The Way West~

 We were making this trip to attend Grandson Mason's Celebration of life.  The gathering would be held on August 11th - what would have been his 23rd birthday.  We discussed flying out, but both of us felt like traveling cross-country. 

8-7 Crossing the Missouri River at Chamberlin, SD

We left bright & early Wednesday morning the 7th.  Butch had made it home a couple days early, so we had plenty of time to plan & pack the Explorer.  We'd sent both the girls our itinerary & maps of our planned daily drive.  This drive is now more familiar to Butch than it is to me.  My last time was going the opposite direction when we made the move to IA from WA. 

Rain, passing Sheridan, WY

We'd planned our first nights stop for Rapid City, but The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was in full swing & room rates were outrageous.  We decided to drive 620-miles to Sundance, WY.  We think it was Finn's first time at a motel, but he was so good!    

8-8 We ended our drive with a cool one~

The following day, Thursday the 8th, we finished another big drive of 636-miles stopping in Missoula, MT for the night.  We put Finn's bed in a quiet spot & fed him dinner before we left for ours.  When we returned, he was waiting patiently & very happy to see us!

The following morning, our goal was within reach!  Camano Island, WA where our youngest daughter & her family live.  Things greened up as we crossed into ID & WA.  Spokane traffic had tripled since my last time through.  It was our first real slow-down of the trip.

The Columbia River at Vantage, 2:19 p.m. ~

Once we crossed the river, we made a stop at the fruit stand just outside Cle Elum. Smoke was thick in the air & had been off & on the further west we drove.  

We'd be coming down Snoqualmie Pass & into Seattle during the Friday afternoon rush hour.  I-90 jammed up early on. Both the exits for the back roads we used to take to go north, were backed up for miles. 

I-90 West Bound, 4:38 p.m.

Taking the exit ramp off I-90 & finally going north on I-405, I was amazed at how Bellevue had changed!  More high-rise buildings & cranes in the air!  I'd commuted to my office in Bellevue from the Homestead for several years.  In those days, it had taken under an hour each way.    

I-405 northbound - Bellevue, 4:52 p.m. 

The highway was undergoing yet another widening as we approached downtown.  After merging onto I-5 near Lynnwood, it took us 40-minutes just to pass the Bothell exit.

Bothell 5:28 p.m. ~

Rather than continue to sit in standstill traffic, we decided the state could send us a bill & took the HOV lane.  If you enlarge the photo above, you will notice the fine for violating the HOV lane is $536. There were other signs stating that if you had two occupants or more & didn't have a pre-pass, you'd receive a bill in the mail.

North Broadway, Everett - 6:07 p.m.

I finally asked Butch to take the Everett exit so we could take a potty break!  I was hopeful we'd be able to follow Broadway north, cross the Snohomish River Bridge & return to I-5. Plenty of people had the same idea.  The other thing we didn't expect - was to find the bridge closed down to one side, only one lane each direction due to construction.

Our camp!

Jentry had messaged me & sent the above photo of our camp!  She had left work, gone home for her trailer & set it up at the campground!  It looked so inviting & kept us motivated to finish the 540-mile drive that was taking hours longer than it should have.  

As we took the Stanwood exit, we left the traffic behind.  We stopped to pick up a few things at the store, before crossing over to the island.  What a relief it was to pull into our camp site!  It was about 7 p.m. & dusk.  Jentry, Ben, Skyla & Josie drove over to welcome us!  Finn was ever so happy to meet our family!  The hugs were the Best!  After the kids left, we sat outside for a while to enjoy the peace & quiet.  We'd missed the fresh, clean air of the Pacific Northwest.

Visiting our Oregon Grandkids - Day 1 ~

I was on my way from my friend Joyce's with plenty of time to fuel up & make it to Jentry's before noon.  

More Rain!

I'd driven in heavy rain most of the way yesterday & today was no different.  Normal this time of year in the great Northwet!  The sun broke through just as I pulled into Jentry's drive.  Soon though, the cloud cover returned.

Jentry & I drove to Astoria for lunch.  The oysters at South Bay Wild Fish House were as fresh as any I've had!  Our first lunch together, in forever!  We enjoyed walking through a few of the unique shops before heading back in time for the girls return from school.

Josie & Skyla!

We were walking the yard when the big yellow bus pulled up!  What a thrill to watch as our two youngest granddaughters disembarked & came running right at me!  It was one of those moments I will cherish!  Huge hugs!  Kisses!  

Snowdrops~

On a bank covered in rich deep soil, visible from Jentry's kitchen window, are snowdrops!  One of my favorite bulbs!  A touch of spring!

Josie, Skyla & Jentry~

We went inside to warm up.  The girls opened the Valentine's gifts I'd brought from Italy.

Scout!

Scout is the newest member of the family!  A Jack Rat puppy - he has more than enough energy to keep up with two young girls!

Josie leads the way~

After snacks, we were ready to hit the trails!  The girls had worked on their own trails during the summer & were anxious to show me!  A light drizzle didn't stop these two from running ahead, sure footed as little mountain goats.

Josie!

I had to call a halt here & there, just to get photos!  At the far northern boundary of the kids property is a small offshoot of Davis creek.  The wetlands beyond are part of a huge estuary that belongs to the Columbia river.

Skyla - in the "living room" :-)

Smart with their trail design, the girls stayed to the higher ground under the trees, where there was less brush.  From this spot was a view to the back of the house.

House & Garage~

We continued north & eventually came to the Northwest corner of the fence.  The reed canary grass would have been higher than the girls are tall this summer!  Now, it's falling over & I saw a little unidentified creature pop up!

An unidentified "creature"!

We cut back up the hillside, following a line of trees to the road in front of the house.  Both of these little naturalists have such a love of the outdoors!  They spend more time outside than in, a rarity now days.  A tribute to their Mom & Dad - they've lived in some beautiful places!

Josie, Grammy, Skyla & Scout~

It was almost dark by the time we returned to the house.  Brother Ben came home from work!  We picked up clam chowder for dinner at the hotel, then had time to go swimming!

Josie~

 Skyla is already learning to be a strong swimmer & Josie isn't far behind.  She demonstrated both overhand & a nice backstroke.

Skyla~

Jentry, Ben & I made plans for the following day.  Our plan was to go to the beach - rain or shine!

Astoria Column ~

The first day of a brand new year & it was Totally Stellar!  As gorgeous a day - as last nights sunset had been.  Jentry, Ben, Skyla & Josie met us at the hotel, to take the lead for the uphill journey through the older residential area's of town.  At the crest of the highest hill, sits the Column.

Astoria Column~

Dedicated July 22, 1926, the Column sits atop 600 ft. Coxcomb Hill.  125 ft. tall, with a circular stairway of 164 steps.  The view from the top is panoramic to say the least.   Skyla led the way with Ben spotting her from behind.

Ben & Skyla~

It had been since May of 1987 - when we'd shown my parents the Oregon Coast for the first time - that we'd visited the column & climbed the steps.

Dad & Mom on the right~

As you can tell from the photos, thirty plus years apart, the Column needed the restoration that the Friends of Astoria Column made happen in 2015.

Dad & Mom on the staircase~

Mom was ten years younger than I am now...  There's not a day that goes by, I don't miss them...  It was quite a moment for me, to think of our last visit. Mom & Dad with their Grandchildren, our daughters - Jentry was just ten.  Now, we were enjoying the same historic landmark with Jentry's children, our Grandchildren.

View of the dome~

It gets lighter on the steps & suddenly you look up to see sky, rather than another round of stairs!

View NW- of the mouth of the Columbia.  Bridge to the Washington side~

Once out on the observation deck at the top, the views take your breath away.  It's hard to absorb the scale of the Columbia until you see it from this vantage point, with the blue of the Pacific on the horizon.

SW, across the tidal flats~

The bridge above is 101, the Oregon Coast Highway, that heads south past Ft. Stevens & on to the beaches.  Every direction you look, are more of the fantastic views of the Pacific Northwest.  There's just nowhere like it on a sunshine day!  As we used to say; one good day would make up for a week of gray clouds & rain.

NW along the south side of the river~

The only distraction was the cell phone tower above, cluttering the views to the NW.

Mt. Saint Helens

Josie did not want to make the climb, so Jentry stayed below with her.  I could just pick out her blue dress on the lawn below!

The little blue spot to the left :-)

With the zoom though - I could see Ms. Josie!  Looking like a little flower in the middle of all that green grass!

Josie, our youngest Grandkid!

A few more photos & we were headed back down.  Even with the sunshine, the wind made it very brisk on that platform!  It was way easier than going up!

Ben, Skyla, Grammy & Papa

Yes, it was bright up there!

Bronze relief map~

The bronze relief map is really an incredible piece of art in & of itself!  But it was the Column's art that really drew my attention!  For the first time I was able to actually see the fantastic mural that winds it way around.

"The White Man Came."

That last sentence really says it all.  The end of a way of life for the native tribes & the start of a new era of development.  With that development came the timber industry - stripping the ancient old growth forests that had stood thousands of years.   Only a few tiny remnants remain.

The way West!

Butch & Ben making a statement :-)

Skyla flying her airplane~

The little gift shop building was full of souvenirs & trinkets.  The balsa wood airplanes were great!  People were sending them off the top of the Column, Josie was catching all she could!  With the nice breeze, they were making huge, looping flights around the park!

Astoria - Megler Bridge

What a super place to visit.  Put it on your itinerary for your next trip to OR.

Josie getting ready to fly her plane!

Time to head for town, even on a cold day - there's always a place that sells ice cream!

This was the last day with our Wright Grandkids :-(  It just didn't seem possible, the days had gone by so fast...  Ben, eighteen in a few days... Skyla & Josie growing by leaps & bounds...  It was so hard to say our goodbye's...  

To Astoria ~

Leaving the east side...  I didn't sleep much - already missing Courtney, David & the kids, then excited to see Jentry, Joe, Ben, Skyla & Josie!  David had us loaded for the drive to Redmond to pick up the rental car right on time.  It was as hard as it's routinely become, to say goodbye to Mason, Cassidy & their parents :-(  The gold lining - is knowing that they plan to come visit us again next summer.

Traffic was light~

We'd planned to meet-up with the most elusive of friends... Joyce.  She'd been one of the topics we'd discussed in length with Scott & Barb - once we'd decided that yes - we did indeed still know her!  None of us;  who call ourselves her;  "very long time friends", were happy to find out that she had married without even consulting us?  :-)  After all, isn't that what friends are for?  Well, anyway - rant over - we've met Jim, he has our approval - it's nice to see those smiles of happiness!  Joyce & I hadn't seen each other since Mt. Adams in 2016 - way too long.

Joyce & Jim

As we discussed, treasure the moments - you never know when they will be over & life has moved on...  Joyce & I rode some amazing miles together - over more years than we will admit to.  Making memories that we'll both cherish for the rest of our lives.

Longview

On to Longview & over the bridge at the Columbia.  I have Not missed seeing the acres of logs - cut trees - that cover the ground here - most waiting for shipment overseas.

At the top~

The weather deteriorated as the day progressed.  Rain was falling & the sky was rapidly becoming the color of the water.

Looking back at Longview~

We pulled off on at the overlook, a place I'd always said I'd get a photo & never had.  Much easier to get off quickly with a car rather than a loaded truck, camper & pulling a horse trailer!  It didn't seem like much longer until we arrived in Astoria.  

Our view~

Jentry had helped set up our accommodations - very nice & the view was grand.  We've made occasional visit through Astoria over the years, so it was nice to feel somewhat familiar with the town.  We called to let the kids know that we'd arrived, then headed out to Mo's for some hot chowder.  Good to be here & great to smell the unmistakable scent of the Ocean~