In Prosser, Washington

The trip to Prosser was straightforward: eastbound on I-84 hugging the Columbia River, then across the Columbia River into Washington to connect with Route 97 northbound through Yakama Indian land, and then along I-82 for the final short stretch to our destination at the Wine Country RV Resort.

aerial view of I-84 (on the Oregon side), with the Columbia River
meandering its way through the Columbia gorge (courtesy of Wikipedia)

The day was clear and bright, the scenery spectacular as ever. We have traveled these routes several times and each trip the scenery still impresses on me a type of awe at this geological wonder that is the Columbia River Gorge. 

This canyon creates a natural boundary between Washington and Oregon, the mighty Columbia River separating the two states. Ranging in elevation from sea level to 4,000 feet, the gorge encompasses a diverse ecosystem in just an 80-mile stretch, with precipitation ranging from 100 inches of rain to 10 inches. The dramatic changes are very evident, as along one section you are driving through thickly forested areas among towering basalt walls with waterfalls, and then you enter a desert-like region, the colors morphing from deep greens to velvety goldens. 
Here is what we saw as we traveled east then north into Washington across the river.

leaving Troutdale 

glimpses of the river

towering basalt walls above

mesa tops appearing with their velvety golden sides

dry grassland ahead

winding along through the gorge with the river

the transition to dry grassland

just north of Celillo, fishermen probably catching salmon

smooth bare velvety hills

towering basalt cliffs

the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge we crossed into Washington State,
also known as the Biggs Rapids Bridge

view looking further east down the gorge

winding our way inland ever higher along Route 97, the river far below

craggy carved walls of the gorge

back in our home state

last shot of the gorge before the road takes us north

sheer cliffs, towering above the river

we're back in the land of wind turbines

Mt Adams appeared in the distance.

Route 97 took us across plains, past farmlands lying fallow after the harvest, and several picturesque barns. It also took us through a section of forested area as we entered the Yakama Nation land.

descending into Yakima in the valley ahead

The final stretch into Prosser took us past vineyards and hop vines with their telltale tall posts. 

By early afternoon we pulled in to Wine Country RV Resort to join all the other RV's arriving for the Good Sam Balloon Fest Rally this weekend.

So, who and what is Good Sam? It's a national organization specific to RV-ers, and membership entitles you to discounts and services at participating RV parks and resorts, fuel stops, road-side assistance, RV insurance, and other RV-related areas. Good Sam also has local chapters within each state that sponsor rallies, called Samborees, like this one we are attending, which coincides with Prosser's annual balloon festival this weekend. 

Traveling to Troutdale, Oregon

But first.... we took one last walk along the beach on this lovely morning, to take one last look at the haystack and the dunes.

We walked towards the giant dune and without even thinking, simply kept on trudging until we scaled Cape Kiwanda's Everest.
The view was spectacular and worth my huffing and puffing to reach the top. Last time we crested the dune, the cape was shrouded in mist. This morning we could see for miles.

the view on the other side of the dune looking north

view south.... my it's faaaar down

I'm on top of the world....er, dune

straddling the ridge.... looks like I am leaping into the air but I assure you I am not!

a major upthrust and evidence of some pretty major geological activity

The morning's workout over, we said our goodbyes to Cape Kiwanda and headed towards Route 18. As we left the RV resort, we noticed a Rialta... my oh my, but Rialta looks so small next to Alpine! I guess when we "upgraded" it was a major upgrade.

The scenery today was pretty, and as we descended into the valley, there were mostly vineyards and open fields along the way.

We passed McMinnville with its Spruce Goose and collection of planes (which we toured previously during our Rilata days), and the Boeing plane on top of the building.

We drove along route 99W until we reached Portland with its many bridges, and finally connected to Route 84 heading east.

Mt Hood appeared in the distance, looking so different without its snowy cover.

After a quick stop at Walmart to replenish a few staples,followed by another stop at Love's for diesel, we arrived at our destination for the night at Sandy Riverfront RV Resort in Troutdale.

the picturesque small town of Troutdale 

After checking in and getting set up, we took a stroll across the Sandy River bridge. The Sandy River empties into the Columbia River, the same river along which Lewis and Clark paddled during their voyage of discovery. 

the Sandy River

There were pretty flowers in bloom at the resort, always a welcome sight.

And to remind us that today marks the beginning of Fall, there was a little pumpkin in the vegetable patch here too.

Tomorrow we continue the final 180 miles to Prosser, Washington for the Good Sam Balloon Festival rally.