At the End of the Oregon Trail

After revisiting some of my favorite highlights in Washington, my road trip continued into Oregon - the Promised Land of the American West. Flowing with proverbial "milk and honey", Oregon did not disappoint.

The first stop just across the mighty Columbia River was Hood River, Oregon (see above). This community is about as idealic as one could imagine. It sits below massive Mount Hood (home of year round glacier skiing!) on the banks of the Columbia River. The climate is sunny and mild with just enough moisture to keep things green and allow fruit orchards and flowers to flourish. I actually tried some of the fresh blueberries grown there (not bad for fruit). A bag of summer apples was more to my liking. Windsurfing and kiteboarding are popular sports on the wide open windswept river, and the multitude of nearby hiking trails are some of the best in the state. But I had no time to linger as the coastal regions were beckoning.

So off I traveled down the increasingly lush Columbia River Gorge stopping a few times to see various waterfalls including the famous Multnomah Falls (see above). I was able to hike into a narrow canyon whose damp vertical walls were covered with moss glistening from the constant drip of water. Then it was on to Portland and eventually the Oregon Coast where my campground awaited.

The next morning after a breakfast of fresh blackberries picked from the brambles just beside my tent, I traveled further down the spectacular coast where dense forests spilled over the steep mountains to the rocky shoreline below. Hecedah Head lighthouse (see above) stood guard over one of the many hidden beaches and coves enforcing the boundary between churning whitecapped waves and solid ground. Maybe it was just the salty air affecting my thinking, but thoughts of relocating kept crashing like waves into my brain with each new vista.

Next, I turned inland towards Crater Lake National Park (see above). The drive was long, but upon arrival, I knew it had been worth it. I have never seen anything in the natural world as blue as the water in Crater Lake. It seemed bluer than the sky. (So blue that I think OTR must have written a song about it.) Also impressive was the rim of the gigantic volcanic cone that makes up the shore of the lake (which is derived entirely from snowmelt without any inlet or outlet). Good thing it is no longer active!

After Crater Lake it was time to leave Oregon behind and head for the Golden State (where everyday is a golden day)...