roadtrip | summer 2011 | fri aug 12 | big river keep on rollin'

We were eager to get started in the morning—the Columbia River gorge was waiting, a destination we've long wanted to explore. We headed south, then a little west to cross "the Bridge of the Gods."

From there we crossed into Oregon near the Cascade Locks, one of a series of locks that run up and down the river. The gorge here is green and filled with trees, and salmon fill the river each fall. We stopped at the local museum to learn more about the history of the people who lived there.

Then we traveled east, staying in Oregon, through the woods to the town of Hood River. The river joins the Columbia, with Mt. Hood rising to the south. The little town is a mecca for windsurfers and kite boarders, and a place Adrian has always wanted to visit.

This particular spot on the big river stands right at the junction of cool coastal air and the hot high desert air. The temperature difference creates steady winds throughout the spring, summer and fall, perfect for riding. The river was calling to Adrian, so we pulled into the beach-front park, had a bite to eat, and rented gear so he could hit the water for a couple of hours. Matty and I watched for a bit, then rented a paddleboard to paddle around the small inlet lagoon near the beach.

When we were all tired and happy, we drove up the street into the town. It's a cute little tourist-y spot with a couple of streets filled with surf shops and gift stores, and little bakeries and restaurants. It's also the home of Full Sail Brewery, which dominates the main streets with its big cylindrical vats. Full Sail is a good brew, and one we've enjoyed many times over the years, so we sat in the tap room and enjoyed a pint while watching the windsurfers in the river below.

We kept following the river along the Oregon side to the town of "The Dalles," an old settlement with a huge dam, a grain elevator (wheat) and an enormous lumber yard. We kept on through, continuing east to a tiny truck stop town called Rufus, where we spent the last two nights of our trip at a little family-run motel. At the Rufus Hillview, we all took much-needed showers to wash away a week's worth of dirt and campfire smoke, then settled into real beds for a full night's sleep.


read about Sat, Aug 13>