Road Trip to the Columbia River Gorge

It has been a busy month since my last post. Among other adventures, I went on a road trip to the Columbia River Gorge to visit my brother. He is 81 now, and I would like to see him at least once a year for as long as I can make the trip. Due to my own health concerns (another story for another post), I was unsure whether I could pull it off this year, but I did.

Since driving makes me very sleepy (always has), and also since I need to get out and stretch frequently, I broke the trip up into two very manageable days. The first day I drove from my home in northern Idaho to Kennewick, Washington, a distance of about 180 miles.

This sign is at a rest area in eastern Washington. I opted not to go for a stroll in that area.

I was very sleepy by the time I reached the tiny town of Lind, so I drove around it looking for a place to pull over and take a nap in my car. As I drove around, I noticed this row of old, dilapidated houses for sale. I wonder what their history is.

Lind seems to be a dead town. Other than a residential area, I found a Post Office and a grocery store. All the businesses in the "downtown" area (one or two blocks long) appeared to be permanently closed. I noticed a small clinic, which was only open on Tuesdays. Even the school was closed, but I think all the schools in the state were closed that day, for some purpose. The grain elevators pictured above appear to be the only important buildings in use. I found a spot to park in the shade next to a Lions Club building, close to these grain elevators.

Apparently, this event is a highlight for the town. I had never heard of such a thing before. Near the sign a former participating vehicle was parked:

The next day I drove on to the town of North Bonneville, where I stayed at an Airbnb. On the way, I stopped to look around in The Dalles, Oregon. That town boasts the state's oldest book store, Klindt's Booksellers, which has become one of my favorite leg-stretching spots. I bought a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales written auf Deutsch. It seems like a fun way to brush up on my German.

I also strolled around town just a little. I would have gone into the art center but it was closed that day.

I did go into the courthouse, to find a restroom. Built between 1912-1914, the interior is quite impressive. I didn't properly explore it, and I don't know how to adequately describe it. I just know it was very nice.

I love this old house across the street from the courthouse.

Hamilton Mountain is in full view from the town of North Bonneville. I actually grew up on a hobby farm just a mile or two from where I took this photo, and Hamilton Mountain was our backdrop.

I only had two full days in the Stevenson/North Bonneville area. I had lunch with my brother one day, and the next day we went for a stroll along the riverfront area in Stevenson. These sternwheeler cruise ships now travel up and down the Columbia River, with Stevenson being one of their ports of call.

The domed mountain in the distance on the right of the photo is called Wind Mountain. When I was still a kid, my uncle took my sisters and me for a hike to the top. It was quite the adventure for a young child. I remember my uncle inventing a story about rattlesnakes so I wouldn't dawdle far behind.

I have come to realize that I no longer look forward in anticipation to a trip like I did when I was younger. Now, I am constantly wondering whether my health will allow me to actually make the trip. Will I get enough sleep to be able to make the drive? Will I have enough energy to do the things I want to do while I'm gone? Will I be completely exhausted when I get home? These are things that need to be taken into consideration, whether I like it or not. And so I look back on my road trip primarily as something I succeeded in doing, not as something I did nor did not enjoy. I am wondering whether anyone else in my approximate age bracket can relate. Please let me know in the comments.