On down the road.

Later on Tuesday afternoon - we headed down the road to the Bonnieville Dam.

From observation deck - the fish ladders

From the observation windows downstairs.

After leaving Bonnieville dam, we went to the town of Hood River. Hood River was one of my favorite towns in the NW territory. It was the only town that we visited that I could imagine myself living in. Similar to Bloomington, Hood River was a small town. And I am a small town girl. We went to eat at Full Sail brewery. Then, in an attempt to find the car, we got lost and had to go around the block to get back out to the street. But, because we got lost, I was able to get this photo, which I wouldn't have gotten,otherwise.

At the suggestion of a gentleman at the visitor's center, earlier in the day, Doug called and made reservations at the Timberline Lodge, located on Mount Hood. Ever since Portland, we had caught glimpses of Mount Hood off in the distance. As we drew nearer, the mountain grew larger.

Beautiful Mount HoodTimberline Lodge This is the scene in front of the check-in desk.

Built in 1937, the moment you enter the lodge, you step back in time. Much of the Lodge is original. Does anyone remember how to operate one of these? Our room.

If we hadn't happened to visit during off-season, rates were half off. Otherwise, we wouldn't have spent what is costs to stay in the lodge, normally. Looking down from the top floor. Built by the WPA, nearly everything was built on site.Doug loved this giant door. I love this photo of Doug. Old original mailboxes. Each hallway had these door opening to the stairwell. Doug at the window in our room.

From the moment that we pulled up - we noticed many of the windows of the lodge were open. It was very warm in the lodge. A young man informed us that the heat came from an old boiler system and if it was shut down, it took several days for the lodge to become warm once again. Despite snow on the ground (they had blizzard like conditions the weekend before that dumped 18 inches of snow on the ground) we slept with the window open with the breeze causing the blinds to flap. Across the parking lot was the ski-lodge where I found my old friend, Smokey.The exterior of the Timberline was the lodge in the movie The Shining.
Farmer's Market buffet. Mimosa! Doug on the Pacific Crest trail. Doug and I hiked from the lodge up to the Silcox hut. (1 mile up) This Raven posed for me. Another great shot of Doug on Mt. Hood.

We tried to stay out of the snow, so that our feet would stay dry, but at one point, I fell through the crust up to my knee. We hiked in shirt sleeves and it was a beautiful sunny day. We could see for miles. Doug loved the lodge and wanted to stay another night but I was jonsing for a bathtub so that I could shave my legs. Being the smart man that he is, Doug set about finding a room with a bathtub as we traveled on to Idaho.

Columbia River Gorge

On Tuesday, October 6th, we started our drive through the gorge.

I knew it was going to beautiful, but I don't think I was quite prepared. Vista House on far right.
Vista house scenic corridor. If you stop to visit, go downstairs!

I tried to take photos of all of the signs at the falls so that I could tell one from another.

Amazing.

You don't see moss like this in Indiana.

trestle

Perspective - Doug is dwarfed by the falls.

I love light and dark photos.

Multmona- the grand-daddy of them all.

Multnomah was visible from the road. Most of the falls, you heard before you saw. With most, there was a short hike back to the falls. Some were a mile or so back. So, we got a little exercise and saw some beautiful waterfalls. By the time we got to Multnomah, it was getting chilly.

I got lost in Powell's and more adventures in Portland

I am falling behinder and behinder in my vacation reporting.
I got lost in Powell's. I had heard all about Powell's, how the store is as big as a city block. The rooms are up and down and all around and identified by colors such as "the purple room or the blue room." My daughter called me while I was in Powell's and said something like "what are you doing?" and I said "I am literally lost in Powell's."

A lot of books are discounted and I love to buy discounted books. I would have bought more, but I had to bring them home on the plane. I bought Auden's As I walked out one evening, Bryson's Dictionary of troublesome words and a book of Oregon poetry entitled Deer drink the moon. Auden is my favorite poet with Mary Oliver in a close second.

After Powell's, we visited the Portland Rose Gardens. While they were beautiful in October, I cannot imagine what it might be like to visit in the summer.

Here are a few photos of the stunning roses.

After the rose gardens, we visited the Japanese garden.

Greg and Doug. Two wild and crazy guys.

We liked the twine and bamboo fences

and wondered if we might do something similar at home with branches and twigs.

The garden was very tranquil.

We found the stone with Greg's parent's names on it.

Then we went to McMennamin's. While Doug parked, Greg and I waited. I liked this building and Greg pointed out what the billboard said.

End Petlessness, there is a furry soulmate for everyone.

Then we went to McMennamin's for lunch.

The Crystal Ballroom

In the spirit of the season.

Wilbur's jumbo deluxe- burger with bacon and egg.

It was no challenge for this Hoosier.

Upstairs, a tour of the ballroom.

Amazing restoration.

Old-time bar, upstairs.

Beer making. Doug had a sampler and I liked the terminator stout.

I liked Portland. It seemed to me to be a city of one-way streets and exits. It almost seemed as if the city had grown at such a rate that the infrastructure and roads could barely keep up. I was impressed with the amount of trees. We will have to return so we can go to the famous farmer's market.