At 6:00 a.m. in predawn darkness the doughty National Geographic Sea Bird makes her way downriver toward the historic The Dalles on the Oregon side of the Columbia, the Great River of the West. Before breakfast we are approaching a long row of lights marking The Dalles Dam and lock. Into the lock we sail as the great barn-door gates hold the water high above the level of the river below. Out drains the water and down goes our ship; the downstream gates open, we sail out, and our ship is soon made fast to the dock at The Dalles where we are greeted by The Floozies and some men in period costumes representing the days when The Dalles was the frontier and an important stop for travelers on the Oregon Trail.
We are soon aboard our motor coaches and heading for Rowena Crest via the Historic Columbia River Highway. The road winds its way uphill through a forest with autumn colors in the oaks and maples and dark green pines. Gaps in the trees show bold outcrops of the basalt we’ve come to admire and love. As we near the top a mule deer and her fawn are seen grazing near the road. They gracefully bound over a fence and disappear. Rowena Crest offers stunning views up and down the river and our first good look at the impressive Columbia Gorge.
At the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center we see not only the excellent displays on natural history, but also the history of Lewis & Clark and of Wasco County and the Oregon Trail. The walk around the grounds is a great place for birding and for seeing many of the plants described by Lewis & Clark. A presentation on raptors is given with beautiful red-tailed and rough-legged hawks, a great horned owl, and a kestrel. We also visit a pair of bald eagles. Some of us bike all the way back to the ship—5.5 miles down a winding trail that follows near the river. Others take a walk with a naturalist while still others stay in the museum for further exploration.
In the afternoon we cross the Columbia River, driving to Washington and along the historic “Road to the Buffalo” described by our historian, Don Popejoy. Our destination is Maryhill Museum with perhaps the most eclectic collection of objects we have ever seen in one place. From here, high above the river, we have another chance for epic views. Across the river we are able to see the ruts carved into the hillside by wagon wheels of the pioneers on the Oregon Trail from 1840 to 1860.
Our last stop is at the award winning Maryhill Winery where we taste their prize wines and enjoy more views out over the vineyards and across the river. At last we are back on our ship, our home-away-from-home, to a delicious dinner followed by another intriguing talk by Don Popejoy.
