Today was spent exploring the region of the Columbia River Gorge, beginning with shuttles to Oregon’s Cascade Locks. Once everyone was ashore, we boarded buses to take us to our desired locations. Some went hiking at Wahchella Falls, others directly to the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, and then to Multnomah Falls. A delicious lunch awaited us at the Crag Rat Hut, then it was off on a tour of the Fruit Loop Trail, traveling through a variety of orchards, with a stop at The Draper Girls Farm. Due to an incoming storm, we headed back to the ship a little early, and shuttled back to the ship, which had to reposition due to strong winds.
4/18/2024
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Walla Walla
We started our crisp and sunny morning with a ride into the boat basin at Sacajawea Historical State Park. The park is home to the October 16-17, 1805 campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and also the Confluence Project Story Circles installed by the acclaimed artist, Maya Lin. As this is a Food and Wine expedition, we departed for Dunham Cellars, with some passengers going to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. This is the scene of the tragic 1847 encounter between the missionaries and local natives. The setting for all our activities was at the base of the Blue Mountains, which was lush with the growth of spring. Dunham Cellars was enjoyed for their acclaimed cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and chardonnay. Everyone then met at Three Rivers Winery for a catered lunch with wine tasting and an enjoyable bask in the warm sun, supplemented by frisbee golf, corn hole contests, and relaxing on the deck. The afternoon was spent at Fort Walla Walla Museum and downtown Walla Walla. Fort Walla Walla has many exhibits from the late 1800s to early 1900s, including a full-sized diorama of a team of 33 mules used to move the large wheat combines. This was the practice prior to mechanization in this highly productive wheat area. Walla Walla is a wonderful town with a vibrant wine scene and bustling commercial district, which allowed for more wine tasting and shopping, including wine ice cream.