La Grande, Oregon

Good morning, my friends! How are y'all doing? We haven't chatted for a while, and now we're hundreds of miles from where we started. I have lots of pictures for you this morning, so let's get started. 

Yesterday morning, we loaded the kitties into the RV, hitched up the Jeep, and we were on our way.

We're both still getting the hang of this "hitching up" process. Those metal bars are attached to the hooks on the bumper of the Jeep. (They're actually attached to the frame.) They extend and click into place. Then, the coiled orange line is for brake lights and turn signals. The very small coiled line is the "breakaway switch." In the unlikely event the Jeep became detached, the breakaway switch puts on the brake inside the Jeep.

And here's how that works. This gadget attaches to the brake pedal and engages whenever the driver steps on the brake in our truck. It's all pretty slick.

Okay, so here we go. We bypassed the city of Portland traffic by taking I-205 through Oregon City. Within about an hour's time, we were well into the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. And, honestly, we've driven through this area so many times, I didn't take many pictures. If this is your first time, you can see more pictures and commentary here. Burn scars are still evident from the terrible fires back in 2017, but things are making a comeback.

We pass by Multnomah Falls on this trip. This is the best picture I can get as we speed by in our truck. Sorry for the reflection.

Here is what The Google tells us about Multnomah Falls.

Multnomah Falls is one of the tallest year-round waterfalls in the United States and is the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. More than two million visitors stop by each year to view the unique 620-foot falls. Fed by underground springs from nearby Larch Mountain, the flow over the falls varies and is usually highest during the winter and spring seasons. Multnomah Falls is one of the top places in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to study the geology exposed by floods. Six volcanic flows of Grande Ronde Basalt are visible in the fall’s cliff face, representing more than 400,000 years of geological history.

And here's a better picture I found in the public domain.

(Image credit: "Multnomah Falls, Oregon, in the autumn." by Bonnie Moreland [free images] is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.)

When the fires happened in 2017, we all held our breath a little as firefighters tried to save historic Multnomah Falls Lodge.

(Image credit: "Fighting Eagle Creek Fire at Multnomah Falls Lodge Sept 5, 2017_2" by Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.)

They were dubbed heroes when the historic structure was saved.

(Image credit: "Multnomah Falls Lodge" by J. Stephen Conn is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.)

Moving on, we passed through the first tunnel of the trip. What a gas!!!

And then we just drove and drove and drove. Yesterday's drive was the longest of the trip at 300 miles. We drive parallel to the Columbia River. There's always lots of activity on the river. We saw tugs pushing barges.

This formation always interests me. I like it when I can see geological forces at work. I can't tell whether this is being raised up on the left, or whether it's sinking on the right.

We saw at least two of these cruise ships. It is possible to book a cruise through the Columbia River Gorge, although we've never done it.

There aren't many barns along this route. We're at the edge of The Palouse here, and so there are plenty of grain elevators.

Here, we saw the denuded landscape of one of this summer's fires. We were traveling I-84. Earlier this summer the road was closed in both directions intermittently as they fought these wildfires.

We didn't see any fire activity, but the area was a little hazy with smoke. Intermittently, we saw firefighting planes flying overhead.

This route also memorializes the Oregon Trail, and these signs can be seen along the way. This one happens to honor the activity at Stanfield and Echo.

It's also possible to see wagon ruts still evident from that westward migration. I haven't seen this in Oregon, but I have seen it near where I lived as a teenager on the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton. Here in Oregon, a historical marker is present.

Here's a look at some of those ruts, but they can be seen in many places along this route.

(Image credit: "Oregon Trail wagon wheel ruts" by Doug Lettermanis licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

One would have needed to be stout-hearted to embark on this journey. Here's what The Google tells us about traveling the Oregon Trail:

The trail from Independence, Mo., to the Willamette Valley in Oregon totaled 2,170 miles and took 150 to 184 days to cover. Nearly one person in 10 died on the trail. Cholera killed many, others drowned while fording rivers, and some died in Indian attacks. A grave was dug every 80 yards. The trail was also littered with castoff furniture to lighten loads. A family heading out on the trail needed to invest about $500 per person for a ton of food and other supplies, guns and ammunition, a wagon and a six-mule team.

The South Pass crossed the Continental Divide at only 7,000 feet elevation, and was found by one of fur magnate John Jacob Astor’s agents, who reached it by following an Indian trail. The pass was roughly the halfway point, and beyond it, the trail split for wagons heading for California or Salt Lake City.

The first wagon train came through in 1841, and 1843 saw the first big migration, when 1,000 people were on the trail at any given time. Wagon trains started out from late April to early May, trying to reach the end of the road before snowfall. Trail traffic declined with the coming of the railroads, and in 1889 the last wagon train passed through Idaho.

We're staying at our usual spot in La Grande, at the Grand Hot Lake RV Resort. We've stayed here many, many times over the years since it's a good stopping place for a first day's drive. The first time we stayed here was back around 2005. The Hot Lake Hotel was barely a skeleton and covered in plastic sheeting to protect it from the elements. It was purchased at some point and restored. Now, I believe it is operational. Each time we visit, it looks a little more put together.

It has an interesting history and has served many purposes. You can read more about it right here.

Upon arrival, nothing can happen until kitty treats are dispensed. For all they whine and moan about getting into the RV at the beginning of a trip, they are good travelers, and they settle right into our traveling routine.

Cleaning out the refrigerator before we left home, I found at least ten limes. We wasted no time putting one of those to work in the form of a tasty refreshing margarita.

Smitty joined us on the veranda for cocktail hour.

Unfortunately, there were some stupid and disgusting woofies parked right beside us. Honestly, the insults never end. And you just know these two did their doodies right out there in the grass with people watching. Sheesh. A cat would never do that.

There's a nice nature trail that runs along the back side of this RV park. We're beginning to see a little fall color.

Just as we made a left turn and stepped onto the trail, we startled this doe and her two fawns.

These are snowberries. They'll stay white like that even after the foliage on the bush turns brown.

The "canal" that runs alongside the park is flowing with hot water and lilypads. Sometimes we see flowers here, but yesterday we saw only buds.

We're adjacent to the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Conservation Area. There are lots of migrating birds here.

And there are nest boxes hanging on the trees and atop posts everywhere. The one below would be for a large bird of prey. There's nesting material inside.

The one below would be for smaller birds, and it appears to have been used recently as well.

Here's a longer view of the canal I was speaking of. It's lined with cattails.

Across Hot Lake, we could see two Great Egrets. This was the only one I could capture in relative focus. They were way far away, and I was way zoomed in.

And...my favorite flower...it's the official flower of the military brat. I love how magical they look with the setting sun behind them.

Okay, and we got a good night's sleep and we're well-rested to continue our journey. Our drive today will be shorter, and we'll end in Bruneau Dunes State Park on the Idaho side of the border. I'll tell you more about that in tomorrow's post. For now...more travel awaits. Time to get on our way.