Saturday June 22 This morning we left the coastal highway 101 and headed East towards the interior of Oregon. We bypassed Salem on the North, Portland on the South, and headed for Mt. Hood, and then the town of Hood River. When we finally reached Mt. Hood . . . it played peek-a-boo as clouds blew across the summit and as the road twisted back and forth. Now you see it . . . now you don’t. We detoured off the road for a side-trip up to Timberline Lodge – a National Historic Landmark. With no place for large rigs to park we went past the lodges and down the other side of the mountain until there was a pull-over space. We parked, Tom chalked the trailer, and we climbed the road back up to the top. The first hotel was a tent-hotel built in 1924: meals, mattress, and BYOB (bring-your-own-blanket.) The existing lodge was built in 1937 as a part of Roosevelt’s WPA and CCC programs and took its design inspiration from the spirit of the mountain. It has huge observation windows, hand-crafted furniture, overnight accommodations, and was declared a National Landmark in 1977. In 1981 the Day Lodge was built to ease the pressure from the day skiers. Even at this time of year, the parking lots were full and there were many skiers suiting up and on the slopes. We were back on the road by 1:30 with a 50-mile drive to Hood River where we would be spending 2 nights at Viento State Park while exploring the Columbia River Gorge. It was a beautiful campground with tall trees and lots of shade. Our campsite was tucked into a small hill with a little stone fence. The only cause for concern was that there was a RR track close by, and within 2 hours we heard at least 4 trains barreling close by! After supper we went for a little sneak-peak of the Columbia River. Most sight-seeing tours take you off the main road, but the Columbia River Gorge is right along Interstate 84. We only drove north 25 miles tonight, and tomorrow we will spend the day on the entire southern 60-mile stretch, stopping to see the views and sights.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |