-17-08
Hello,
We have finally left Lacy after a few more lovely days spent touring the area. On the 12th we took a road trip to the ocean, the sun was shining when we left Lacy but clouds and drizzle soon overcame as we got nearer to the ocean! We stopped at an interpretive center and a great junk store where we stocked up on chotskies, CHEAP!!!
On the 13th we took in the museum of Art, History, and Glass, in Tacoma, and had a lovely lunch on the water at Woodies. Our neighbor and fellow Airstream artist Mike
Depradia came along to keep us company.
We arrived at Big Fir Campground, about100 miles south of Lacy, on the 14th. On the 15th we toured the Pendleton plant in Walshougal, WA, The plant was on shut down but we had a very nice tour with just us and the guide. There was an outlet store there where I found a light sweater, but no bargains on their lovely National Park Blankets. We left there and continued down the Columbia River, stopping at the Bonneville Dam and Salmon and Hatchery. The Salmon are running and we got to sit in the counting room where someone counts and identifies every one that comes up the ladder. She sits in front of a window where she can view each one. We stopped to buy some fresh caught salmon from the Indians where we crossed the river at The Bridge of the Gods, onto the Oregon side and drove the scenic highway stopping at Multnomah Falls, which is the second highest falls in the US, at 620 feet, and several other beautiful water falls and lookouts.
On Saturday we were off to the mountains, the one that blew its top in 1984. Last time we were in Washington we drove the Windy Ridge side where you get the best view of the blow out, but this time we went to the south side of Mt St Helens and climbed into a Lava Tube named Ape cave in honor of Bigfoot who the locals around here are still seeing!! It is 12810 feet long, we walked about 1,1/2 miles in it and it was pitch black in there, we had to rent a lantern to see. It was 100 degrees outside and 42 in the cave. Every lake and stream we passed was full of tubers and people enjoying the water.
Today we went into Portland to the downtown market and rose gardens. They smelled heavenly! Well that it for now they’ll soon kick me out of this coffee shop.
Lois