Passing through the locks at The Dalles this morning brought back memories of earlier travelers who passed this way in tougher times. For thousands of years Native Americans had come to The Dalles trading for Salmon. They came from the coast in fine, highly decorated canoes, and for the past 200 years, from the mountains and high desert by horseback. Lewis & Clark and their Corps of Discovery struggled through and around the rapids in their crude dugout canoes and, on their return, abandoned them in favor of horses. Then came the British and American fur traders contesting for empire in the Oregon Country as well as riches in beaver pelts. When the demand for Beaver dried up, those mountain men found new work helping Americans heading west on the Oregon Trail. When reaching The Dalles the pioneers had to decide --"Do we build a raft, like the one in the photo, and chance it on the river, or pay Barlow his toll and take his road around Mount Hood?"
As Roger Rose said at lunch today, "Our decision this morning paled in comparison -- do we take the short or long hike or ride a bike along the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail?" Oh well, we'll be back home soon enough to deal with more serious issues. Today it was just great to see the Sea Lion waiting for us at the pier tied in Hood River.
