RVing Around America with Ron and Kathy: Boating on the Columbia

Friday, June 30, 2017

Our drive today was to find the tunnels on Highway 14 along the Columbia River in Oregon. When making the reservation at our campground, the host told me to be sure to drive west on the Oregon side, cross over the Bridge of the Gods and turn back east for the campground on the Washington side.

Being the curious guy Ron is, we drive down the road to see what it is all about. There is a semi that goes through one of the tunnels as well as several cars towing trailers and 5th wheels. However, it is a bit unnerving as a couple of them decide their half is in the middle. That is because the tunnels are not just the highest in the middle but rather some are one height on one side and the other side is either taller or shorter. For us to go through this tunnel in the RV we would have to be further to the left since we are nearly 13 feet tall and since this is a two way highway, it would be a bit scary.

Note the height on the right side

Driving further east we proceed across “The Dalles” which is a wider and longer bridge than some of the others. Here at The Dalles there is one of the many dams and locks along this river.

The Dalles Bridge

We drive around this fair size city and find a few interesting sites.

Old Masonic Lodge now a restaurant

Further west from The Dalles is the “Hood River Bridge” which would have been the one we crossed with the motor home if it were not so narrow and allowed RV’s and trucks. Looking at the picture, you can see why we didn’t. It is also a rather long bridge.

Hood River Bridge

Both this Bridge as well as the Bridge of the Gods are toll bridges and cost $2.00 to cross. Those who live here purchase tickets as it is very common to cross these bridges several times in one day. We stopped at a park along the river watching a barge pushing a large load down river.

Our evening entertainment and meal is aboard the Columbia Gorge, a sternwheeler that provides sightseeing trips and dinner cruises along the Columbia River leaving from the town of Cascade Locks in Oregon.

We board our boat and are assigned to a table next to a window near the front of the boat. The dining room is not totally full so everyone had a table near a window.

Dining Room on the Boat

Our waitress immediately takes our drink order and from there our meal begins, even before we leave the dock. The captain speaks a few words and from there proceeds to get us under way. This is Ron and my anniversary dinner and gift to ourselves. We have several choices for our dinner as well as being able to purchase drinks and appetizers, if we wish.

During the trip, the captain from time to time gives us some history about the river and history of the area.

The wind has come up before we board so the trip up river has the wind behind us, but we are warned that when we turn back down river, we will have the wind in our faces so hang on tight if we are outdoors. He wasn’t kidding. The day has been quite warm at mid 80’s and our evening cruise (beginning at 6 p.m.) is still very warm and pleasant in spite of the wind.

A view of the shoreline

The road above I-84 is the old highway now a bike and walking path

Indian fishing docks along the river

A sea lion enjoying the evening light

We see a number of sail boats, some wind surfers and some kite surfers (surfers using large kits to propel them through the water). This kite surfing was new from our last visit here in 2006. There are also a couple of barges being pushed down river.