Our journey to Orofino wouldn't be complete without describing the Lolo Pass and visitors center. I neglected to say that US 12 took us over the route that Lewis and Clark followed through the Bitterroot Mountains . The visitors center at the border of Montana and Idaho gave a thorough account of the Lewis and Clark expedition and the difficulty of negotiating this formidable terrain. A remarkable statistic is that over a two and a half year journey they only lost one person and that was to appendicitis. On a heavier note, the men burned 13,ooo calories per day and required 9 pounds of meat per day to sustain that level of activity. After the visitor center it was on to Lewiston where we found a museum that chronicled the life of Abraham Lincoln. Expecting to find a Lewis and Clark exhibit, we instead got a lesson in history complete with copies of original documents and some of the last communications that Lincoln wrote before his death. It kind of seemed out of place, but was interesting anyway. Crossing the border between Idaho and Washington we headed for Hermiston, OR.

The Best Western in Hermiston, famous for its watermelons, did not compare to where we had stayed the night before, but was comfortable nonetheless. The area was more industrial park than anything else, so we had to get in the car with Bear on his bike to find dinner and headed to Hale's Restaurant, recommended by the front desk. Great place, but we were getting to dinner later each night. I ordered a Cesar salad, which couldn't be finished at any normal hour much less 9:30 PM. Nobody else could finish their dinners either. The ride across southern Washington and into Oregon was really hot(95 deg on the bike thermometers), so Bear and I jumped right in the pool when we got here. Traveling with the ladies has been interesting and fun although we had to indoctrinate them on coordinating bathroom stops with Uncle Eddie's carbon needs. When he stops for gas, they get to use the bathroom.

7/25/08

As we bid farewell to Hermiston, we looked forward to touring the Mount Hood area and the Dalles. The Dalles is a tourist area right on the Columbia River. Expecting another hot day we were pleasantly surprised to be able to travel in comfortable temperatures only because we escaped the Hermiston area before the day got too old. Our route took us right along the Columbia River, which is beautiful, wide, and windy. We found dozens of people sailboarding, but the wind didn't prove to be too bad for the bikes. Arriving at The Dalles we dropped off some bags at the hotel bell desk because we were too early to check in and headed out US 30(yes the same one as in Lancaster) and stopped at the Discovery Center situated on the river. We watched a film detailing life on the Oregon Trail, which turned out to be a couple of miles wide at some points only because the travelers were choked with dust as they walked toward their destination. Thirty thousand people died making the trip from the Missouri territory to Oregon, mostly from disease. Contrary to the movies and TV, people walked alongside the wagons which were loaded with their possessions. There wasn't any room for anyone to ride except for the sick and children too young to walk. It made one stop and think about the hardships these people were willing to endure to seek a better life. The Discovery Center held much more, but it was time to visit Mount Hood. Our destination was the Timberline Lodge, which you can guess was located at Timberline. Mt Hood is a dormant volcano that is 11,100 feet high and Timberline was located at about 5500 ft. As we ascended the road to the lodge we could see snow still lying in the forest. Constructed entirely of wood, Timberline Lodge is a magnificent structure with massive columns inside and sturdy construction to say the least. It has many guest rooms, dining room, bar, etc all elegantly decorated. Probably costs a mint to stay there. On the way back from Timberline we stopped at a fruit stand and the ladies made another stop for wine and cheese for a party in Bear and Gail-Bird's room. Tomorrow we are taking a cruise down the Columbia on a paddle wheel boat and then heading for Portland.