2023 week 4

Monday 9th October

Another 3 hour plus ride over mountains and wide open prairies, to our next Airbnb in Pendleton, Oregon. The was very different. It’s a barn, with horses on the ground floor and us on the first floor.

We managed to book a place on the underground tour of Pendleton. It was amazing, with an entire community underground, and a Bordello above ground. Saloons, drinking dens, casinos, opium dens and a complete Chinese community with their own jail. If you’re going to try playing casino games, then make sure you know how to do bank wire casino deposits. For more options, check out Ojoplay. Our tour guide, Kricket, was very interesting.

: Gambling

: Laundry

: The saloon

: Our guide, Kricket

: The Chinese Section

: The butchers

: Chapel in the Bordillo

: Bordillo room!!

Tuesday 10th October

Today was museum day. Firstly, the Heritage Railway Museum, and then, the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. The latter was dedicated to the Indians and their quest to keep their heritage alive. In truth, it made us realise how badly they were treated by incoming “westerners”.

We are actually following the route of the Oregon Trail, from Boise to the coast. This was the original route of the Wagon Trains with people from the East seeking land in the newly discovered (for the white man) West.

: “Westernising” Indians

Wednesday 11th October

Only a week to go and today is a trip down the scenic Columbia Gorge, following the original route of the Oregon Trail…….

We drove through heavy rain and sunshine alongside the vast Columbia River. The original road is a Historic Monument so we decided to try it. What we didn’t realise was that it rose several thousand feet through a series of hairpin switchbacks, with huge drops. Nevertheless, the reward was some great views of very high waterfalls (the one pictured is the second highest in the USA).

Our next Airbnb was called the “Tiny House”. Can you see why? Nevertheless it has everything you would need to live in for two nights.

Thursday 12th October

We visited Mount St Helen’s Visitor Centre today. The mountain is a volcano which last erupted in 1980 to devastating effect. The whole landscape was altered and many people lost their lives.

On returning to our Tiny House, we chilled under the outdoor covered space and fed the animals.

Friday 13th October

A short journey to the coast and our penultimate Airbnb. This was a very old, renovated cabin in South Bend, Washington.

: The cabin

Saturday 14th October

A visit to two local museums today. One was Willapa Seaport museum. Not really worth a mention, except the curator pestered us all the way round.

The next one was surprisingly good, the Northwest Carriage Museum. There were loads of historic and very different carriages from the early 1800s onwards. The coach used in the film Gone with the Wind was displayed. The museum was very interesting.

: Used in Gone with the Wind

: Pic in a museum

Sunday 15th October

Off to our final Airbnb before we fly back to the UK………….

Today it rained and rained. We visited the Eastern end of Olympic National Park and then travelled to our final (12th) Airbnb in Fall City, just East of Seattle.

So far we have covered just over 3000 miles in our rented Jeep Wagoneer.