American Adventure

Oregon (Columbia River Gorge)

Thank you to Jannetta and Mark Tibbs of Scio, OR
and to Larry Adkins, and, although he doesn't like to admit it, also of Scio, OR

I may not take very many pictures of Oregon while I'm here on this trip so I would like to share some that I took during a visit last year. You can explore them by clicking on this map below

Starting on September 14, 2002, 12:47:46 PM

On my way back south from the Mt. St. Helens area and Cougar, WA, I headed down hwy. 503 that took me down and into Vancouver, WA. I took the 205 bypass to get onto hwy. 14 that took me along the Columbia River on the Washington side. From there I could occasionally look across to the beautiful landscape on the other side of the river. This highway was also quite a pleasant ride on a motorcycle. Here in this next picture you can see the Crown Point lookout. A place that I often enjoy seeing every time I am in Oregon.

The hills and cliffs on the Oregon side of the river seemed to get larger the further east I went.

Finally reaching the Bridge of the Gods I crossed over to the Oregon side and went back along the river on Interstate 84, heading back west again.

I passed the Bonneville Dam where I felt that I should stop a get a few pictures of this amazing facility. I had been to many of these places just last summer so I refrained from taking an extensive amount of images. I will soon post a few extra pages for these places and share some of those images as well.

Here's a few shots of the Columbia River from the Bonneville site.

Then back down the freeway, not very far I was able to get off onto the old scenic, Historic Columbia River highway. Right along this highway you can take in some of the amazing waterfalls along the Multnoma Falls area. I also have lots of images in my archives of this area as well from my previous trip.

This fall here is the Horsetail Falls just east of the main Multnoma Falls.

Some of the rock formations along the road in the area are quite amazing. Created so long ago by volcanic activity and massive lava flows, this area seems like it is a completely different planet.

OH YEAH!! That's what its all about. Roads like these make this trip all that much more fun.

Now at the main Multnoma Falls you can really see the wonders of this state park. Unfortunately it as almost impossible to get any pictures of the place without tons of people in the way. A couple, all dressed up, were getting their wedding pictures done as the photographer was getting rather annoyed with all the people walking in and out of the shots.

As I did learn from my previous trip, you can go hiking up along the ridge and get away from everybody. Along some of the extensive hiking trails there are lots more impressive falls to see that so many people don't ever get a chance to experience. I will post some of those pictures as well.

I rode on down the highway and up to the Crown Point lookout. At the top of this cliff you can see for miles and miles down the Columbia River Gorge. At this time the visitor center was closed for construction but you could still walk all the way around it.

Back on the road I made my way back to the 205 bypass and down to highway 213 to head down south to Scio where my sister lives. It would have been much faster to take Interstate 5 but like almost every other place I've been, the view is much better along the smaller highways.

I stopped at a convenience store to get a drink and make a few phone calls when I heard an airplane up in the sky. I looked up to see a jump plane on jump run. I was only five miles from Skydive Oregon so I headed over there to see if I could get a chance to visit with some of my friends there. Several years prior, during another visit, I had made a few jumps there. I met some really nice people and was hoping to get a chance to see them again. I stopped and talked to a few and kept wanting to jump so bad that I had to leave. I needed to watch my pennies a little better so I left.