The West (Day 24)- Banks-Vernonia State Trail

Banks-Vernonia State Trail is the first rails-to-trails built in Oregon.  Rails-to-trails are abandon railroads that have been converted into multi-use paths.  Right now there are over 2,000 rail trails in the United States.

We are currently standing on a 80 foot high, 733 foot long 1920's trestle, checking things out before we start our ride.

A1 LOVES heights.

A portion of the 21 mile Banks-Vernonia Trail is currently closed, so we decided to start at Buxton Trestle and ride to Banks, a 14 mile bike ride.

The trail is very rural; horses, cows, goats, and farms can be seen along the way.

It reminded us of some bike paths we have ridden in Europe.

Oh, and there are berries!

Miles and miles of blackberries!

So much fun.

There are only six trailheads for Banks-Vernonia but I think the Buxton Trailhead was a great starting point.  It was the only one that we saw along our ride that had a little park attached.  

Perfect for stretching our legs after our ride, and before the hour and a half drive back to Astoria.

The West (Day 23)- Lewis and Clark National Park and Peter Iredale

Unbeknownst to us until today, Lewis and Clark National Park is made up of twelve parks within a 40 mile stretch of Oregon's northern most coast and Washington's southern.

On this trip. we have visited Long Beach, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Stevens.

Previously we have visited Fort to Sea Trail along with Fort Clatsop (which we are visiting again today).

Fort Clatsop is pretty dang cool.

Fort Clatsop was the winter encampment of Lewis and Clark's Discovery Corps from December of 1805 to March of 1806.  Clark journaled about how the Clatsop and Chinook Native Americans came to the encampment almost daily to trade.  Although journaling is not a typical activity these days, especially for  men, it was a common activity before internet.

Actually, President Jefferson (who funded the expedition) mandated journaling for everyone in the Discovery Corps who could write.  

Although the fort is just a replica it is based on the journals and so well represents their daily lives.

You know- journal, make bullets, bargain.  

Repeat.

These pilings were used in the sorting and raft making process so they could be towed to local mills.

Fort Clatsop is full of interesting things to observe.  

We even heard a gaggle of geese squawk by!

When we put these water sandals on A1 she starts laughing in delight.  

If these shoes are going on, fun is about to be had.

Originally we had intentions of hanging out at the beach for an hour and frolicking in the water.

That was until we touched the water.  

50 degrees is much too cold.  For us.  A1 was all about jumping in.  But we had to pull the parent card and put the kibosh on her plans.

“A heavy southeast wind blew and a strong current prevailed. Before the vessel could be veered around, she was in the breakers and all efforts to keep her off were unavailing.”

This is what the captain of Peter Iredale wrote in 1906, after his ship became a permanent fixture on the beach just a few miles from where Lewis and Clark spent the winter a century earlier.

(The fogged out picture above was due to a thick, momentary marine layer.)

I would love to see the conditions of the ocean and the air above it on the day of the shipwreck in 1906.

Luckily no one was injured, just the captain's pride.

Forts, shipwrecks, forests, and beaches, all just a few miles away.

Oregon is the best.

The West (Day 22)- John Day River Houseboats

Every time we go to Astoria we drive over the John Day River.

 John Day River (named after a fur trapper for Astor's Pacific Fur Company) is a six mile long tributary of the Columbia.

There is a an interesting houseboat community you can see from the 30 that we have wanted to check out.

Who knows, maybe if we stay in the area again we will rent one of these houseboats.

We will probably steer clear of this houseboat.

Who in the world lives here?

Is this sign for real or a joke?

I want to know moor.

Soaring above the John Day River we spotted our first bald eagle of the trip.

God Bless America.

The West (Day 21)- Mt. Hood

Instead of taking the quicker, easier-with-a-baby way home we decided to take different route, via Mt. Hood.

Mt. Hood is an active stratovolcano with eleven glaciers on its peak.

It is also one of the most climbed mountains in the world.

It is just an hour from Hood River and an hour from Portland.

Timberline Lodge has been a National Historic Landmark since 1977, just 40 years after it was constructed by WPA employees. 

Because of the harsh climate the project was a challenge.  As many as 100 to almost 500 workers could be found working here in one day.

Inside the lodge is artwork created by skilled artists and craftsmen employed by the WPA sister program, the Federal Arts Project.  The idea was that if unskilled workers worked with skilled ones they may pick up some level of competence.

Outside of the lodge we were expecting more snow.  Yes, it is summer, but Mt. Hood is the only ski resort in North America that offers skiing year round.  Although there is just a small section of snow, and much of the snow appeared dirty, there were plenty of people willing to partake in what the mountain did have to offer.

Not too far from where we parked we had a little picnic before continuing our drive to Astoria, with views of Mt. Hood to our right and Mt. Jefferson to our left.

The Mt. Hood National Forest is green and dense.  It consists of over a million acres of protected forests, mountains, lakes and streams.  It is so beautiful.  If you ever need a place to social distance this may be the place for you.