After leaving Coos Bay we worked our way up the coast to the town of Newport, OR. We had heard about a nice aquarium there and decided to visit. Not quite as nice as the Monterey Bay Aquarium but still very nice. We were especially interested in the Turkey Vulture Exhibit, since we have these birds in our neighborhood. It was really interesting learning more about them.
Turkey Vultures - Nature's Road Kill Recyclers
Stop # 5 - Corvallis/Albany, OR - One night stay in a KOA campground to get us on the road the next morning to the Columbia River Gorge area between Oregon and Washington.
Stop # 6 (9/5 - 9/9) - Bridge RV Park - White Salmon, WA www.bridgerv.com
This particular RV park was so nice and clean. I have never seen such clean bathrooms and showers anywhere. The park hosts were extremely friendly and there was so much to see and do in this area we kept very busy. The only drawback was the location of the campground - nestled between Highway 12 and the train tracks. The trains ran through at all hours but like living in an airport flight pattern, you eventually get used to it.
The park was located a few hundred yards away from the Hood River Toll bridge which took us over into Oregon and the beautiful town of Hood River. The weather was in the low 80's with a gentle breeze....perfect!!
The Hood River Toll Bridge - A quick way to get from Oregon to Washington over the Columbia River - Toll $1.00 each way.
The Columbia River Gorge area is an up and coming wine region so there were numerous wineries in both Oregon and Washington. We did our part in helping the local economy by visiting several wineries and tasting their wines.
We also picked up a map for the "Fruit Loop." You follow the map and it takes you past numerous wineries and roadside stands. This area is known for their apples, pears and huckleberries. We visited a lovely place that would let you pick your own fruit and flowers. We really enjoyed exploring this region and would highly recommend a visit here - especially if you enjoy spending the day eating and drinking!
Mt. Hood with a pear orchard in the foreground.
Our visit coincided with harvest season for the pear and apple crops.
The Columbia River is also considered the wind surfing and wind sailing capital of the region. We watched over a hundred wind and sail surfers out on the river. We inquired about some easy bike paths and were directed to a walking/biking path called the Mosier Twin Tunnels path. This path is 4.5 miles each way, is paved and has some breathtaking views of the Columbia River. It is located on the Oregon side. This "simple" ride took us two hours and on the "steep" climbs we walked our bikes up hill. Needless to say we got a great workout and had a lot of fun.
Stop #7 (9/9) Coeur d'Alene, ID - Quick one night stay on our way to British Columbia, Canada.
We visited the Lake Coeur d'Alene Resort for breakfast which overlooked the yacht harbor. They boast the longest over-water boardwalk.
Stop #8 (9/10 - 9/12) - Kimberley Riverside Campground, BC Canada...Eh! This stop was a time to rest and get caught up with our laundry. We took some nice hikes along the river and actually watched an eagle dive into the river and bring up a fish in his talons. It took him a while to get some height before landing in the treetops with his catch. Memorable!!
Our rig broke down at this location where we lost one entire day while waiting for repairs. We had packed up and hitched up and the last step was pulling in our main slide. Check out time was 11:00 a.m. One side of the slide would not retract. A small pin that held it all together was broken. Someone at the campground suggested a repairman and because he was so busy it took him six hours to reach us and one hour to complete the repair. One thing we wanted to avoid was pulling into a new campground at night. Driving up here at dusk and nighttime can be very dangerous because of the many animals that dart in front of you on the highway. Our fears were justified when we nearly hit a deer a few miles from our destination. We were not adequately prepared to come into a dark campground. Fortunately a neighbor came to our rescue with a large flashlight. Those Canadians are so friendly, eh!
(That's actually Dad "trying" to make the repairs.)
Stop # 9 - Radium Springs - Canyon RV Park (9/12 - 9/15) www.canyonrv.com
Radium Springs was our home base for our two-hour drive into Banff and Lake Louise.
Beautiful Lake Louise
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Downtown Banff
Stop # 10 (9/15 - 9/19) - Columbia Falls RV Park - Our home base to visit Glacier National Park
Columbia Falls in about 14 miles from the west entrance to Glacier National Park. We were fortunate in that the weather was cloudy but only light sprinkles. The "Road-to-the Sun" was open so we were able to traverse the park from the west entrance to the east entrance. Absolutely beautiful!!
The lobby of the MacDonald Lodge at the Lake
The MacDonald Lodge with the Red Jammies preparing to take guests into Glacier. The "Going-to-the-Sun" road is about 50 miles long and is narrow and winding so no vehicles over 21' in length and 10' in width are not permitted on the road. The red jammies are specially designed to carry approximately 15 passengers while remaining within the size restrictions. Another great feature was that they run on propane instead of fossil fuel.
The road is visible and cut into the mountainside
Our next destination...Yellowstone National Park.
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