What a gorgeous day in the gorge! We began with an early morning view of the forested hillsides of the lower reaches of the Columbia River Gorge, recalling the joy of Lewis and Clark as they passed through this same landscape in the autumn of 1805. A highlight for them and for us was passing by the massive monolith of Beacon Rock, a giant sentinel beaconing the way toward tidewater.
As we entered the lock at Bonneville Dam we recalled the great optimism of President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he dedicated this enormous project in 1937. The lock and hydroelectric dam complex, the president predicted, would transform the economy of the Pacific Northwest… and he was correct. Commerce traversing the locks of the Columbia now totals more than $15 billion each year; the electricity produced by Bonneville and her sister dams have powered the industries of the Northwest, including the production of such vital materials as aluminum and plutonium.
We ended our morning at spectacular Multnomah Falls, the perfect spot for sharpening our photo skills and reflecting on the transcendent beauty of the natural world.
The afternoon presented us with a variety of options from our base in the town of Hood River, Oregon. Many of us chose to pay an extended visit to the fascinating display of “emerging technology” at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (affectionately known as WAAAM), while others explored the fresh fruits and vegetables at the organic Draper Girls Family Farm. We rounded off the afternoon with a toast to ourselves and this magnificent landscape by sampling a variety of award-winning wines at the nearby Cathedral Ridge Winery.
Whether recalling the past or immersing ourselves in the present moment, this surely was a most gorgeous day.
