Horsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls
Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

Horsetail Falls is close to the Columbia River Highway. When standing one of the viewing places you can feel the spray from the falls. The falls is 216 feet tall and it is very impressive.

Crown Point

Crown Point
Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

The Columbia River Highway has many interesting guard rails and this one shows detail on the Crown Point guard rail. If you look carefully you can see more of Columbia River Highway through the trees.

Columbia River

Columbia River
Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

This picture was taken from a view point just east of Portland looking up river.

Drive Up The Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is one of my all time favorite places to take a drive. From the mouth of the Columbia, where it pours into the Pacific Ocean to the tri-city area in Washington, the Columbia River is beautiful. The river continues to its point of origin in Canada, waiting for me to see its wonders.

The Columbia River drive that I most often take from Portland is on old Columbia River Highway. This highway orginally opened in 1915 and follows the Columbia River from Portland to Eastern Oregon. Within 30 miles, along this highway, you can find many waterfalls, beautiful forests, picnic areas and lots and lots of trails. According to some of my friends the trails are all level, no uphills!!

As you drive east on the Columbia River Highway the first park you come to is the Women's Forum. This park has a spectacular view of the Columbia River and of Crown Point. Crown Point is a combination gift shop, museum and rest rooms. It is currently being refurbished and when completed it will be a must see. After going by Crown Point you start to see the falls. Latourelle Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Multnomah Falls, Horsetail Falls and Oneonta Falls. Watch for pictures of all of these falls on "flickr".

Horsetail Falls is a descriptive name for the falls. It is 216 feet tall and it is impressive. This water fall is close to the road and is easy to see.

This drive is especially nice because you can take a leisurely drive east, up the gorge, and come home quickly on Interstate 84. What more could you ask for.

Christmas Trees

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Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

Douglas firs ready for this coming Christmas.

Tree of Life

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Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

One of the many murals in Estacada, Oregon.

Clackamas River

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Originally uploaded by nanwinn45.

Clackamas River looking west from the Barton Bridge.

Trip to Estacada

OK, a drive to Estacada is more accurate. Estacada is about 30 miles east and a little south of Portland. It is in the foothills of Mt Hood and on the north bank of the Clackamas River. Oregon Geographic Names by Lewis A. McArthur states that Estacada got its name from the Texas town of Llano Estacado. The name was used in Oregon because it had a pleasing sound, with not thought of its orginal significance.

Estacada, at one time, was a thriving mill town. Now it seems to be a sleepy commuter town for many people that work in Portland and want to live in the country.
View Larger Map (I recommend the hybrid view) Estacada is on of the many towns across the country that have put murals on the sides of the buildings. (Click on the markers to see some of the murals)  Estacada has many including large ones of their logging, milling history and how the trains played a very important roll in their work.

I have always enjoyed going to Estacada because it is on the edge of the Mt Hood wilderness. You can follow the road going east along the Clackamas River into the foothills and feel like you are the first person ever to see the area only to realize that there have been many people before you. If you keep following the roads, Forest Service roads and BLM roads you will come to places like Promantory Park, Lazy Bend, Fish Creek, Indian Henry, Bagby Hot Springs and somewhere there is "Oh Boy Camp", a favorite camping site of my late brother-in-law, Greg. It is best, if you get off the main highways to have a four wheel drive vehicle, a full tank of gas and some food.

If you cross the bridge in Estacada, going south, you will be taken to a plateau above the Clackamas River. Looking north from the Springwater road makes you feel like you are on top of the world. The view goes on and on. This area has a lot of farms and more specifically Christmas tree farms. Douglas firs and Noble firs are prolific. There are many nurseries and green houses that provide many of the plants for all of us that live in the city.

When you travel west from Estacada, back toward Portland you come across many of the little communities that were so important when this area was first being settled. Barton, a flour mill and store, was first settled in 1876 by E. H. Burghardt. Carver, was orginally called Stone because of the great number of boulders. About 1915 Stephen S. Carver promoted an interurban line from Portland into this part of Clackamas County. The townsite of Stone was changed to Carver in 1924. Both Barton and Carver are on the Clackamas River and both have bridges going over the river.

I would recommend this drive if you have the urge to get out of the house and "go somewhere". It can be a short drive or you can easily leave early and make it an all day trip.

Freeway Busby

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Originally uploaded by jensect.

This "sweet little kitty" was found along a freeway in Fresno by my niece and her friend.


Our Christmas trip to Fresno in 2002 was indeed a great trip. One of the best things that happend was that my neice, Deanna, and her friend found this tiny little, dirty, hungry and scared long haired grey kitten. What a mess he was. After being given a tender warm bath by Susan, held and cuddle by Garry and given food by, I can't remember who, the little kitten was feeling much better. The big problem, who was going to keep him. Garry threatened the "Pound", even though I am sure he could not have done such a thing. We came to the rescue and took the little kitten home to Portland. When we took him to the vet about a week and a half after he had been found he weighed 1 lb 8 oz and he was ten inches long. The vet said he was going to be big. He was right. He now weighs over 12 lbs, but looks much bigger because of his thick long soft grey fur. Look for more pictures on the "flickr" site.

Why?

Writing in a Blog sounded like it would be an interesting thing to do and something that I could do without too much trouble.

Deciding what to write about was difficult. Would it be about my family history (maybe soon), the yard (Jen is already doing a superb job with digginginthedirt) or traveling around Oregon and other places. Since traveling is one of my favorite things to do and I really like to travel in Oregon I decided that is where I would put my emphasis.

It will be easy to share my travel pictures and thoughts with my family and friends and it will be an easy way to show off Oregon to all of those I would like to visit here.