We had just a short drive to reach the homestead this morning. We lingered, but finally faced facts - our trip was over - and we pointed the Magna Peregrinus into the Portland Metropolitan Area.
But first there was the matter of a bridge. PS: I have a lot of bad photos today. Please forgive.
There was no way our motorhome was ever ever ever ever again crossing the Columbia River on the Hood River-White Salmon bridge. Too narrow (see yesterday's column)! Not to worry, we had several other options and we decided to continue west on the Washington-side of the Columbia River and cross into Oregon over the Bridge of the Gods. There is great Native American lore about this spot, where legend says there was once a natural bridge spanning the river. The span is also the Columbia River crossing on the Pacific Crest Trail. The toll is $2 for RV's, $1 for cars.
(Sorry, more reflective photography through the windscreen.) We met two trucks crossing the bridge and I didn't even bat an eye! This bridge has lanes over ten feet! Spacious! (Gulp.)
So we re-joined I-84 on the Oregon-side of the Columbia River and stopped for lunch at pretty Multnomah Falls - the second, third or fourth-highest (depends on who is measuring and if the waterfall is year-round or not) waterfall in the United States.
Though the parking area is strangely in the middle of the east-west interstate freeway, requiring a left-exit, there is usually room for RVs to park. (If not, you can just drive slowly through the parking lot and gaze wistfully at the falls through the RV windows before merging back on the interstate!) There is a footpath through a tunnel under the freeway to reach the waterfall.
Do I need to say it is pronounced mult-NO-mah? Didn't think so.Pretty-much every time we have visited the waterfall, we have heard ten different languages being spoken! We humans are so fascinated with waterfalls!
The waterfall can be seen from the visitor center area, but paths also lead up to the bridge spanning the lower falls and trails continue to the top of the falls and for miles beyond.
There are bathrooms, a restaurant, a gift shop, etc., at the base of the falls. Parking is free; no admission. Dogs allowed on-leash. The lower area is wheel-chair/stroller friendly, as is the restaurant.We couldn't think of another place to stop. Nothing else to see... since we were now in our own hometown.
So, we went home.
Our house was in tip-top shape under the constant watchful care of our house sitter (no, I will not give you his phone number, he is mine, all mine), Brandon. Mail sorted. Tidy house. Air conditioner running. It was nearly 100 degrees in Portland today. The bus is mostly unpacked. We are settling in.
Trip details: 23 nights (didn't it seem longer than 23 nights???), 11 campsites, 2,038 safe miles. We stopped for fuel four times (the last time this morning so the tank will be ready for the Duck home opener next weekend at Autzen Stadium). Considering we were only delivering window coverings to Provo, we really saw quite a bit of This Great Country!
Too hot (and too pooped) to cook, we drove just a few miles from our house to a new restaurant that opened while we were away. We live fairly rural, but suburbia is creeping into our midst more and more each year. We still have to drive four miles for beer milk, but we now have a great Mexican restaurant 3.5 miles from our door!
Grilled Chicken taco and Beef Asada taco. Each taco was aobut 6-inches across.
There is a notice on the door at LaSuperior that states you will have to wait at least 15 minutes for your meal, because everything is made fresh. They were not kidding. Our meals came in about ten minutes, but the tortillas for my tacos were still a ball of dough when I ordered them. Tortillas are made to-order! Love it! The restaurant is new and still a bit strip-mallish, but they have outdoor seating, a full bar and TV's showing the Mariners losing again baseball games. Our meals were very good and our server was great and very friendly. Plus - they deliver. (Okay. They won't deliver to us, but they deliver towards town. The only things we can get delivered are flowers, mail, the newspaper, FedEx and UPS.)
Cheese enchiladas verde
Welcome to the neighborhood.
Until my next update, I remain, your nesting correspondent.