tasted), they are well-known fishing towns. But this year, the summer is colder, wetter, and darker. It was so windy I became paranoid that my brand new alpaca winter hat would be blown away. 

Even the snow-capped mountains seemed farther away and hidden by haze that the pictures were not as bright.  The saving grace was the quaint little Russian Orthodox Church in the Old Town of Kenai, built at the turn of the nineteenth century. We even found a set of wedding crowns we could wear! Bill also felt so good to find that, in Soldotna, an organization is doing better than Walmart at catering to the needs of the RV industry enthusiasts!  Fred Meyer, besides being a place to dry camp for the night, had complimentary dump and potable water stations!

Bill was very sensitive to my frustration that, instead of going back to Anchorage the next morning, he headed off to the other side of the peninsula, to the town of Seward, at the mouth of the Kenai Fjords National Park. I felt that Whittier (from where we took the Glacier Bay cruise last year) is prettier (it rhymes!) though smaller. It was already off-season so there was hardly any soul on the waterfront.  But the boats are all still moored on the marina and the shops were still open. A long pipe coming down from a strange huge equipment on the bay was still a mystery to us as we left.

 8 ½ miles west of the town lies the famous Exit Glacier (part of the huge Harding Ice Fields of 500 square miles), so named because it has been receding slowly since the earliest recorded terminus in 1815 (the recordings are so marked along the way), about 2 miles from the current one.  One can imagine the size of the glacier from the marshland it is creating at its foot. I welcomed the chance to finally walk on the glacial ridge just as Bill did at the Worthington Glacier in Valdez last year.  But it was so cold, like I was inside the freezer.  Quickly, I turned back after the photo op. 

Then the soggy weather changed and we got the chance to go for a view of Mt. McKinley which, at over 20,000 feet, is the highest peak in North America.  It is useful to point out that, although there are 650 higher peaks in the Himalayas and 44 in South America, you look at McKinley rising from a base of sea level and thus looks so ‘gi-normous’, as Bill’s granddaughter Cassie would say! Last year, the mountain was totally covered with clouds even as we took the Denali National Park bus to the best viewpoint inside. 

They say only 30% of those who go to see it, get to.  I am so proud to say that, this year, we finally did! 

It was an increasing spectacle as it loomed larger and larger from Anchorage to Talkeetna, a drive of about 134 miles.  There are three great viewing points: Denali South (Mile 135) and Talkeetna hill in the south and Denali North (Mile 163) and Wonder Lake (inside Denali National Park) in the north.  The headline photo is from Denali South and the photo here is from the Mt. McKinley View Lodge half a mile before Denali South which we accidentally found as we looked for food when I got hungry! 

One last note   The US Open was on while we were in Anchorage and I got to see enough of it except for those times we were out sightseeing which we, of course, timed during those matches when Nadal , my favorite, was not playing.  The men’s final was supposed to be on the day we left, at 12 noon (our flight was at 5:30 PM).  So with our bags packed and safe in the Cristine’s car, we holed up in the TGIF Sports Bar! Unluckily, the match was postponed to the following day because of rain. But we got to watch it in Monroe and Nadal is now the US Open Champ!

Next Stop: Monroe, Washington

Flying to Alaska for a Wedding, Part 1

After one summer month in Alaska last year (please see my last post in  April, Part 1, and my second post in May, Part 2, of this year), we thought we would not be coming back till maybe after five years because it is too costly to get here, whether by land, air or sea! But here we are again because, Cristine, Bill’s youngest, emboldened by our success, finally went to the Net where she met Mitch. On Sept. 6 they ventured on a first date (the same day we were at the Arctic Circle!). Exactly a year after, we are attending their wedding at the Upper Perennials section of the Alaska Botanical Garden!

That morning, low clouds hovered around Cristine’s home in Anchorage.  It was a very pretty sight but not good for a garden ceremony.  Lo and behold!  At around 2-3 PM, the time of their wedding, the sky cleared and smiled at all the pretty blooms around. The small happy party proceeded to have great steaks at the Lone Star SteakHouse.  Then the couple disappeared for their honeymoon at the Alaska Frontier B&B noted for the jacuzzi and sauna right inside the matrimonoial bedroom.

In over a year, from Alaska to Mexico, Yosemite to the Everglades, and the Smokies to Yellowstone, we had seen elk, deer, bear, alligators, python, mountain goats, dall sheep, wolves, etc. but had not seen a single moose!  There was one time in Northern British Columbia but we were not that familiar with our Nikkon SLR yet and he escaped! This time around though, they were right in Cristine’s lovely backyard (Cristine is an exceptinal plant lady) and our rented RV was parked there!  We were so happy!   

You can join a cruise ship through the Inside Passage to get here but not only does it cost a lot but you also lose your freedom to roam the last frontier. Driving your RV through the Alaska Highway allows you to go to more places but, with the cost of gas at $4.50 to a gallon in some parts, it is not only a very expensive way, but also the slowest!  Flying is costly but, since we are holders of Alaska Airlines loyalty cards, we got a companion certificate for just $99 or a little more than buy one get one free.

So we stored M’A ‘turn at Thunderbird Resort in Monroe, Washington and flew to Anchorage on Sept.3. But we had to figure out how to lower the cost of lodging (0 on a cruise or if you brought your RV).  All rooms for two were from $99/night and up plus more $ for a rental car. So we saw the beauty, and the logic, of renting an RV (many Europeans tour North America in RVs)!  Since it was almost off-season, the rates are from $79/night + mileage or, what we finally got, $89/night (unlimited mileage), for any size RV.  

 

We chose a small 22-foot Class C because it would 1) fit nicely in Cristine’s driveway, 2)have reasonable mpg, 3) be easy to maneuver even in city streets, and 4) be self-sufficient to take to places we were not able to go to the year before.  In short, as we have become accustomed to, we rented an apartment and a car all rolled into one.  It was a brilliant decision because when Cristine used it to make her finishing touches.  And when they went for their honeymoon, we also took off to see Soldotna/Kenai, Seward, and Talkeetna (Part 2). 

Next Stops: Soldotna/Kenai, Seward, and Talkeetna, Alaskao

Returning to Seattle Briefly Before Flying to Anchorage

Cristine, Bill’s youngest daughter is getting married on Sept. 6 in Anchorage, Alaska, so we took M’A ‘turn to Seattle for a brief visit before flying there.  From Moses Lake, we drove on I-90, seeing some unique hay factory along the way. When Snoqualmie Pass came into view, we knew we were almost ‘home’. Our first campground was near Fall City.  It was recently bought by ELS Properties, owners of Thousand Trails and Encore Parks (our network) and we wanted to see how it was, being the nearest to Trisha (my eldest daughter)’s home.

Trisha, husband DJ, daughter Yeye, and son Kenji came to visit.  (I took care of Kenji, now 3 ½, from the time he was born until Bill and I started our never-ending cruise. I have missed him sooooo much.) Fortunately, the campground had a mini-golf course which has become his favorite play! It was too cold and it would not have been fun in the pool so Bill and I and DJ and Trish spent fun time at the pool table instead!

Back at our campsite, Bill started a fire (in our portable fire pit) and we went on to make tons of gooey, sinful s’mores.  It was too cold, however, so we quickly went inside and to cap the evening, Trish and Yeye tried to outdo each other in karaoke.  The following day we took Yeye on a shopping spree for a belated birthday gift at the huge Westfield Mall in Tukwila.  Sadly, I lost my leather backpack, being so engrossed on Kenji who was an absolute cutie! 

Next it was Krishna (my eldest granddaughter) and Randy (her boyfriend)’s turn to visit.  They had planned on staying for just one night but decided to experience the unhooking, the drive to Monroe, and the hooking up of M’A ‘turn at the next campground which had a working hot tub, heated pools, and river frontage! Bill and Randy dueled at table tennis while Krishna labored on a puzzle and I took pictures.

Of course we soaked in the large hot tub, swam at the adult pool, and also played mini-golf at the ‘difficult’ course! (Kenji would love this one more!) Bill and Randy would have gone fishing, too, but the guys who were collecting data for the Fish and Wildlife agency said the Chinooks were a bad run (only 1500 returning salmon) but the Cohos which were just coming in would probably be a better run in a week or two (that’s when we will be back from Anchorage). To cap the evening we played Rummik-cube!

The last day we had a visit to the dentist in Fife (Mt. Rainier was aglow!) and that’s when we found out that fourteen months of no dental care has taken a toll, on my teeth especially. When we come back I would have to have a four quadrant cleaning while Bill has to have another filling. This is definitely one of the big disadvantages of the cruising lifestyle. It does not help that our dentist is way up at the northwest corner of the US. We need one at a more central location that we can easily run to for a quick visit.  

And so, after a brief six days, we are enroute to the SeaTac International Airport, seeing the familiar sights again, beckoning us to come back after ten days: the Evergreen floating bridge, the familiar Husky Stadium of UW, and the towering Space Needle looming over the Seattle Skyline.  We also spotted a single-engine Cessna float plane preparing to land at Lake Union (which is where we got married on board Champagne Lady at 8 PM on 8/08/08), a Disney! Plane docked at the airport and then……the onerous security lines at the airport!  Anchorage……here we come!