WALKING THE BEACHES

Monday and Tuesday

The road to Portland hugs the edge of the Columbia River.  There is so much wind today there are whitecaps on the river and windsurfers in various locations.  The hills at the beginning of the trip are bare and beige with outcroppings of rocks.  Grain elevators dot the shore where the Snake and Columbia Rivers join near Pasco, Washington.  I can watch trains on both sides of the river as I drive.

Columbia River near Pasco

Grain elevators at Port of Walla Walla

A stern-wheel riverboat is heading down river as I am.  I've seen the ads for riverboat trips on the Columbia, and the Mississippi as well, but I've never taken one.  I am realizing now that my only experience with the Columbia is driving along beside it; I've never spent time on the river itself.  Perhaps the next trip, in addition to horseback riding in the Badlands, will include a riverboat ride on the Columbia.  I keep planning my next trip as I drive.

Mt. Hood

I drive for miles among the arid hills lined with wind turbines along the ridges.  Huge rock outcroppings punctuate the baldness of these hills that border a river that rivals the Mississippi.  As I round a curve, Mt. Hood suddenly fills my windshield, covered in snow, rising above the land.  What a sight!! I've seen it many times but it is always a wonder to see.  From my vantage point I see: tan sueded hills, dark brown vertical hunks of rock formations, the white-capped teal green Columbia River, snow-covered Mt. Hood, the grey concrete expanse of John Day Dam, white wind turbines, power lines distributing electrical power from the dam throughout the Northwest, and a cloudless blue sky.  What more could anyone want in one scene?

The colorful sails of the windsurfers make a wonderful site as they maneuver in the wind.  Each sail in one surfer, probably in a wet suit to protect from the cold.  I would rather be watching them playing in the river than driving right now, but there's no place to pull off.

Barges on the river here are only two long and two wide, compared to five long and three wide on the Mississippi.  I'm not sure why there is a difference, but it may be due to the size of the locks at the dams.  Barges here often carry wheat and hay bound for Japan.

Signs along the roadway warn of wind gusts, especially on bridges. Wind is a serious issues for tractor-trailers and motorhomes. It's always windy here, so I've learned over the years to be prepared for the wind.

The Columbia River divides Washington and Oregon.  I am traveling the Oregon side, but can watch the trucks and trains on the Washington side.  My lanes, westbound I-84 are practically in the river.  On my left is a narrow section of river.  Past that are the railroad tracks, and beyond that the I-84 eastbound lanes hug the rock cliffs.  Occasionally I see a railroad tunnel that cuts through the rock cliffs.  A lot of traffic is crowded on this side of the river.

I've been driving through the desert for about three hours.  By the time I get to The Dalles, the landscape is beginning to turn green.  Yellowish green grasses are replacing the grey sagebrush, and evergreen trees are beginning to march across the hills. As I continue through the gorge, the terrain continues to become even more green.  I'm passing my third dam of the day:  John Day.  Previously I passed McNary and John Day. There'll be one more called Bonneville.

After a visit and dinner with cousin Jim and wife Donna, I drive on toward Cannon Beach.  The best part of the drive towards the beach is crossing the Coastal Range of mountains. It's a lovely drive with curvy roads, steep climbs, and evergreen trees. When I come down the last slope of mountains, the ocean is right in front of me.  I can see Haystack Rock, but I don't get out of the mountains until I am right at the ocean.  It's one of the things I like about the Oregon Coast.  The pictures at the end will speak the beauty of this place.

On Tuesday morning I went into a cookware and home furnishings store, a store with great ambience and elegance, with everything displayed carefully so customers can appreciate the items.  Two gentlemen opened the store two weeks ago.  I found a few things to buy and when I was checking out we were chatting about the seasonal nature of business here in Cannon Beach. "Once Labor Day comes, the minivans are gone and the Mercedes arrive," the owner said, meaning single people, and older and perhaps wealthier people. 

"Oh, I didn't know," I replied.  "I'm driving the wrong kind of car."

"But you have a Mercedes attitude," he said to me, with a smile.

I took his comment as compliment.  He wasn't being snooty.  Rather, I think he meant I am authentic and my attitude has a little class.  I got to thinking about a friend who told me just before I left home that I am in the process of redesigning my life.   So, I put these two things together and said, "Okay, life is good and I am rethinking and experiencing a lot of things, often in ways I didn't expect. I'm going to keep the redesign idea and keep the Mercedes attitude."  In that light I purchased a couple of items for my home and for myself to celebrate the journey.  

Today the beach is perfect:  another cloudless sky, the ocean is deep bluish teal, the crashing waves are white.  The weather for the whole trip has been like this, except for a few sprinkles one afternoon someplace east of here in what seems like months ago.  Not bad for twelve days of travel. I wouldn't care if it was raining because the scenery would still be wonderful, but this is way better than I expected.

The road often winds way above the ocean, providing panoramic views of the sea and the rocks.  The State of Oregon provides many turnouts so I can stop often and take pictures.  I see signs along the highway that say Tsunami Hazard Zone and there are also signs indicating tsunami escape routes.  Again I am reminded that there are natural phenomena here that don't exist in Tennessee:  moose, elk, high wind, snow drifts, and tsunamis.

The temperature is 58 degrees but it doesn't feel that cold, so I'm driving with the sun roof open and the radio on.  What a way to spend two days!!

Haystack Rock

Note the rock wall supporting the road

Rockaway Beach -- the first beach I knew as a child

Grilled Tillamook Cheddar with bacon and tomaotes

Tillamook Cheese Factory