Friday, May 11th - Columbia River Gorge

This morning, while walking Gypsy, I exchanged "Good Mornings" with a nice lady walking back to her campsite from the public showers. She told me about a small restaurant in Mosier, OR, about five miles west of the camp. She also told me about the Tom McCall Wildflower Preserve.

One of the great aspects of RV'ing is the interaction with fellow campers. You get the best information based on shared experiences. The lady was absolutely right about the Mosier cafe. MA & I had an exquisite lunch of bell pepper and crab bisque and grilled brie cheeseburger and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

We drove the historic Columbia River Highway up to the wildflower preserve and really enjoyed the wildflowers and spectacular views!

Afterward we drove into The Dalles and explored at the Discovery Center and Museum. There are many exhibits and lifesize dioramas on the subjects of the glaciation of the Gorge, native American life, the Oregon Trail and the life of the salmon. The Dalles was the end of the Oregon Trail. From here immigrants would raft on the Columbia River to their final destination in the Willamet River Valley, near Portland and their livestock would be herded on a southern route, a the Barlow Toll Road, around Mount Hood.