Post #4 of 4 ~ Summer 2024 ~ Idaho Off-roading and & the Pacific Northwest

We turned back south then east, and that means we will be picking up speed heading home.

Our goal was to REALLY see the Pacific Northwest, Washington State in particular and we’ve accomplished that. The weather has really cooperated on this trip. We had the heavy smoke in Idaho, Montana and eastern Washington, but the coast has been near perfect.

Speaking of perfect, Astoria, Oregon!

Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County in Oregon. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.

We’ve been through Astoria before but it was always raining. This day it was sunny and beautiful. It’s a very charming port town.

The Astoria Column, located atop Coxcomb Hill, is a monument to the natural riches of the Pacific Northwest and the people who settled there. Building and maintaining the Column has been an endeavor requiring the efforts and resources of many over the years.

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Lewis and Clark and Fort Clatsop

There are references to Lewis and Clark all over the northwest. We’re so used to seeing signs and points of interest in our travels that we don’t pay much attention anymore. Well, we finally got to see where their travels ended up before they returned to St. Lewis.

We have a new appreciation for what Lewis and Clark accomplished and what a huge contribution they made to the exploration and growth of the country. This is one of the best National Monuments we have visited. We knew about Sakajawea, but who knew about the dog???

Seaman, a Newfoundland dog weighing approximately 150 pounds, was a member of the Lewis And Clark Expedition on the first trip from the Mississippi River to the Pacific coast and back. He was the only animal to complete the entire three-year trip.

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase from France. As much of the area had not been explored by Europeans, Jefferson commissioned an expedition to be led by Lewis and Clark. Jefferson set a number of goals for the expedition, most notably to determine what the land contained, including plants, animals, and natural resources. Jefferson also wanted to establish good relations with the Native Americans of the area.

Historians generally believe that Sacagawea joined the Expedition because her husband had been hired as a translator. Still, Sacagawea contributed significantly to the success of the journey. 

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Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

This was a huge complex in a beautiful location in downtown Vancouver. Also, the signage was minimal so we mistakenly parked miles (well maybe acres) away from the actual visitor center.

A nice hike and considerable frisbee action later we arrived at the actual visitor center which was closed on this particular day. I was sure that the website said open 8 to 4…. Oh well, looking into the window I did SEE the cancellation stamps, so that counts…… right?

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The Columbia River

And the Columbia River Dams

The river is huge! We were expecting something much more narrow. There are sections where it narrows down for a bit but not often.

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This campground won hands down for best campsite of the entire trip. It was near perfect in every way……. except for the TRAIN!!!!! Never mind no sleep, we had privacy, clean restrooms and showers close to our spot, a private beach, a level shaded spot, no neighbors, and TRAINS!!

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The pictures are somewhat blurry through the car window but the dams were huge and complex. The goal is to harness power but also provide lock systems for waterway travel, and even more exciting, fish ladders for the migrating Salmon. We got to see a very elaborate example of this at the Bonneville Lock and Dam and the Cascade Locks.

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The Manhattan Project/Hanford

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Harvest Host ~ Frog Hollow Farm

Another wonderful Harvest Host experience. This was a beautiful little farm and the fields in the back are wide open and quiet. They would like to have guests spend $30 on goods in good faith. We had no problem spending. So many goodies, especially the homemade ice cream!

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Whitman Mission NHS

Whitman Mission National Historic Site is a United States National Historic site located just west of Walla Walla Washington, at the site of the former Whitman Mission. On November 29, 1847, Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife, and 11 others were slain by Native Americans of the Cayuse. The site commemorates the Whitmans, their role in establishing the Oregon Trail, and the challenges encountered when two cultures meet. The mission was trying to help the Indians but they brought in the measles and other diseases that caused deadly confusion.

Finally just Oregon….. no more Washington, headed south

Yes, that Pendleton, home of wool blankets

An arrangement of life-sized cattle and cowboy sculptures stands next to the interstate in Pendleton. At first glance I thought they were real.

Friends in Reno

Last night, Boulder City

This is so strange. We’ve driven near and around Boulder City for years on our way to Vegas and beyond. We’re so pleasantly surprised that this is such a charming little community. We could live here! We spent the night in town for the very first time at the Sands Motel. Old but so clean and cute.

The town is rich in history, originally developed solely for support of the building of Hoover Dam. The community was carefully developed and the original homes have been beautifully maintained. There’s also a lot to do here with close proximity to Lake Mead. The old railway to the dam has been removed leaving a cool hiking/biking trail. And of course immediate access to the US 11 takes you quickly into Las Vegas, but who needs it?

We’re home safe!

It was a great trip, and our little trailer has served us well. Camping in our small sleeper is way different than an RV trip in our 5th wheel trailer. There are pros and cons to both but we really enjoyed this trip. It was the perfect way to really experience the Pacific Northwest, especially with all of the ferry rides and island hopping. And it is much better than sleeping in the rooftop tent. We think those days are done.

We’ll assess the damages and get the repairs done from the accident. We’re lucky we were able to continue on with minimal issues, but we’re going to have to get it repaired. We also have fun plans for building the pull out kitchen and interior storage drawers. Maxine’s only going to get better!

Thank you friends and family for tagging along!