Some just keep going!
Mansions in Oregon!
Life size models in the Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR
ASTORIA, OREGON is a small 200 year old town, where the famous Lewis and Clark Columbia River empties into the Pacific! Regarding the meeting of two powerful bodies of water according to Commander Wilkes, US Navy, 1860....... "mere description can give but little idea of the terrors of the Bar of the Columbia; all who have seen it have spoken of the wilderness of the ocean, and the incessant roar of the waters and respect it as one of the most fearful sights that can possibly meet the eye of the sailor." Since 1792, 2000 vessels including 200 large ships have sunk in the Columbia Bar and 700 people have lost their lives to the sea. Thus it has earned the title "Graveyard of the Pacific", consisting of high seas, a mighty river, and the shallow shifting sand bars make this one of the most dangerous bar crossings in the world!
The city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astoria. His American Fur Company sent the expedition company that founded Fort Astoria at the site in l811. We toured the well-known Maritime Museum in Astoria. This museum covers the history of shipping along the northwest coast. It also includes a section on the Coast Guard life-saving training because of the nature of the Bar, as described above. Fascinating history of shipping and of the Bar!
The town of Astoria is situated on a hillside overlooking the ocean and has some beautiful mansions, which were built by ship captains years ago. It has been known for drawing a host of immigrants, the Chinese, Finns, and Nordics esp. A major port for seafood and lumber. Quite an interesting and attractive town!
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK in northwest Washington was our next stop.....the wild coast, the many rivers emptying into the ocean fed by nearby mountains, and the lush forests all meet in this park. We noticed the immense amount of large driftwood on the beach, which we realized were actually trees! Our campground here resembled a rain forest continuously bathed by fog and mist, of course, which the trees and undergrowth loved! We were surrounded with many colors of green!!
One evening there was a campground program given by two college students who were majoring in theater. They had been spending their summer traveling the State Parks. They heard about the plight of the western parks closing because of funding and wanted to do something! They put on a 45 min. hilarious skit about campers and hikers with a safety message. What a wonderful couple of kids with a great idea! They shared their gifts and gave back to the park systems and also taught campers how to enjoy it and be safe too! The kids just giggled the entire time!!!
Cape Flattery!!!
CAPE FLATTERY: We stopped at Cape Flattery which occupies America's northern most point, and is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful spots on the Makah Indian Reservation. It was named by Captain James Cook discovered it in March l778. It had been newly renovated with a 3 mile planked-trail with five observation perches for sightseers to catch a glimpse of otters, sea lions, seal and whales or just to enjoy the magnificent view of this historical cape. In l854 a lighthouse was put up by the U.S. government having paid $39,000. In l855, the construction crew from Boston didn't receive a very warm welcome. An outbreak of smallpox had killed several hundred of the Makah Indians in l953. We saw the lighthouse from the Cape. Ty and I didn't think we had ever been on a more beautiful cape!
Washington!
We had made plans to visit Ty's cousin who lives in Oak Harbour on a peninsula. It was Silver's first ferry boat ride! It is always amazing to see several semi-trucks boarding a ferry! The workers pack them on the ferry mirror to mirror. What a beautiful ride that was! We passed a few lavendar farms afterwards!!! Gorgeous!
Ty and Cousin Steve
Steve's wife Lolita and Janet!
We spent a few days visiting with Ty's cousin Steve, wife Lolita, and daughter Nalani. Steve is retired from the Navy after 36 years in Ordnance and Demolitions. He still works for the military in the Civil Service. Steve gave us a tour of the base and we watched several aircraft take off and land. Lolita and Steve prepared a wonderful Asian dinner for us. Lolita was born in the Philippines. Steve and Lolita even came to our campground one evening to visit and then the next morning we had breakfast together before leaving. Ty got in a nice bike ride on a trail near a cliff of the coast. A wonderful visit with family!!!
Cascades and Glacier National Parks!
Janet's model!!Cute!
She has made 3 dresses and 5 aprons on our trip! Plus scrapbooking!
CASCADES AND GLACIER NATIONAL PARKS: Glacier is actually called Waterton-Glacier National Park; the U.S. and the Canadian Waterton Park became one park. These parks had similarities, both having magnificent glaciers, high mountain peaks, rivers, lakes, and hiking trails. George Grimmell, Co-founder of the Audubon Society, called Glacier "the Crown of the continent!" Loren Eiseley wrote, "if there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water!"
Eagle on the left in tree!
The wildlife in these two parks makes this a more adventurous visit! We saw two Eagles while boating on the MacDonald Lake in a handmade boat. We saw mountain goats at Logan Pass, which is accessed by "going to the Sun Road" and a huge beautiful black bear! We followed the bear in Silver into a campground to warn people who were outside preparing their evening meals. One family started banging on pans, the Mom's grabbed their children, and several people grabbed their cameras. An anxious looking foreign man came up to Ty's window and asked with an excited look, "Did you say there is a bear in this campground?" It was exciting to see....just a laid back, very docile bear roaming the area!
THE BLACKFEET INDIANS:Nitsitapii collectively called Blackfeet were of three groups:
Blackfeet or Siksika, the Blood or Kainai, and the Pieganor or Piikani. The Blackfeet covered vast prairies and mountains. They came down from Northern Canada into Montana and lived and hunted in the western valleys. They herded horses, were skilled hunters, trappers, and fishermen and hunted bison on the plains and lived on resources of the mountains and foothills. They were restless, aggressive, and often fought with other tribes in the region.There is dispute as to where their name came from, but some say that the name refers to the discoloration of their moccasins by the ashes of the prairie fires.
Thoughts by Janet:
I was somewhat anxious about Glacier National Park, esp. when the campground Ranger handed us a brochure on "BEAR SAFETY". I thought the safest thing to do was to leave, but Ty was so looking forward to this fabulous national park. There were lots of people too!! I thought, well if I am staying I better educate myself about the bears, esp. the grizzlies.... as Matt had warned us too! So I picked up the bear brochure. It was 5 pages long! OKAY! This is important information for survival right? .....so I need to put my book down and read this for sure!
As I was reading, it said that you as a camper had to make a few decisions when you are approached by a bear or if you approach one accidentally.
Make your first decision upon an encounter: Is it a black bear or a grizzly? Okay, now I have to find out the characteristics of both. Okay, there are 6 distinctive identifying features of each one!!
So I have to take a very good look at the bear in order to make a decision on what to do if it is a black bear or a grizzly.
I could picture it all in my head: A bear approaches me on the way to the bathroom in the evening! My palms, armpits, and face are sweating profusely after the first sighting! I am trying to tell which one it is, but I am overcome with severe nausea and a dry cotton mouth for sure, which would make it impossible to yell out to anyone! I try with all my might to make a distinction in this state of panic, but can't really remember the features of each. Now what do I do? I'll just try!
Oh ya, I have to next make another distinction before doing anything! I have to determine if it is acting defensively or being predatory! Being predatory isn't good, I know, esp. if it is a grizzly right? There are 6 different things to remember in defining a defensive bear and a predatory bear!!!!
Okay, try to make a good judgment call here! There must be a very profound distinction which would make it easy, trying to recall what to do in each case????
Okay, remain calm. Ya right!
Do not run, right!
Speak in a low monotone voice, right!
If it charges...use your bear spray, but wait until it is 25 ft. in front of you and making sure you are pointing it in the right direction and keeping it somewhat lower.
If nothing works, lay on the ground face down and clasp your hands behind your neck, use your elbows and toes to dig in if the bear tries to roll you over. WHAT? Keep rolling if it turns you over once again. ooohhhh!
Oh, you can always climb a tree, but the brochure says that there is no guarantee that this would help! Ya, I could climb one of those magnificently sized trees in a min., well maybe? and
there is another option to play DEAD!!!!!!!!!!right? better than being dead I guess??
I am exhausted just trying to imagine this entire senario!!!! Oh my!!! If I could just tap my shoes together and wish my way back home in CO.!!!
We did take one trail which I had agreed to do. I felt a little bit better when I saw a few 80 year old people up there. After thinking about it, I decided to go with that group since I have learned in my life that they are survivors of almost anything, more so than our Baby Boomer group! I told Ty that he could take a longer hike the next day with others because that was more than enough for me!
On the bus later, we talked with an English lady who got a fantastic picture of a grizzly staring at her! Wow, good for her!!! She was elated and I thought she was crazy!!!!
I am safe now out of grizzly territory! I will let the great adventurers and the brave partake of those trips! I tried my best!!!
In all seriousness, wildlife is that.....WILD!! We must honor the wildlife! We must honor the rules set down by the State and National Park systems and honor those who spend many hours trying to preserve the wildlife and the woods! Our son, Matt is the Chairman of the Volunteer Program for Indian Peaks Wilderness and he is always telling us what stupid things people will do or try to do and ultimately disrespect nature or the parks! I did feel somewhat sad for the wildlife....this life was there before we were and we are the invaders. Over two million people visit Glacier National Park every yr.
Smokey the Bear would say, "Give us a break!"
In our next blog, we will expand upon the Indian lifesytles which were also invaded with progress!
Funnies:
Heard 3 motorcycle riders talking in a campground area; one said, "I know the answer to love, Give, Give, and Give!" That was wise!!
Sign on a hardware store "weeds are a pain in the grass!"
In Glacier because of the black bear and grizzlies, hikers are advised to carry bear spray and wear loud bells on their back packs or wherever. After one hike a college student on a shuttle bus with us said, "I was so sick of hearing those bells after awhile I wanted to jump off a cliff!"
We have never spent any time leveling Silver at campsites. One in particular made Silver tip forward so much that Ty kept yelling and laughing in the shower because he was sliding downhill !!!!!
We have had so many laughs on this trip and we are thankful for being able to live this dream!
Love the bear stories. Beautiful scenery. Cannot believe Nana is sewing at a picnic table. Great idea.
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