Ft. Clatsop National Historical Park

 

“We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trod. The good or evil it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and these little vessels contained every article by which we were to expect to subsist or defend ourselves. However, as the state of mind in which we are, generally gives the coloring to events, when the imagination is suffered to wander into futurity, the picture which now presented itself to me was a most pleasing one. Entertaining as I do the most confident hope of succeeding in a voyage which had formed a darling project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life. (Meriwether Lewis)”
― John Bakeless, The Journals of Lewis and Clark

 

 

Every summer my husband and I head north to the state of Washington to visit family and spend some time at our cabin on the river.  We always also visit the coast where my husband has family.  We try to make sure every year that we also see something new.  We take side trips on the trip up and back, and visit new things in the areas we visit.  This year we detoured over to the Oregon coast and spent a little time visiting Ft. Clatsop National Historical Park, which is just outside Astoria, Oregon.

 

Inside one of the rooms
of the fort

Ft. Clatsop is where Lewis and Clark and their group of explorers stayed from December of 1805 to March of 1806.  They built a small fort there and spent the winter.  It is an interesting place to visit and if you are in the area I think it is worth a stop. 

 

The visitor center includes a replica of Fort Clatsop similar to the one built by the explorers, an interpretive center offering an exhibit hall, gift shop and two films. The center features ranger-led programs, costumed rangers in the fort, and  2 trailheads - the Fort to Sea Trail and Netal River Trail, as well as restrooms and a picnic area.



We hiked the trail to the river
and came across this canoe
similar to what they would have used

The price is $3.00 for those 16 and older, free if under 16. If you have a National Park pass, or are active duty military it is also free.  They are open every day except Christmas day. 

If you are interested in Lewis and Clark, this area has many more places for you to explore.  The explorers were also on the Washington side of the river, and if you go across the bridge at Astoria to the Washington side you will see an entrance for the Cape Disappointment State Park.  Here you will find the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which  stands high on the cliffs of Cape Disappointment State Park, 200 feet above the pounding Pacific surf. A series of mural-sized timeline panels guide visitors through the westward journey of the Lewis and Clark Expedition using sketches, paintings, photographs, and the words of Corps members themselves. The center also features a short film presentation, a gift shop, and a glassed-in observation deck with fabulous views of the river, headlands, and sea. Additional displays focus on local maritime and military history.  There is also the Cape Disappointment lighthouse in the state park.

Inside the Interpretive Center on the
Washington side of the river

 

In November of 1805, the U.S. Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and Wiliam Clark reached the mouth of the mighty Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean at last. "Great joy in camp," Clark wrote in his journal, "we are in view of the ocean, this great Pacific Ocean which we been so long anxious to see."  Shortly after arriving at the Pacific on the Washington side, they crossed the river and made the fort where they wintered.  The city of Long Beach, which is close by, also has a statue dedicated to Lewis and Clark. 

One other stop we made while visiting Ft. Clatsop was to see the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale on the Oregon coast near Ft. Stevens State Park.  The Peter Iredale was a four-masted steel sailing vessel that ran ashore October 25, 1906, en route to the Columbia River. Wreckage is still visible, making it a popular tourist attraction.  The shipwreck is slowly breaking up and I can't imagine it will still have much left in another 10 years.  I saw a picture of what it looked like just 10 years ago, and there is very little of that left.  Here is my picture of the ship.

When you visit this area, take time to visit the coast, its quite pretty.  Bring your rain gear, because there is always the possibility of rain, even in the summer.  And eat some of the good seafood, they are famous for their razor clams.

Road Trip 2013

"As long as I live,  I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing.  I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can."

John Muir

 

The Washington Coast with North Head Lighthouse



Baxter enjoying running on the beach

Every year we make a trip up to Washington, to visit family, and to spend some time at our cabin by the river.  When we were working, we had limited time, so we would usually just get there by the quickest route, and come back.  Now that we are retired, we can take more time, explore things along the way, and relax for a time at the cabin.  This year we took a little less time than we have in the past few years, because we had just gotten home from our trip to Africa, and decided we didn't want to turn around and spend another 6 weeks gone.  We did go for a little over 3 weeks though, and it was a nice trip.

We headed up the I-5 till we got to Salem, then we turned toward the coast.  We spent 3 nights in Long Beach, Washington at a cute little cabin near the beach.  We could get up each morning and take a short walk down to the beach.  We had our 2 dogs, Baxter and Sadie, with us on the trip, and they love running on the beach.  We also went down at sunset to let them run, and to watch the colors of the sky.



The trail from our cabin to the beach

During the day we visited with my husbands family.  This is the area where George grew up and he still has some family in the area.  It is always nice to see them.  He also has a cousin who comes up to Long Beach each summer from Arizona.  He fishes and catches crab all summer.  He had us over for some fresh crab and a salmon dinner.  He also sent us off with some crab to take on our next step in our journey.

From Long Beach we headed into Vancouver, Washington.  My mother is 95 and lives in a retirement home here.  We shared our crab with her, and made Crab Louie salads.  We spent the next 2 1/2 weeks at our cabin on the river, which is near Vancouver.  We have had this place since my mother was a little girl.  She turned it over to my sister and I a few years ago and we put a nice new cabin up on the property.  It now has running water, electricity and indoor plumbing, which is always nice to have.  It is small, but quite comfortable to stay in.  We have a deck overlooking the river, and we eat most of our meals outdoors at the table on the deck.  We enjoy watching the wildlife.  This year we saw various birds, ducks and geese.  We have, in the past, seen deer and once we saw an Osprey dive into the water and pull a trout out.  So you never know what you might see.

Geese on our river

During the time we spent at our cabin, we visited with numerous friends and family that we both have in this area.  It is always nice to re-connect with loved ones.  I also had a small get-together of old classmates from my high school days.  We had lots of laughs while we reminisced about the past.



Baxter and Sadie in the inner-tube with me

I was glad that the weather was nice while we were there.  That is not always the case in Washington.  You can never count on it being warm and sunny, even in the summer.  We did have a couple of cooler days, and one day when it sprinkled, but for the most part it was warm and sunny, and I spent most days in the water, either swimming, wading and looking for pretty rocks, or lazing around on my inner-tube.  I did make a point of walking up river each day with the dogs, to the upper rapids.  I then loaded the dogs onto the inner-tube and floated over the rapids and back downstream to where the cabin and our beach was.  The dogs enjoyed this walk and the ride back.

The deck of our cabin overlooking the river

I picked blackberries, which were ripe, in the field near our cabin.  I made blackberry cobbler and blackberry pie for desert with our friends.   We barbecued on the deck and had some pleasant meals with friends and family.  I celebrated my birthday on the deck with my sister, my mom, a cousin and George.  It was a peaceful and relaxed couple of weeks, and I hated to leave.  But eventually one must go home. 

Lassen Volcanic National Park

So we headed back down I-5, but shortly after entering California we took a side trip on the 89.  We headed east and then south until we reached Lassen Volcanic National Park.  I am trying to visit all of the National Parks that I can, and this is one I had never been to.  We spent most of our 2nd day of our return home at the park.  It is a smaller park, and of course we had the dogs with us, which meant that most of our exploring of the park is limited to the main areas.  The dogs are not allowed on any of the trails. We are not big hikers anyway.  There were a few places that required short hikes, but George was willing to stay with the dogs while I explored.  I will be writing about the park in the next few days and will add that to my National Park series.

Lake Tahoe

From there we drove a rather longer route home, just exploring and seeing a new area.  We ended up on Hwy 50 which took us around Lake Tahoe.  We had not been in that area for many years, and it is a pretty area to drive through.  We would have enjoyed a few days stay at Lake Tahoe, but I had a commitment I needed to get home for, so headed south again on I-5 and finally got home.  Dogs were glad to see their home and to get out of the car.  And we have next year to look forward to, and another adventure.


Here are two more pictures taken on our trip:





Mount hood with a full moon

The river just below our cabin



A Beach Get-Away

“I have always loved the beach. The smell of the salty water, the wind in my face, the gentle roar of the waves all combine to create a sense of peace and calm.”

Anonymous

 

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

Jacques Cousteau

Sunset at the beach

When I was a little girl I lived in Washington state.  We lived toward the middle of the state on the Columbia River, so water has always been nearby for me.  We had the river, one of the prettiest and bigger rivers in the country.  We also had a cabin on a smaller river about an hour away.  My dad had a boat and we water-skiied, and spent days out on the river, just having fun - or fishing, which was a different kind of fun.  But almost every summer, from my earliest memories, we also would spend a few days at the beach.  It was an all day drive to get there, but there is something about the beach that a river just can't take the place of.

Usually we would go to one of the Oregon beaches, somewhere near Rockaway or Newport.  There used to be a beach called Agate Beach, which is no longer named that.  I was told that the name was changed because there are no longer agates on the beach.  I have to say that is partly my fault.  When we would go there as kids, my mom, sisters and myself, would walk the beach with a sand bucket and pick up agates and take them home.  I'm still one to pick up any kind of interesting rock, no matter where I am, and bring it home.  My backyard, and jars all over my house, hold rocks that I have picked up from all over the world.  Those are some of my favorite souvenirs.  But not just rocks, when at the beach, I'm also looking for interesting shells, or sea glass.

Sadie and Baxter at the Beach

Even today, the beach is probably my second favorite place to be.  My cabin in Washington will always be first, but any beach will be a close second.  Living in Southern California, the beach is never far away.  We quite often spend the day at the beach.  To spend the day in the waves with my boogie board is ideal.  Especially when the water has had a chance to warm up a bit.  And there are some nice dog beaches near us, and I also love to spend the day with the dogs on the beach.  I can only wade while with them, because if I tried to swim, they'd try to be with me, and they are not big enough, or strong enough for the waves and tides.  But they don't mind getting in the shallow waves and even having the waves go over them  And they love running up and down the beach with the other dogs.



Pacific Beach in San Diego at sunset

I think any vacation that includes a beach, is a perfect vacation.  If you just want to get away and relax, where else could be more perfect.  You could rent a cottage, or a hotel room with a balcony, and sit and watch the ocean.  You can stroll along the beach, and reflex on life.  You can spend your days wading or swimming in the salt water, or just lying on a chaise lounge under an umbrella, reading your book.  And watching the sun set over the ocean at night will quite often give you some of the best sunsets of your life.

A beach in Northern California

There has been a lot of talk the past few years about "staycations".  Because of the cost of gas, people can't afford to travel as far.  If you are on a limited income, or just can't get away for whatever reason, and you live anywhere near a beach, then consider a weekend in a cottage by the seashore.  Everyone needs a break from the routine, and this would be a fairly inexpensive way to take that break without breaking the bank.  Don't go to one of the big resort area beaches, but to one of the little seaside towns.  They have more of a seaside atmosphere anyway, and are usually less expensive.  And if you go off season, it's even less expensive.  And the beach is a nice place to be even when it is not hot and sunny.  Sometimes it is more interesting when it is stormy.  And walking the beach after a storm could net you some interesting finds, such as glass floats.



The cottage we rented at the beach
 in Washington last summer

 

I know that along the Pacific coast there are quite a few lesser known beaches that have reasonably priced cottages to rent.  We usually spend a week on the Washington coast every summer after we leave our cabin on the river.  Even in the summer months it is possible to get a place for less than $80 a night, as long as we stay away from the more popular beaches.  And during the winter months they are even less expensive.  That doesn't mean it is right on the beach, those that are a block or two away are usually less expensive, but you are still at the beach.  Here in California they are slightly higher, but the weather is usually nice here year around, so that drives the prices up.

So if you need to getaway from it all, but can't afford to fly to some exotic place, and the ocean is anywhere within driving distance for you, consider getting in your car and just spending a few days at the beach.  It could do wonders for you.  Give you a sense of peace.  And if you have a family, what kid doesn't love to build sand castles and wade in the waves?  It is a great getaway, and it won't break the bank.

Sunset at the beach

Christmas Destinations

"The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas."
WC Jones

 

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence
of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
Burton Hillis

Holidays are a time for staying home, especially if your family is in the same area as you.  I know a lot of people have to travel at Christmas, just to be with the ones they love.  But if you all live in the same area, then you will probably be home for the holidays.  But even so, there are day trips you can take around the holidays, that will put you in the Christmas spirit.

Hotel Del in Coronado, Calif.

Here in southern California we have several places that are famous for Christmas.  We live in San Diego, and we have the Hotel Del Coronado.  It has become a tradition in our family to go to the Hotel Del (as it is known locally) during the Christmas holidays, just to see the decorations.  They have the hotel lighted during the Christmas season, and there is a huge tree in the lobby area, which is several stories high.  Every year the decorations are different.  On the 6th of January they actually sell those decorations to the public, but you have to be in line early to get them, as they are very popular.  I have some decorations on my tree that came from the Del, and they are favorites of mine. 

Riverside, California is only a few hours from San Diego and is also a great Christmas destination.  There is a hotel in Riverside called the Mission Inn.  It is designed after the old missions that are located in California.  The hotel is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, but at Christmas it is decorated for the holidays and is a fun place to go and explore.  It will certainly put you in the holiday mood.  And the streets surrounding the Mission Inn are filled with antique shops and other types of unusual shops, all of which are also decorated.  It is a great place to get some of your holiday shopping done.



Christmas in Leavenworth, Washington

I grew up in Washington state and I visit up there at least once a year.  There is a town in Washington that is known for its Christmas spirit.  The town is Leavenworth.  This Bavarian themed city is located in the central part of Washington State and provides all the necessary ingredients for a fun-filled time during the winter months and holiday season. You’re sure to find plenty of snow, kids sledding in the heart of town, horse-drawn sleigh rides. live holiday music, shops serving warm treats, and of course, plenty of Christmas lights.

Living in southern California I do have a hard time feeling like it is Christmas, because quite often it is warm enough to spend the day at the beach. I grew up where it was cold at Christmas, quite often snow on the ground.  There is a part of me that still feels like it should be cold on Christmas , but just for Christmas eve and Christmas day, then it can go back to warm weather. 

Christmas in New York

Last year my girl-friend and I decided to leave our husbands at home for a few days and head to New York, about 2 weeks before Christmas.  I had been to New York before, but never at Christmas.  I found New York to be a wonderful place to get in the holiday spirt.  It felt more like Christmas, because the weather was cold, although we didn't get any snow.  We saw the Rockettes Christmas show as well as a Broadway play.  We took in the lights and the tree at Rockefeller Center, and we considered going ice skating.  There are Christmas Markets in New York also, which were fun to visit.  It was a great way to start off the holiday season. To read about our trip to New York at Christmas, go to:  http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-trip-to-new-york-december.html

Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany

Speaking about Christmas Markets, I have taken two trips to Europe during the Christmas season, to visit the Christmas Markets.  If you ever have the opportunity to do this, I highly recommend it.  Especially if you are into Christmas.  I am not at all religious, and am quite open about it.  But I do love Christmas, it is part of my childhood memories, part of our traditions.  I don't celebrate in a religious way, but I do celebrate, and it is my favorite holiday.  Besides, if you know anything about history, then you know that there is no way that the Christ child could have been born in December, it had to be in the summer months.  There used to be a pagan holiday in December, and the Christians decided to have there highest holiday celebration to coincide with that, with the idea of taking it over and turning the pagans into  Christians.  For the most part it worked.  The pagan side has the tree, the Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, etc.  Combine that with all of the Christian symbols of the manager and such, and you have todays Christmas.  I personally celebrate more the pagan side. But whatever your beliefs, if you like Christmas, then you will love the Christmas Markets, especially those in Germany.  If you would like to read more about the Christmas Markets, go to:
http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-market-trip-december-2006.html or http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-markets.html



Christmas in Colonial
Williamsburg

I remember years ago when we lived in Virginia, we went to Williamsburg at Christmas time.  They had the whole town decorated with Christmas wreaths and holly and they told us about the early settlers Christmas traditions.  They still hold their holiday celebrations in Williamsburg, and it would be a great place to go and experience Christmas the way our ancestors did.  There are historic houses with circles of greenery dotted on doors and windows, roasted chestnuts in an open-air market and much more. The jingling of real bells on horse drawn carriages will get you in the spirit, and you might even want to march with the colonial fifes and drums corps and let the crisp early evening chill envelope you. And you can learn about Christmas through a Jamestown settler, or a battle-weary Revolutionary War Soldier, or even a colonial farmer. For more information, go to: http://visitwilliamsburg.com/williamsburg-attractions/christmas-in-williamsburg

This year I am heading to Washington for part of my holidays.  My mom is 94 and she lives in a retirement home.  She won't travel, she says she just doesn't feel up to it, so I can't bring her here for the holidays.  For the past few Christmas' she has spent the day without family.  She has friends at the home, and she says she is fine with that.  My sister lives in Seattle, and she always gets down close to Christmas to see her, but not on the day.  So, this year we will spend Christmas eve here with our family, opening presents and doing our traditional Christmas eve stuff.  On Christmas day, my daughter and I are flying to Washington.  We should (if there are no delays because of weather) get to her place in time for the Christmas dinner at the retirement home.  We will spend a few days with her and celebrate the holidays together.  After all, my childhood memories of Christmas are all about her and my family.  I'm looking forward to our time together.

So, whatever your Christmas traditions, consider making a day trip, or a longer trip, that will get you in the mood, and give you that holiday feeling.  Go visit an area that has special decorations, or go a holiday show.   And have a Happy Holiday!