The Dalles, Oregon
We entered The Dalles Lock just before breakfast this morning, watching raindrops drip down the windows and railings. The weather gods smiled upon us, however, and we saw the clouds parting as we disembarked the ship. The rain had been transformed to snow in the higher elevations, revealing a powdered sugar coating on the top of every hill.
Our morning drive took us along the Oregon shore of the Columbia River, back upstream to the east. On our way, we passed the mouth of the Deschutes River, a treacherous crossing spot for those emigrants crossing the country on the Oregon Trail. We also saw remnants of the trail, itself, and marveled at the fortitude of those early pioneers. We crossed the Columbia at Biggs Junction and wound our way up the basalt hills on the Washington shore.
Our destination was Stonehenge, a monument that is somewhat incongruous in the surrounding terrain. This modern version of Stonehenge was erected by Sam Hill, the famous railroad lawyer and road-builder who transformed the Columbia River Gorge. It was his homage to those soldiers who gave their lives to the cause in World War I, and is made of a metal framework, covered in poured concrete.
After a brief stop to admire his handiwork, we proceeded toward one of Sam Hill’s crowning achievements, Maryhill Museum. This is a world-class art museum, housing a fantastic collection of Rodin sculptures, chess pieces from all over the world, incredible Native basketry from the Northwest, and modern sculptures outside in a tree-covered garden. We all went our separate ways to explore the museum and grounds, each discovering something different than the next.
After returning to our ship in The Dalles for lunch, we continued our explorations with a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. Designed to be an interactive museum which highlights both the Gorge and the history of Wasco County, this beautiful building is always a treat. The exhibits are vast and varied, and manage to expound on the complex natural and cultural history of the Columbia River Gorge. From the last Ice Age, to the cargo of the Corps of Discovery, to the maritime and industrial history of Wasco County itself, there is much to explore and digest. The exterior of the building is every bit as beautiful, and boasts a peaceful trail around a pond, featuring all native plants, trees and grasses.
Near the close of our visit, one of the museum docents introduced us to two of the raptors in their rehabilitation center: a red-tailed hawk and a peregrine falcon. This intimate view of such powerful predators is always a favorite aspect of our visits.
All in all, the day was varied and the themes complex. As we departed The Dalles by ship, we crossed the boundary of sagebrush steppe and high desert into the heart of the Cascade Mountains and the Gorge. The topography will change, the vegetation will change, and we will awaken tomorrow in an entirely different ecological zone. The river we experienced on our excursions is not the river of years past, but its beauty and diversity were not lost on any one of us today.
