Columbia River Gorge and Oregon Coast

Saturday, July 13

N.B. Yesterday's post was for Friday, July 12

After a well needed good night's sleep, we were off right after breakfast. A beautiful day with blue skies and nice temperatures. We followed the Washington side of the Columbia River up to the gorges. We got as far as the Bonneville Dam and Locks, at which point we crossed the river onto the Oregon side. We visited the dam and fish ladders, as is our wont! The scenery is very dramatic as the river narrows into the gorges. long the way, we stopped at various overlooks. One led down to a floating dock populated with fishermen. I talked to some of them and asked what they were fishing..mainly steelhead trout as it turned out and one showed me his catch which was dangling in the water from a special hook. He was keeping it cool until he took it home! We saw several osprey nests with females and young...and some fishing dads!

We then drove over to Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast. We had a wonderful seafood lunch of crab and shrimp and smoked salmon followed by purchases at the Chocolate Café next door. We then want down to the beach to see the rocky sea stacks that characterize this coast from here south. A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Again, very dramatic.

Then on to Astoria, where we crossed the Columbia....a very long bridge similar to the Tappan Zee, high spans on the Oregon side for shipping, then a long causeway with medium high spans on the Washington side for pleasure craft. But beforr we crossed fhe bridge, Jonathan climbed the Astoria Tower, which he did not have time to do last year. He said the views were magnficent in every dirextion.

From here, we followed Route 101, the coast road all the way to Aberdeen. Along the way: sandy beaches, bleached driftwood - entire tree trunks , fishing towns, logging, marshes with dairy cattle - yes, the cheese tastes salty, coves, inlets. A delightful drive.

Another early night. We are both very tired.