NORTHWEST RIVERBOAT CRUISE 8 DAYS NOVEMBER 3-10, 2007
Tour Company: Majestic America Line via Vacations To Go
Northwest Rivers: Three Great Rivers on the Queen of the West Code:
$1250.00 Per person port charge: $149.00 = $1399 total Includes excursions
Annette and I followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and experienced the Pacific Northwest on an authentic sternwheeler Queen of the West. The Queen of the West runs weeklong cruises roundtrip from Portland, Oregon, traveling on the Columbia River and Snake River through numerous dams and locks, and with many included shore excursions.
History buffs can brush up on the Lewis and Clark expedition by reading the highly recommended (In 2002, number one best seller on the New York Time’s list) Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by Stephen Ambrose.
THE SHIP: Queen of the West
The paddleboat has 72 cabins and can carry 160 passengers and entertain them in four main gathering rooms: Columbia River Showroom, Paddlewheel Lounge, Calliope Bar and Grille, and the Lewis and Clark Dining Room. It is decorated to replicate the luxury sternwheelers of the 19th century, and houses a gallery of historic posters and photographs.
Meals on the Queen were served as single seating in the dining room. Seating was assigned for the evening meal. Dress was casual except for a dress up at the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. Meat, vegetarian, and seafood option were offered at each lunch and dinner. Half-portions were offered --- Annette seemed to greatly appreciate this option. Complimentary bottled water was available at both of the bars and on the coaches.
ITINERARY AND JOURNAL (Some portions on videotape; often segments are brief to keep the tape around 30 minutes long) Annette took digital photos.
Fri. Nov 2 ___Minneapolis
We left New Ulm in the late afternoon and stopped for our evening meal at Emma Krumbee’s. Both of us ordered the All The You Can Eat Special of fish with baked beans and baked potatoes. We arrived after dark at the La Quinta Inn where Fred had made park and fly arrangements. We could leave the Impala here for 8 days (14 days allowed) for $129 plus taxes. Deposit was made earlier on Discover card.
Sat Nov 3 Portland, OR
We left the motel at 5 a.m. using the provided shuttle service. Air was through the United Airlines MilesPlus awards (25.000 Fred. 25,000 Spoden). United flight 497 departed at 6:30 a.m. to Denver. Out of Denver we took flight 347 and arrived in Portland 10:36 am
Transfers at the Portland Airport were included in the package. We met the river cruise reception group at the Embassy Suites. Since we had a long break after registration, the two of us played cribbage. A healthy lunch buffet with fruits and vegetables was provided for us at the hotel.
Around 3:00 p.m. the tour group was transferred to the ship via a large comfortable bus. Set at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the pier was located 12 miles, via interstate, from the Portland International Airport.
Sun Nov 4 Mt. St. Helen’s Volcanic Monument
At the tourist center observation posts vision was quite limited, so Annette just visited with a fellow traveler. Glistening beads of water accumulated on the leaves of plants, which made them photogenic. Exhibits on display at the center were helpful for us to gain an idea of what had happened here. An overturned muddy truck gave dramatic evidence of the event.
At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted. shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown down or buried beneath volcanic deposits. At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments. In 1982, the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance. Slowly, plant and animal life is returning to the 150 square miles of forest that was left barren in the blast.
After the eruption, Spirit Lake contained highly toxic water with volcanic gases seeping up from the lakebed. A month after the eruption, the lake was devoid of oxygen. Scientists predicted that the lake would not recover quickly, but they were surprised when three years after the Mount St. Helens eruption, Spirit Lake had more biological activity than ever before. In 1993, scientists were shocked to see fish in Spirit Lake.
On our trip back I videoed more of the countryside and the flowing river along the roadway. The Queen of the West was waiting for us. Lunch in the picturesque Lewis and Clark Dinning Room was very nice, and as usual started with a healthy salad.
After lunch we stepped outside to view the Columbia Gorge. Then at 2:30 p.m. our Discovery Guide Historian, Pat Workman, gave an interesting talk on the Lewis and Clark expedition in the Columbia Showroom.
The original structures, a lock and powerhouse constructed on the south (Oregon) side of Bradford Island and a spillway on the north (Washington) side, were built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the New Deal—started in 1933 and finished in 1937. Prior to this damming of the river, a set of locks that were opened in 1896 moved ships around Cascades Rapids, located several miles upstream of Bonneville (see Cascade Locks, Oregon). The Bonneville Reservoir, the reservoir that formed behind the dam, submerged both the cascades and the old lock structure. The original navigation lock at Bonneville was opened in 1938 and was, at that time, the largest single-lift lock in the world.
Despite its world record size in 1938, Bonneville Lock became the smallest of seven locks built subsequently at different locations upstream on the Columbia and Snake Rivers; eventually a new lock was needed at Bonneville. This new structure was built on the Oregon shore, opening to ship and barge traffic in 1993. The old lock is still present, but is no longer used.
Mon. Nov 5 The Columbia River Gorge Discovery Ctr, OR
Near the port was a large lumber mill. Lumbering was a big industry here. From the front bus window we had a good view of Mount Hood, Oregon's largest and best-known mountain. The higher elevations of this dormant volcano receive 60" to 100" of precipitation per year, almost all of it in the form of snow.
Our first destination was the Discovery Center, a 50 acre three museum complex. Much of center dealt with the Lewis and Clark expedition and their objectives. In 1804, Meriwether Lewis & William Clark began a voyage of discovery with 45 men, a keelboat, two pirogues, and a Newfoundland dog. They departed from Camp Wood located in what was to become Illinois.
President Jefferson had long dreamed of what lay to the west of the young United States - what animals, plants, minerals, what route for eastern trade would his expedition reveal? The President had privately requested Congress to fund the expedition shortly before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Lewis & Clark were ordered to write accounts of all they did, each species encountered, details of cultures they met, maps of the land - everything. They traveled over a three-year period through lands that later became 11 states. President Jefferson’s primary goal was to discover a water route from the Missouri River to the Columbia and the Pacific Ocean, though he did instruct them to make friendly contact with Native Americans they encountered along the way and collect plant and animal specimens.
Among the museum exhibits, one was entitled Cargo: Equipment and Supplies of the Lewis and Clark Expedition that commemorated the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial through an examination of the objects of the expedition. This unique, one of a kind, exhibition draws on 16 years of original research to interpret the material goods involved in launching the transcontinental expedition. Ken Karsmizki's research has revealed that roughly 30 tons of equipment was hauled by the 33-man expedition. Original inventories in the National Archives document that Lewis divided his equipment needs into seven distinct categories: Indian presents, arms and accoutrements, medicines, clothing, mathematical instruments, camp equipment and provisions, and transportation. Replicas and period objects help visitors understand the rationale for bringing it all along for use, consumption, gift, and trade.
"Indian Presents" was one of the seven categories on Meriwether Lewis' supply list. More time, energy, and money went into planning for meetings with the Indian people, and presenting the right kind of gifts, than any other part of the expedition. Moreover, the procurement of food, horses, and guides through trade was essential to the success of the expedition. This portion of the Cargo exhibit explores the significant role that gift giving and trade with American Indians played in the survival of the expedition members.
A Kids Explorer Room offered hands-on fun learning opportunities for children of all ages featuring an archaeological dig for making discoveries, a keelboat model that must be carefully loaded to prevent capsizing, and trunks of Lewis and Clark era clothing for kids to try on.
The 50 acres surrounding the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and the banks of the Columbia are habitat supportive of many life forms. An interpretive trail winds through this setting of cottonwoods, willows, cattails and sedges, which give shelter and food to turtles, ducks, geese, eagles, raccoon, and songbirds. The trail also cuts through restored eastern Gorge vegetation featuring abundant wildflowers From the nature trail I also videoed the scenic Columbia River.
Our bus driver then took us on the nearby "Historic Columbia River Highway" (HCRH). This was once part of the "Columbia River Highway" system (Oregon Highway 30 and Interstate 84), which extended from Astoria to the Idaho border.
The HCRH was the original road that traversed the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon side, from Troutdale - 14 miles east of Portland, to The Dalles - 88 miles east of Portland. The Highway was the first scenic highway constructed in the United States. The design and development were the products of Samuel Hill, lawyer and entrepreneur, and Samuel C. Lancaster, an engineer and landscape architect. Built between 1913 and 1922, the Highway was patterned after the Auxenstrasse in Switzerland. Throughout the 74-mile route, the road grades are no greater than 5 percent, and no curves have less than a 100-foot turning radius. Today the Highway is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 1984, the American Society of Civil Engineers declared the road a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and in 1998 the this road was designated an All-American Road.
We retraced our trips back across the Columbia River to Klickitat. In the distance is the Dalles Dam and in the foreground are flat rocks that form the riverbed. Understandably, the word
Dalles means flat rocks.
Known as the end of the Oregon Trail, The Dalles was where pioneers loaded their wagons onto rafts or barges and floated down the Columbia to the mouth of the Willamette River, then upriver to Oregon City. The Barlow Trail was constructed later to permit an overland crossing.
On our voyage to John Day Dam we passed the Sam Hill replica of Stonehenge (more about this site later). Note map. On October 21, 1805, Lewis and Clark camped on the Washington State side of the Columbia River, just downstream of the John Day Dam.
Banjomania, featuring Will Kiefer, was up for show time tonight in the Columbia Showroom. The band accompanied him and followed up with dance numbers.
Tues. Nov 6 Pendleton, OR
At 8:00 a.m. we boarded our buses for Tamástslikt. En route we observed onion and potato fields. Our bus driver said the number one purchaser for potatoes was McDonalds. Second place went to Burger King. We reached Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, interpretive center for the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Tribes. Located at the foot of the Blue Mountains on the Umatilla reservation near Pendleton, Oregon, the Institute includes world-class exhibits, a museum store, the Kinship Café, and the Coyote Theater. Tamástslikt is more than a visitor attraction. The facility helps document and preserve traditions and practices that distinguish the Confederated Tribes from any other peoples.
Surprisingly, this little owl was already three years old. In the gift shop to my left an Indian woman was doing intricate beadwork. Then I went back to the bird area where a huge golden eagle was being displayed as well as another owl, a peregrine falcon and red tail hawk. The peregrine falcon looked threatening.
Peregrines are powerful, streamlined birds, capable of soaring to heights of 600m and are among the world's swiftest birds, flying at speeds of more than 200km/h. Peregrine falcons are expert hunters feeding on songbirds, shore birds, waterfowl, sea birds and pigeons, all of which are caught in flight. The peregrine is anatomically specialized for hunting by direct pursuit in open areas. The prey often tries to escape by gaining altitude but the peregrine uses its speed to stay above the prey, and then dives, killing the prey by a direct blow of the closed fist.
While many believe that the Hamley history and their saddle-making skills begin with William in Wisconsin in 1852, the Hamley family beginnings go back to Cornwall, England before the Norman Conquest and arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. In an interview with Dave Hamley nearly 35 years ago, Dave candidly spoke how the trade of saddles and leather craftsmanship has been passed down through many generations of Hamleys.
The American history of Hamley’s begins with William Hamley, who moved from Cornwall, England to Ripon, Wisconsin, where he opened a small leather good store and built and repaired harnesses and horse collars.. But it was his two boys John James (who became known as “J.J.”) and Henry Hamley, setting out from Wisconsin in 1883 with two railroad tickets, ten dollars in cash, and a little experience making leather goods, harnesses, and horse collars, who established Hamley & Co., the legendary saddle makers of the west.
In 2005, two men from the Northwest, Parley Pearce and Blair Woodfield, both of whom had spent years in Oregon and on ranches throughout the west, bought the famous Hamley building, in desperate need of renovation and repair, and began the plans of putting the business back together.
The first step taken, in March 2005, was breathing new life into an aged building. The goal was to make Hamley’s the best western store in America. Pearce’s son, Justin, oversaw the dramatic construction that brought to life aspects of Hamley and Company from 1905 mixed with the new look of Hamley and Company in the 1950s. The company reopened its doors in September 2005, one week before the Round Up and just in time to celebrate a century of Hamley & Company in Pendleton, Oregon.
The mezzanine level featured artwork available for purchase. CR Morrison had created one bronze item. This stunning bronze of a cowboy and his companion taking a break to refresh from their long ride weighed 50 pounds and was priced at only $3,500. The third story held the restaurant set up for buffet style eating. Us riverboat people were free to shop until notified according to our bus colors when we were to head upstairs to the “saloon”. An elevator was available for those of us who’d rather not climb the stairs. The centerpiece of the saloon was a beautiful oak bar from the 1890s built by the St. Paul’s Furniture Company in Minnesota, commonly called here as the “Butte Bar”.
The bar is 30 feet long and was originally in the Thornton Building and Hotel in Butte, Montana. It traveled on wagon train from Minnesota to Montana. After some time in the Thornton, the bar was tore out during a renovation and ended up in local tavern known for its tough customers. Between gunfights and bar room brawls, these were the Butte Bar’s action-packed days. Even though the men who died are still dead and the men who killed them are still in prison, much of what happened then is street lore and tales now. But one thing is sure – before the legendary Butte Bar ended up in Hamley’s famous Slickfork Saloon, it experienced a journey few can believe.
Soaking up the Slickfork Saloon is best done sitting down in an old chair at an old, round, western poker styled table. Each table can seat seven guests. Done right though, the Slickfork Saloon can accommodate 200 guests for lunch and entertainment. Our lunch consisted of barbeque fare and huckleberry dessert.
A raised platform served as a stage for speakers and Indian dancers. Off to the side a group of men huddled in a circle around a drum and provided background music for the elaborately costumed dancers. The dance performers were members of a family dedicated to the preservation of tribal traditions. The youngest was a three-year-old girl who won the hearts and applause of our tour group.
Down the street was the nationally known Pendleton Woolen Mills. Started by Thomas Kay in 1909 to weave blankets for the Indians, the blankets are still produced there today, along with men and women's sportswear. Tours of the factory start with individual headsets for visitors. They include seeing the spinning machines and watching the shuttles of the automatic looms weaving the brightly colored, geometric Pendleton designs.
The Pendleton Underground Tours office is located in Pendleton's Historic District, on the corner of SW 1st Street and Emigrant Avenue. The buildings that house the tours are: the Empire Building, 1907, The Hendricks Building, 1897 and the Empire Meat Company, 1895. All properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Pendleton Underground Tours' properties are in what was once the red light district of Pendleton. The buildings on the tour have been maintained, true to the original state, allowing the visitor to see the sidewalks and basalt-rock tunnels the way they were constructed pre 1890's. Pendleton Underground Tours ( P.U.T.) is a non-profit corporation that started in 1989, giving tours of Pendleton's red light district. The tour was very controversial because part of the subject matter is about gambling, the Chinese, bootlegging and prostitution. In 1990, after opening the "Cozy Rooms" bordello, Chinese jails and the Opium Den, the tour became even more questionable. The history of legal and illegal businesses operating in the same area for over 100 years makes the tour unique and like no other tour anywhere. A notable fact is that in the past, Pendleton's population of 3,000 once supported 18 bordellos and 32 saloons. The history of the Chinese in Eastern Oregon and their role in building the west is also unique.
That evening we were uplifted with a musical production of “Come On Get Happy” starring our own Lindy Eller and Eric James Hadley.
Wed. Nov 7 Clarkston, WA Hell’s Canyon
Today we had our choice from two all-day excursion offerings. The first was to Fort Walla Walla and the Whitman Mission; the second choice was a jet boat ride through Hell’s Canyon. I had already spent considerable time with college students at the former; Annette favored the boat trip, so like most of our group we choose Hell’s Canyon.
After we departed Sacajawea State Park, much of our itinerary was taken on US 12 overland through Washington State, south of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, a return route used by Lewis and Clark in May of 1806.
Mostly strained relations marked the return trip with the natives on the lower Columbia. The party had to be constantly vigilant with the regard to their equipment and possessions. Frequent disappearances and shortened tempers brought the two cultures close to violent action on more than one occasion. The most notable was the abduction of Lewis' dog, Seaman. Lewis threatened to burn the guilty parties village if he was not returned. However, relations improved as they went upriver. Between The Dalles and the mouth of the Snake the party traded for horses and went overland. They left the river near today's Wallula Gap and headed east to the Touchet River, which they followed for the most part to today's Dayton, Washington. From here they continued overland to Pomeroy and finally back to the Snake River at Lewiston.
Located at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, the historic twin cities of Lewiston and Clarkston are the Northwest's most inland seaports. In 1806, three members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered Hells Canyon along the Salmon River. However, they turned back without seeing the canyon. On our jet boat trip we made it down to the Salmon River before turning around for the return trip through the canyon.
Our captain, who was both owner and employee, appeared to be very savvy about both the location of dangerous rocks and the environment along the banks. We saw a beautiful Big Horn Sheep along the left bank and our captain promptly turned the boat around for us amateur photographers to
take a mulligan.
The earliest known settlers in Hells Canyon were the Nez Perce tribe. Others tribes visiting the area were the Shoshone-Bannock, Northern Paiute and Cayuse Indians. The mild winters, ample plant and wildlife attracted human habitation. Our driver/guide said that the Indians came down to the river in the winter for warmth and then spent the summers in the cooler mountains. Pictographs and petroglyphs on the walls of the canyon are a record of the early Indian settlements. We stopped for a photo-shoot at one of the sites.
Lunch was hosted at Garden Creek Ranch midway on the return trip.
Garden Creek is located about 37 miles south of Lewiston, Idaho. What used to be a working ranch is now a stress relieving treasure. The lodge is a large 4-bedroom home built in the 1920's. It sits, overlooking the Snake River. An orchard that attracts birds, deer, Wild Turkey and the occasional bear surrounds the house. When we were here a large number of deer freely roamed the grounds. The creek (Garden Creek) runs next to the orchard, and supplies the property with it's own Hydro-Power Electricity. The barbeque lunch was served buffet style in the rustic dining room. I took a shot of our docked jet boat from here and then zoomed in on the turbulent rapids so typical of those we had skirted over. Rocks were only three feet or so below the surface.
Many of us slept on the long trip home. I managed to video some sunset shots of the Snake River from the bus after we departed Lewiston. I also caught the tail lights of the sister bus that traveled in front of us. Back on the Queen of the West we could relax to the musical tunes of “The Music Goes Round & Round” as belted out by Lindy and Eric.
Thu Nov 8 Maryhill Park
We were allowed to sleep in late and have a later breakfast because of the full schedule yesterday. At 8:30 a.m. our Discovery Guide, Pat Workman, presented an historical overview of our cruise.
The structure is a full-scale replica of England's famous neolithic Stonehenge. A Quaker pacifist, Hill was mistakenly informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site, and thus constructed the replica to remind us that ''humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war.'' The location now also includes monuments to the soldiers of Klickitat County who died in World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam.
Hill's own crypt is a short walk southwest of Stonehenge on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River.
We took a breather, or rather sips, at the Maryhill winery. A number of wine samplings were offered. Later in the afternoon we enjoyed a unique tour of the renowned Maryhill Museum of Art.
In 1907 Samuel Hill (1857–1931), a wealthy entrepreneur bought this land overlooking the Columbia River with the intention of establishing a Quaker agricultural community. He chose the bluff, which Maryhill Museum now occupies, as the site for his own home, and in 1914 construction of his poured concrete mansion began. He named both his home and his land company Maryhill after his daughter, Mary.
Among Hill's many personal friends, three exceptional women played key roles in the next chapter of Maryhill's history. Loie Fuller, an acclaimed Follies Bergere pioneer of modern dance, conceived the bold idea of creating a museum of art out of Sam Hill's mansion. Through Loie's friendships within Parisian art circles, Hill was able to acquire an extensive collection of original Auguste Rodin sculptures. In 1926, Hill invited Queen Marie of Romania to dedicate his still unfinished museum. Marie felt deep gratitude toward Hill, who had generously aided Romania after World War I. Thousands of people converged at Maryhill to witness the ceremony.
After Hill's death in 1931, a third friend, Alma Spreckels, assumed responsibility for overseeing the completion of the museum. Together with her husband, Adolph Spreckels (of the San Francisco sugar family), she had already established the Palace of the Legion of Honor. Alma Spreckels became Maryhill's principal benefactor and donated to the museum much of her own art collection. Under her guidance, the museum opened to the public on Sam Hill's birth date, May 13, 1940.
Hill favored building with concrete. He used it to build a full-scale replica of England's neolithic Stonehenge (located 4 miles east of the Museum); the Peace Arch (located on the border with Canada at Blaine, Washington); his Capitol Hill residence in Seattle; and the Museum itself. My personal opinion is that these concrete structures appear drab.
Several Osage orange trees, imported from the mid west, line the east lawn of Maryhill Museum near the Lewis and Clark Overlook. The chartreuse, grapefruit-sized, knobby fruit can be gathered in the fall, are insect repellent and decorative, but are not edible. Our bus driver collected a couple for personal use. She drew our attention to the trees as we drove past them.
The bronze relief sculpture of Maryhill Museum founder Sam Hill (located just to the left of the Museum's entrance door) was created by Alonzo Lewis, a family descendent of Meriwether Lewis. This relief I taped before entering the museum.
Queen Marie of Romania royal regalia including coronation gown, crown, silverware, gilt furniture, jewelry and memorabilia. Numerous Russian Orthodox Icons including many with elaborate metal and enamel riza insets with semi-precious stones. The Russian Icons in Maryhill Museum's collection, like the Queen Marie royal regalia, shed light on the life and era of Maryhill's royal benefactor and speak to a religion and culture much different from that of the average American.
Queen Marie was the granddaughter of Tsar Alexander II; her mother, the Grand Duchess Marie and only daughter of Tsar Alexander II, married Prince Alfred of England, second son of Queen Victoria. While the marriage assured that Marie and her siblings would be raised in Victorian Great Britain and that the family would be trained in the Church of England, the Russian Orthodox faith was part of Marie's life from an early age. Many of her childhood holidays were spent in Imperial Russia, where her relationships with her Romanov cousins exposed her to Orthodox rituals and religious artifacts.
Once Marie married Ferdinand, the Crown Prince of Roumania, Marie was obligated to adopt the Roumanian Orthodox faith and to promise to raise her children in the State Church. Her homes in Roumania were decorated with icons and other religious artifacts. Even in death, Marie held an icon of the Virgin.
In 1926 when Queen Marie ventured to the then-remote Pacific Northwest to dedicate Maryhill Museum for her friend Samuel Hill, she brought with her fifteen crates full of artwork and artifacts for the museum. Without doubt, some of the Maryhill Museum icons were in these crates.
Downstairs on the lower level was an internationally recognized collection of sculptures and watercolors by the great French master Auguste Rodin, including the only pedestal sized plaster version of the celebrated figure of The Thinker and a life sized plaster of Eve from the famed "Gates of Hell". I taped a number of his works, mostly nudes, because Rodin believed emotions are revealed through the body.
Also on the lower level was an extensive Native American Collection comprised of rare prehistoric rock carvings, intricate baskets and beadwork, plus a vast array of unique artifacts from throughout North America.
As I returned to the bus I came across one of the beautifully colored peacocks that roamed the grounds as if they owned the place. Then I noticed a couple of Oriental students taking pictures by a peacock statue. One of the young ladies posed as if impersonating the peacock of the monument.
Then back to the Queen of the West for a good ol’ night of country music and western music staged in the Columbia Showroom.
Fri Nov 9 Mt Hood, Mt. Hood Railroad and the Dalles
Great breakfast as usual! Our buses departed at 8:30 a.m. This was the last time we would drive with Lynn on the orange bus so we brought along our tip envelope.
At the station, Annette read up on our anticipated railroad excursion on the Mt. Hood Railroad. We stepped aboard the coach of this century-old railroad. Dating from the early 1900s, the Excursion Train is comprised of enclosed Pullman coaches, a red caboose and an open-air car. We traveled along the river, through forests, meadows and numerous fruit orchards to the town of Odell. During the layover we could sample local cafés and browse the shops. Our tour did not go the entire distance beyond Odell because the 2006 flooding had caused extensive damage and repairs still had not been completed.
Cruise Director Eric Hadley put on a great show after dinner by singing old favorites. Annette and I learned the danger of sitting in the front row from the stage. When Eric needed an assistant he naturally selected Annette. She really hammed it up. The act went off so well that many people later told us they thought it had been prearranged.
Sat Nov 10 Portland, OR Disembark
Following a 5:30 a.m. full breakfast all passengers disembarked he Queen of the West for the last time. (approximately 7 a.m.). A free shuttle to the airport was provided. We departed on United flight 572 at 1:45 pm. Transferred in Denver without a hitch. Took Denver flight 726. and arrived at MSP at 9:48 pm. We snacked at Dennys before heading home to New Ulm.
The End of a great journey.
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