Oregon and Washington - September 2010
Under development.
2,500 miles in 15 days, we drove from our home to Seattle and back. Along the way we visited family in Oregon, and took in a couple of plays at the OSF in Ashland (http://www.osfashland.org/), visited Mount Rainier National Park, visited some more relatives in Seattle, drove around the Olympic Peninsula, then returned home via Astoria.
First stop was Redding where we visited the Sundial Bridge (http://www.turtlebay.org/sundialbridge) at sunset. Here we're looking north towards the bridge's gnomon on the far side of the Sacramento River.
The Sundial Bridge at sunset, facing southwest.
The Sundial Bridge and full moon at sunset, facing southeast.
Next we drove to Ashland, Oregon to see Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (http://www.osfashland.org/). We stayed at the Winchester Inn, an excellent boutique bed and breakfast (http://www.winchesterinn.com/) that we highly recommend.
Twelfth Night was performed in the Elizabethan Theater which is an experience in itself; seeing the play under a starry sky is quite magical. We returned to Ashland on our return trip to see Hamlet in the modern Bowmer Theater. Unfortunately, cameras weren't allowed in the theater. Here is the Elizabethan Theater from the OSF web site.
Next stop was McMinniville, Oregon, to visit my cousin Doug and his wife Lelah. Here's MicMinnville's main street (actually, 2nd Street) on Memorial Day. McMinnville is clearly a hustling town.
Denise and cousin Lelah posing with Ben Franklin alongside Second Street.
Denise and Lelah on the top of the Hotel Oregon (http://www.mcmenamins.com/hoteloregon). Cousin Doug joined us and we had (frankly) a mediocre lunch while looking out over the Willamette Valley. However, we do recommend visiting the hotel if one get's a chance. It's an historic turn-of-the-20th-century hotel that has been completely and beautifully refurbished.
Perhaps McMinnville's greatest claim to fame is the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum (http://sprucegoose.org/) where the one and only Spruce Goose is housed. The main entrance is to the left. The Space Museum is in a separate building on the far side of the parking lot out of site ot the left.
Just inside the Aviation Museum building, the Spruce Goose clearly dominates the inside. That's a Douglas DC-3A towards the left parked under the left wing of the Spurce Goose.
The front of the Spruce Goose showing its huge cockpit and two of the four engines on the left wing (towards the right of the image). The entrance to the Spruce Goose is via the metal staircase (or elavator for the disabled) below the wing. The small biplane in front of the Spruce Goose is a World War 1 Nieuport 17 replica.
The huge left wing and pontoon of the Spruce Goose, seen from just outside its entrance at the top of the stairs looking back towards the museum entrance, dominates the other planes parked beneath it.
The right side of the Spruce Goose.
A Lookheed SR-71A Blackbird is displayed in the Space Museum building.
The Nisqually Entrance (the south-west entrance) to Mt. Rainier National Park.
The Administrative Building below is part of the National Historic Landmark District at Longmire, located 6.5 miles from the Nisqually Entrance. This is the site of the original park headquarters. This administrative building was built in 1928 in the "National Park Service Rustic" style.
This old gas station is part of the Longmire Museum and dates from the 1920s.
This is our "cabin" that we used for four days of adventure around Mount Rainier. We found it be very comfortable and cozy. Please contact Jasmer's at Mt. Rainier (http://jasmers.com/) in Ashford for more information. This is their "Tamanos" cabin.
And this is the Nisqually River, looking west, located only a few hundred yards from our cabin, that we crossed each day as we ventured into the park.
Denise on the Twin Firs Loop Trail located about 2 miles west of Longmire
The Paradise River just above the Narada Falls.
The Narada Falls, just off of Route 706, is a 188 foot drop of the Paradise River just below a beautiful stone bridge.
The Paradise River Valley from Ricksecker Point below the falls.
This is lower part of the Christine Falls on the Van Trump Creek. The lower part drops 37 feet below the stone bridge. The upper part of the falls (32 feet drop) is just out of site below the wooden bridge in the background.
Sunrise National Park Visitor Center. Mount Rainier National Park.
Emmons Glacier from the Emmons Vista Trail near the Sunrise Visitor Center. Mount Rainier National Park.
Sunrise National Park Visitor Center. Mount Rainier National Park.
Suspension Bridge over the Olallie Creek on the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail.
Burl on a fallen tree in the Grove of the Patriarchs.
The Olympic Mountains from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Olympic National Park.
Mount Olympus (7,980 ft.) from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Olympic National Park.
Orange fungus along the Marymere Falls Trail, Olympic National Park.
Banana slugs (Ariolimax columbianus) along the Marymere Falls Trail. Their color varies from white to brown, often with spots. Olympic National Park.
Marymere Falls. Olympic National Park.
Wooden footbridge along the Sol Duc Falls Trail. Olympic National Park.
Sol Duc Falls. Olympic National Park.
Sol Duc Falls as seen from above the falls. Olympic National Park.
Mount Olympus (7,980 ft.) and the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center (on a rare clear day). Olympic National Park.
Sunset over Lake Quinault. Olympic National Park.
Coast Guard 44 Foot Motor Lifeboat. Columbia River Maritime Musuem. Astoria, Oregon.
Coast Guard 36 Foot Motor Lifeboat. Columbia River Maritime Musuem. Astoria, Oregon.
Columbia River Maritime Musuem. Astoria, Oregon.
Fort Clatsop Replica, Fort Clatsup National Memorial.
Lewis and Clark River, Fort Clatsop National Memorial.
Astoria Column on Coxcomb Hill in Astoria on a rainy day.
Astoria, Oregon looking out over the Columbia River.
The Flavel House (owned and operated by the Clatsop County Historical Society). Astoria, Oregon.
The Astoria-Meglor Bridge, as seen from the docks in Astoria, spans the Columbia River. At approximately 4 miles in length, it is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.