Hood River was our stepping off point for a full day in the Hood River valley. We started with a short jaunt to the Moiser Tunnels and reveled in the presence of trees, previously a scarce sight as we have been exploring on the eastern side or rain shadow side of the Cascade Mountains. A scrumptious lunch at the Crag Rat Hut followed by a surprise stop for huckleberry milkshakes and then down to the beach for a demonstration of windfoiling completed our day. A great day of sights and flavors of the Hood River valley.
4/27/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
We reached the penultimate day of our journey in Astoria, Oregon, where the Columbia River collides with the open ocean. We were met with a typical Pacific Northwest day of gentle rains punctuated by moments of sunshine. The guests were divided to conquer this gem of a city, nestled under bridges; half headed across the river to Washington to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, while the other half visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Astoria Column. The museum and the interpretive center are both excellent examples of what the west coast can offer with regard to history and culture. Each has thoughtful exhibits that cover broad swaths of topics, and are staffed with informative and helpful faculty. After a hearty lunch on board, the groups swapped in order to have the best of both worlds. Finally, all met back aboard for the week’s final recap and guest slideshow.
