Sunday June 11

A Full Day Of Excursions

Morning Excursion:  Astoria Tour / The Astoria Column

Today was the first day of the adventure where we woke up in our staterooms and had a full day of excursions ahead of us.  We had breakfast and filled out our meal cards and then all but Kim had Eggs Benedict - just so delicious (Kim had eggs & toast).  Just as an FYI.....in a couple of days when our trip has more free time I'll begin building the FOOD PAGE where I've taken photos from all the great dishes we've had so far.  And trust me, this cruise - the food has been every bit as good if not BETTER than any cruise we've EVER been on.  By 9 am we were on the bus and headed out for a short tour of the city of Astoria.  Once I've had time to put together the highlight video of the trip you'll see some of the homes that are registered with the National Historic Center.  (NOTE:  If you are enjoying the photos and journals, I think there is SO much more that I have captured on video and hope you'll take time to watch it when it's completed at the conclusion of the trip).  But the highlight of the morning was our adventure to the highest point in Astoria to visit the Astoria Column.  Several great stories from this stop.  First, look carefully at the photo of the column and note the markings; now the close-up of the column.  Not only did the artist do a fabulous job, but it was done with a technique known as "Scratch-fiti."  Here's how it works.  The entire column was painted in all of the colors.  Then the colors were scratched away to create the mural.  How unique is that!

The second story and CLEARLY the accomplishment of the day.  To get to the open-air observation deck on top you climb up 164 steps on a spiral staircase in a very claustrophobic tight quarters.  I've never minded being in high buildings; love flying - even in helicopters.  But I'm very "anxious" when it comes to heights when I'm on an open platform with just a railing.  One such adventure that was very cool and I had to make myself do it was a few years ago when Sue & Dan accompanied Kim and I (and our pal Lori) to Washington D.C.  There, through a connection my cousin had to then Speaker of the House John Baynor we were given a private tour to the top of the capital dome.  I did it, but could not move away from the wall to the edge.  So I was anxious today.  Well, Dan has a similar anxiety but his is brought on by any kind of spinning - like climbing a spiral staircase.  But not only did both of us make it to the top, but if you look at the photo at the top we appear every bit as relaxed and happy as the girls.  MAJOR accomplishment to get that photo op in!

The third story of the trip started as we approached the column and our tour guide/bus driver was telling us that we'd probably be approached by a worker who would ask us to PURCHASE a balsa wood airplane.  Our guide encouraged us to buy one and toss it off the top of the column.  So as we made our way toward the column Kim and I were near the front of the group and sure enough a lady came right up to Kim and GAVE her the entire bag of airplanes with no directions.  Kim, thinking we were supposed to pay for one was speechless (I know, hard to believe, right? :)  But she did what only my wife would do.....she immediately started passing them out like free candy to everyone who was climbing to the top; carried the bag with the extras and gave one (or more) to everyone who joined us at the top!  Everyone was most appreciative and nothing was said about the cost/payment.

We left the Astoria Column and headed out to Fort Clatsop.  It's hard to tell from the photos below, but this "fort" measures 50 feet by 50 feet.  And 30 people spent over three months here.  This was the furthest most western stop for the Lewis & Clark expedition.  And here in the fort that winter were the two leaders and twenty-seven other men, and one woman....the Native American Sacajewa.  It was pretty cool to visit and see the recreation.

Afternoon Excursion:  Cape Disappointment

This afternoon Sue & Dan had an alternative excursion (they stayed close to the boat to explore the Maritime Museum and then walk down the waterfront to see the hundreds of seals at Pier 39), meanwhile Kim and I boarded the bus for a trip out to Cape Disappointment.  It was a beautiful, sun-splashed afternoon with temperatures hovering around 60 - we've had such great luck so far with the weather!  Honestly, I'd have been "ok" with the visit just for the view and the one interesting thing we learned is that this is the point of the most dangerous bar in North America.  Where the jetty (see photo below) ends is where the Columbia River spills into the Pacific.  And here as the waters collide the ocean swells as high as fifty foot waves.  Over 2000 ships are buried on the floor of this section of water.  If you bring your ship across the bar without a "bar captain" joining you then your insurance is void!

So with that being the sum total of the visit - the view and the knowledge of the bar - Kim and I would have been disappointed.  But when we asked our tour director what we were to do for the hour we had left she said we could walk through the discovery center or walk over to the light house.  If you look up at the photos, it looks like you'd just walk around the corner and then over to the lighthouse.  And the sign indicated it was 0.6 mile to get there.  The first sign of "trouble" was how long we were winding around through the forest and then I was noticing how much we were descending downward.  Shouldn't we be moving UP to the lighthouse.  We passed a couple going the other way and asked if this was the way to the lighthouse and he said yes.....keep going down and then you go back up again.  So we basically descended nearly 75% of the way to the water level and then back up again and the closer we got to the lighthouse the more steep the incline.  This photo of me hiking hardly does it justice.

Well, this "adventure" was the best thing since sliced bread to my "I always want more exercise" wife.  NOW we had had a great adventure - and let me tell you, the return trip was no piece of cake because while truly the most steep of inclines was at the end we still had to go DOWN that incline and then climb back up to the other side through the path in the woods!  Here's a view of the other side where our "photo op" picture with the lighthouse in the background had been taken.

Close-up of the lighthouse and of me pointing out the sign saying it's "only 0.6 mile" to the lighthouse!

After another great dinner with all the wine you want (preceded by an full hour of cocktails, on the house - ANY liquor or wine you want and as much as you want.....this is every night!) we went to the lounge for a guitar playing comedian/singer....and he too was outstanding.  When this ended around 9:30 we were all beat - maybe from the five miles of walking my fitbit had registered, or maybe it was the 46 flights of stairs I'd been up and down according to the fitbit!

Tomorrow the ship leaves at 5:30 am with a destination near Mt. St. Helens which will be the excursion for the day.  We will reach an observatory less than 1/2 mile from the crater....AND the weather forecast is for temperatures up there in the mid-to-low 40s with a good chance of drizzling rain!  BRRRRRRR - but that's just fine for two Florida residents looking to avoid the Florida summer heat!