More Lewis and Clark - Astoria, OR

The Astoria Column is the last of 12 historical markers saluting early explorers and settlers from St. Paul, MN, to Astoria, OR. The Astoria column focuses on the history of the Northwest through a series of panels that spiral up the column with the earliest history at the bottom. It covers pre-1792 through the 1880s.

The second picture focuses on the panel dealing with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

The final picture shows the saltworks of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which are located in the city of Seaside, OR, about 15 miles down the coast from Astoria. Note the five buckets for salt water set into the top of the cairn.

The records of Lewis and Clark indicate that a small contingent of the Expedition spent several months distilling 4 bushels of salt from an estimated 1400 gallons of seawater. The "boiling down operations" continued 24 hours a day. The salt was essential for curing meat for the return trip. The Expedition had run out of salt before reaching the Oregon coast.

Lewis and Clark at Fort Clatsop

In mid-November 1805 the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the Pacific Ocean via the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers. After exploring the area, the Expedition members voted to cross to the south side of the Columbia where they built Fort Clatsop, named for the local Indian tribe. They remained at the Fort until March 1806. During that winter they killed more than 130 elk. Of the 106 days they spent at the Fort, it rained every day but 12. 

In addition to other preparations for their return trip in the spring, Captains Lewis and Clark spent hours updating copious notes of their journey, including information about plants, fish, and wildlife, the flora and fauna of the American West. The maps they drew of the areas they covered were incredibly accurate, within 40 miles of the 4000 miles they covered. They maintained a strict military routine throughout the winter. In addition to their military duties, the soldiers spent much time servicing their weapons, preparing elkhide clothing for the return trip, and making elk tallow candles. 

Our pictures show the exterior of Fort Clatsop, the interior courtyard, and the interior of the Captains' quarters.

Father Pat's Parish Church

While in Portland area, we visited Anita's aunt Marcella, the sister of Anita's mother. A. Marcella lives in her own home in Beaverton, a west Portland suburb, and has traveled the world. We enjoyed talking about her travels, our travels, her family, and sharing pictures. We were joined for dinner by her sons Mike and Fr. Pat.

Sunday we attended Mass at Fr. Pat's parish church, St. Anthony of Padua, in east Portland.

After breakfast at the local I-Hop, Fr. Pat returned to his office to prepare for his regular Sunday delivery of Communion to parish shut-ins, which he does on his bicycle. 

We also spent a great day with Anita's niece, Andrea and his husband Chris. They showed us the very interesting, outdoor Saturday Market in downtown Portland. We had a breakfast at a downtown Portland cafe they knew about. It's the kind of great local place that travelers like us would never find without help from knowledgeable locals!

Spring in Oregon

After months in the deserts of Arizona and California, we really appreciate the eye-catching green of Oregon!

We don't know what the flowers are, just that they are abundant and gorgeous. We found these examples while visiting Champoeg State Park near Portland.

We put in the picture of the hayfield just for perspective. They are already putting up the first crop of hay. The variety of crops grown in Oregon is awesome. Orchards and vineyards are everywhere. This part of the Williamette Valley is also the largest grass seed growing area in the country.

The Deckers of Oregon

One of the highlights of our travels has been visiting family and friends across the country. We spent over a week at Albany, OR, with Tom's brother and his family. 

Ron just retired from his job with a large John Deere dealership. As you can see from the pictures, however, he hasn't quit working! Ron and his son-in-law, Jake, have a large shop where they continue to do a wide variety of mechanical work. The 4020 John Deere Ron is sitting beside is his current project. Ron's grandsons spend a lot of time with him in the shop. Note the smaller John Deere tractors.

Ron and Carolyn live next door to their daughter Rhonda, her husband Jake, and their two young sons. 

Oregon's State Capitol in Spring

It's definitely spring in the Williamette Valley of Oregon! The cherry trees on the state capitol mall in Salem are in full bloom. As we walked through the mall, the petals drifted down like snowflakes. The mall includes several fountains as well as the beautiful cherry trees. The trees are Akebono cherries planted in 1992.

The other feature near the Capitol that caught our attention is the Waldo Park Tree, a sequoia planted in 1872. The tree is now part of the smallest city park in the nation, 12 feet by 20 feet. It was planted by the son of an Oregon pioneer and now stands 85 feet tall, is 22 feet in circumference, and is 127 years old.

The Ducks of the University of Oregon

While camped near Eugene, OR, we had the opportunity to visit the UO campus. Spring sports were in full spring so we attended a women's softball game on campus. The Ducks were playing the Stanford University Cardinal.

At this point, the Ducks season record is 12 wins, 20 losses. The Cardinal record is 32 wins, 2 losses. The final score in this game was 11-0 in favor of Stanford. 

The primary reason for the win is that the Stanford team may have the best starting pitcher in women's softball in the nation. Missy Penna has 22 wins, 2 losses this season. Penna was recently named the USA Softball Player of the Week. You can see Ms. Penna in the first picture. Penna pitched the entire game, a one-hit shutout against the Ducks.

The Ducks are in white uniforms; the Cardinal, in dark. The Stanford team is currently ranked No. 2 in the PAC-10.

Winchester Bay, OR

Our first opportunity to spend time on the Pacific Coast was at Winchester Bay, OR. In most places, getting to and exploring the Pacific Coast is difficult when you're pulling a fifth wheel camper. Fortunately, the trek from I-5 to Winchester Bay was over good roads. 

We found a campground with a great view of the Winchester Bay. The Bay is a calm, quiet cove protected from the open Pacific by an island and a breakwater. In summer it's a haven for vacationers. Note the large marina which was located on our land side. It's also the access point to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, a hot spot for all manner of off-road vehicles used to play in sand dunes. It was rainy and overcast most of the time we were there, a not uncommon experience along the Pacific Coast.

In the third picture, you can just see the lighthouse to the left of our camper in the picture, which sits at the mouth of the Bay. 

Ashland, OR

Ashland, OR, was one of the most pleasant surprises on our travels so far. We knew almost nothing about the area when we drove in on a Friday night. Not far north of the California border on Interstate 5, the city is a hot spot for theater.

Ashland is the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Because it was during spring break, the town was humming! We managed to get tickets to two plays, one at each venue. We saw Dead Man's Cell Phone, a play written by Sarah Ruhl. In a world where the cell phone has become ubiquitous, the play centers around a woman who answers the cell phone of a man who has just died. The intrigues resulting from her retaining that phone are hilarious and a telling comment on the role cell phones play in our society.

At the Cabaret, we saw "Kickin' the Clouds Away," a musical with songs from the early twentieth century, with a singing and dancing cast of only six people. The Cabaret is a dinner theatre setting. 

Ashland is located in a mountain valley a few miles south of Medford. The last picture looks from Ashland to the east across the valley. Many of the homes in Ashland, cling to the steep sides of the mountains. 

In the really small world we live in, we ran into old friends from Bismarck. Bill and Nancy Walz were also visiting the area. We enjoyed an evening with them before we moved on again.