We started out yesterday by getting up at 4 a.m. to get to the Tigard Balloon Festival for the morning flights, starting at 5:45 a.m. It was cool and overcast. They inflated several balloons but they did not lift off due to impending rain. So, we took off for the Columbia Gorge. We visited Vista House which overlooks the gorge, with views of Washington to the north and Oregon. The Columbia River is huge, wider than any river we've ever seen. We took a tour of Bonneville Dam, one of 14 dams on the Columbia River and took a two hour trip on a the sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge" while at the Sternwheeler Festival in Cascade Locks, Oregon. We visited several area waterfalls, including the giant Multnomah Falls, towering 620 feet high. The upper falls is 512 feet and the lower falls are 108 feet high. At the end of the day we headed back to the balloon festival for the "evening glow", when they fill and light up the night with the propane flame....but alas, the rain never stopped, so we went out for dinner and home to dry off.
 |
| Panda Hot Air Balloon |
 |
| Filling the balloon |
 |
| Debbie leaving Vista House |
 |
| One of the views from Vista House |
 |
| Fantastic Multnomah Falls |
 |
| The Spillway at Bonneville Dam |
 |
| Generating electricity for the Northwest |
 |
| The fish ladder, so the salmon and other fish can go home to spawn |
 |
| Believe it or not, every fish heading home is counted and catagorized |
 |
| Horsetail Falls |
 |
| The Sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge" preparing for us to depart |
 |
| Debbie enjoying the trip up the Columbia River |
Please click to enjoy this short video
No comments:
Post a Comment