The Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River is famed for its navigability but the ship turned out to be our least efficient means today. While she waited her turn to enter the Dalles lock, we disembarked and went ashore to navigate the Columbia River Gorge by bike, on foot, and by motor coach.
It was a magnificently sunny autumn day and the new Gorge bike trail crackled with newly fallen maple leaves as we rode and hiked along scenic views of the River. Meanwhile, many of our cohorts explored the Gorge by motor coach, stopping in at the Discovery Center and then continuing on to Hood River.
When we all met up in town, we discovered that we had beaten the ship to the dock. Luckily, Judie Blewitt, our Hotel Manager, was with us and she turned up with a tremendous buffet of snacks and beverages. We munched along the river’s edge, thankfully not accompanied by the region’s famous winds but instead warmed by a bright midday sun. We cheered as the ship approached the dock and dutifully ate the lunch awaiting us on board, though frankly, most of us were quite full of delicious snacks.
Those who dared disembarked the ship again after lunch to explore the famed Multnomah Falls up close. We hiked to a view of the 620-foot falls where maple leaves wafted toward us on the breeze generated by the softly flowing water. The Fall was surrounded by lush greenery which was everywhere a testament to the habitual moisture in the air here on the west side of the Gorge. But today was bright and sunny, even in this moss-laden forest. We took advantage of the perfect conditions to hike up to the bridge for a closer view of the upper falls and some of us climbed the mile-long trail to the top of the falls.
Then it was back to the ship for a tasting of local apples and pears while we transited Bonneville lock and dam, the final lock of the trip and the completion of an eventful day of Gorge exploration.
The Columbia River is famed for its navigability but the ship turned out to be our least efficient means today. While she waited her turn to enter the Dalles lock, we disembarked and went ashore to navigate the Columbia River Gorge by bike, on foot, and by motor coach.
It was a magnificently sunny autumn day and the new Gorge bike trail crackled with newly fallen maple leaves as we rode and hiked along scenic views of the River. Meanwhile, many of our cohorts explored the Gorge by motor coach, stopping in at the Discovery Center and then continuing on to Hood River.
When we all met up in town, we discovered that we had beaten the ship to the dock. Luckily, Judie Blewitt, our Hotel Manager, was with us and she turned up with a tremendous buffet of snacks and beverages. We munched along the river’s edge, thankfully not accompanied by the region’s famous winds but instead warmed by a bright midday sun. We cheered as the ship approached the dock and dutifully ate the lunch awaiting us on board, though frankly, most of us were quite full of delicious snacks.
Those who dared disembarked the ship again after lunch to explore the famed Multnomah Falls up close. We hiked to a view of the 620-foot falls where maple leaves wafted toward us on the breeze generated by the softly flowing water. The Fall was surrounded by lush greenery which was everywhere a testament to the habitual moisture in the air here on the west side of the Gorge. But today was bright and sunny, even in this moss-laden forest. We took advantage of the perfect conditions to hike up to the bridge for a closer view of the upper falls and some of us climbed the mile-long trail to the top of the falls.
Then it was back to the ship for a tasting of local apples and pears while we transited Bonneville lock and dam, the final lock of the trip and the completion of an eventful day of Gorge exploration.
