Walking back from the campground wash house last night, we could feel a change in the air. The moist marine layer that keeps this part of the coast verdant had been sitting off the beach for a couple of days, but now it seemed to be inching closer to land. Feeling the potential for dampness, everything except for the tent and its contents got shoved into the van before we called it a night.
Although it had never really rained, the whole campground had gotten a good soaking from the heavy mist, so camp break was a damp, but efficient, affair. Instead of breaking out our cooking gear, we chose to head to Astoria, OR on the other side of the Columbia River for breakfast.
Welcome to Oregon. From the bridge, we saw two bald eagles fishing in the Columbia River.
We were not the only campers at the Pig'N Pancake on this wet morning.
Astoria, OR was the largest city on the west coast for many years, thanks to John Jacob Astor, whose American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria on the Oregon side of the river mouth in 1811. This summer the town was also getting a small tourism boost from the movie the Goonies, which was filmed here in the 80's and celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer. We saw our first New Hampshire license plate in the parking lot of the Pig n’ Pancake, where we had oversize breakfasts. We have not yet seen a Vermont license plate in the west.
We figured that this was a good place to park in Astoria. We had to laugh at the Oregon Lottery logo: a hand with two fingers crossed!
The drive to Hood River was stereo-typically northwestern. We backtracked along the Lewis and Clark Trail under cloudy skies with periodic showers. We passed quaint coves with house boats and drove through multiple logging towns. Julia and Kellan had been hoping to be able to visit Solomon and Yibetal, friends from Cornwall who had moved to Portland, but they were visiting relatives on the east coast this week. That’s what happens when we are all traveling in August! Instead, we visited a couple of Portland’s bike shops and had lunch at a micro-brewery along the Columbia River at Cascade Locks.
Life at sea level. Floating houses on a small inlet.
Overlooking Longview. The milled lumber on the barges is likely headed to Asia The finished lumber on the train cars will remain in North America.
We had a great lunch at Thunder Island Brewery next to Cascade Locks. It'a a hole in the wall with a nice menu, fantastic beers, and an ideal view. They won't sell you a growler or any beer to go. It exists to be enjoyed right here.
The weather improved dramatically as we neared Hood River. Our first stop was the waterfront to see who was out windsurfing and kiteboarding. There were a few people out, but because it was only blowing 20, the crowds were sparse.
Walking toward the event area in Hood River. Vehicle spectating is its own sport in the Gorge. Sprinters, campers, vans and other sport-customized vehicles are everywhere. We fit right in with our vehicle, but we were probably not in town long enough to get featured on the Gorge's White Sprinter Van gallery: http://thegorgeismygym.com/white-sprinter-vans/
The Columbia River Gorge is the wind sport capital of the world, thanks to its unique geographic situation. The river has cut a narrow opening through the Cascade mountain range and the flow of air through the gorge is consistently heavy. This is because the desert on the east side of the range heats during the day and as the hot air rises, cooler ocean air from the west is pulled toward the desert. As the air is sucked through the button hole of the gorge, it gets constricted and increases in velocity. I am not a physicist, but I understand that this phenomenon that turns pressure into suction is known as the venturi effect. As a result, winds in excess of 30 mph consistently blow up the river almost every day all summer long. As a bonus, the wind blows against the current of the river, creating large waves that windsurfers and kite surfers love. It is also a convenient escalator. If you are getting blown downwind, all you have to do to get back upwind is to lower your sail or kite and wait while the river takes you downstream and upwind.
Both Karen and I have been to Hood River before. It’s a town that has grown considerably over the past 20 years. It is also now home to some Middlebury classmates and friends who we planned to catch up with later in the day. Before our visit, we decided to go up and spend a little time at one of Hood River’s many famous mountain biking areas.
The Family Man staging area at the Post Canyon trails has something for everyone. Julia enjoyed the flowing cross-country trails.
Kellan anti-gravitated to the free-ride areas of the park.
Our friends Ethan and Gusty and their three kids live just a few miles from the mountain bike park. Ethan went to Middlebury College with us and his mom, Lisa, still lives in Middlebury and taught Julia and Kellan how to ski at the Snow Bowl and was also their 1st grade teacher in Cornwall.
Ethan is a builder, so it was not surprising to find their beautiful home nestled in a meadow along the banks of the Hood River. Julia and Kellan made fast friends with Thatcher, Cam and Amelia and before long, there were enjoying art projects, soccer games, a trip to the river and to cap the evening, a soak in the hot tub.
Karen and I enjoyed catching up with Gusty and Ethan over dinner and then popped the OzTent up in their yard for a peaceful night’s sleep with the gurgling river in the background.
