Left Cape Disappointment to circle back towards Salem OR. The Durango is not quite ready, so I am going to meander along the Columbia River in both Washington and Oregon to see what there is to see.
Spotted the only working covered bridge in Washington. Took the cutoff back and got myself trapped with my new rig on a one lane road and a low clearance bridge. Got her turned around, but there was no room to pull off and take pictures. I was lucky I did not have the Durango.
Passed through Portland and struggled with their idea of highway signs. Missed several turns and had to turn around each time. On one occasion I had to double back and was intently watching for signs along the way. One sign, right at the turn, that could not be seen behind the large tree completely covering it. You literally had to be right next to it to see it.
Continued east along I-84 up the Columbia River valley. This drive is extremely scenic. There are several parks along the way along with several small towns along the river. I chose to drive a little way east just to see what there was to see. Worked my way up the canyon to the high desert area and found a state park campground right beside the interstate and overlooking the river. Railroad tracks on either side of the river adding a little haunted whistle blowing in the distance.
I received some very good news today. Tamara is coming to see me. She is flying out to Seattle in September to spend 10 days with me. Can’t wait. Having someone along to share my adventures with make that portion of the trip just that much more special. We are both very excited.