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| Day 1 - Santa Clara, CA Day 2 - Lee Vining, CA Day 3 - Baker, CA Day 4 - Las Vegas, NV Day 5 - Las Vegas, NV Day 6 - Grand Canyon, AZ Day 7 - Durango, CO Day 8 - Glenwood, CO Day 9 - Highlands, CO Day 10 - Highlands, CO Day 11 - Estes Park, CO Day 12 - Craig, CO Day 13 - Jackson, WY Day 14 - Cody, WY Day 15 - Mammoth, WY Day 16 - Choteau, MT Day 17 - Kelispell, MT Day 18 - Sandpoint, ID Day 19 - Omak, WA Day 20 - Anacortes, WA Day 21 - Anacortes, WA Day 22 - Poulsbo, WA Day 23 - Poulsbo, WA Day 24 - Poulsbo, WA Day 25 - Astoria, OR Day 26 - Lincoln City, OR Day 27 - Bandon, OR Day 28 - Eureka, CA Day 29 - Anchor Bay, CA Day 30 - Martinez, CA FINAL THOUGHTS |
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We are up early so that we can say goodbye to Brian,
Tami, and Chris. Linda gets the idea to take Chris to Summer School
on the motorcycle, since I promised him a ride and have not yet been
able to do so. After giving some brief instructions on the headset
and helmet function, Chris climbs aboard for the two-mile ride to
school (photo 1 & 2). Back at the house, we say one final
goodbye to Tami and Brian (photo 3), and head for Astoria,
Oregon on Hwy 3 south.
It felt good to be on the road again. The temperature was a comfortable 68 degrees but got cooler as we headed towards the coast. We stopped about an hour later for a little breakfast, then of towards Aberdeen on Hwy.12, before heading south on Hwy 101, which should take us the rest of the way. Washington is called the Evergreen State with good reason. The various hues of green seem to surround you. There are trees, bushes, ferns, grass, flowers and almost anything else that will grow, alongside any road you care to travel. To add diversity to this botanical garden of Eden, Washington has added one mountain range or another as a backdrop to this constant assortment of foliage (photos 4 & 5). Just for good measure, there seems to be a stream, lake, bay, river, or rain puddle around each corner. Of course, this is one of the appealing aspects of the state for those of us who enjoy boating or other outdoor activities.
Around 1:00 p.m., we pull into Astoria and stop at a “Subway” Sandwich Shop for a little lunch. Then we head up the hill to see the Astoria Column (photo 6) that is over a hundred feet high and sits on top a 600-foot hill. The combination affords the visitor with great views of the surrounding rivers, mountains, and bays. This monument to John Jacob Astor, who helped found this city in 1811, was built in 1926. It has a history of the area in murals that circle the column. There are also 164 steps up to the top. My butt is dragging, but I make it to the top for pictures (photos 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13). You can see all of Astoria below, the mighty Columbia River, and today allows us to see for miles in every direction. The next time you come to Astoria, you must take the time to come up here.
We have been coming to visit Astoria for many years, and one of the reasons for our first visit was to see the Columbia River Maritime Museum (photos 14, 15, & 16). I have been able to visit maritime museums on both coasts and, with the exception of Mystic Seaport in Conn.; this is one of the best. Last year, when we were here, they were in the middle of remodeling the museum. They have done a great job. They have made the exhibits even more interactive. And they have added recorded stories from seamen so you can hear their actual voices. This museum concentrates on the maritime history of boating and shipping on the Columbia River but that is still a broad subject (photos 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, & 24). The variety of exhibits and the quality of the displays is first class. I always stop here and I continue to enjoy each visit.
As part of the Maritime Museum exhibit, the old Light Ship, Columbia, is also on display and open for visitors. Since the Coast Guard was once responsible for this ship, as they are for all lightships, they have an active cutter tied alongside the pier at the museum. While we were there, the Coast Guard was conducting helicopter drills and we got to watch (photos 25 & 26). As we headed out to find a motel, you could see a modern day fishing boat coming in from a days fishing (photo 27). The maritime history of Astoria is a living one and continues unabated. We got a room at the Red Lion Inn Motel and apparently several members of a classic car club were also staying there. A 57 Ford Thunderbird parked right alongside my Goldwing (photo 28). Two Classics together, what could be more appropriate? Tomorrow we head down the Oregon coast. |
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