The Oregon Trail

OK, before I forget it again, all along the way, starting in SD, and even here in WA, there are beehives all around the planted fields. A person from out of the state comes and places hives around the fields to help with the pollenization on the crops, and then harvests the honey in the fall. I guess it helps because they have been very numerous throughout these states. Also, as we leave this area of WA, there are hundreds of wind-turbines! Once again, I wake up at 6am..stop it! But back to sleep and up at 7:15 and do my thing, but have to find a coke for KK, then a bacon sand & pack up for a trip down rt 12. Out by 10:00 & drive down the route I rode yesterday, and I get out where the Columbia River comes onto the route, so there's all kinds of markers on this part & KK goes on to our rendevous point.."Hat Rock" State Park. The ride is beautiful, with this massive river on my right, well actually a lake as the Bonneville Dam has it backd up for a long way. Still a lot of traffic but a wide shoulder, and one highlight was two A-10 Wart-Hogs buzzing down the river valley, a train loaded with coal & all of a sudden, I'm in Oregon! On to our rendevous & Hat Rock is really cool! A geological formation that looks like a hat. Capt Clark noted it in his journal when they camped there in 1805, on their way to the Pacific, and a very nice park, so we had lunch at the "Hat Rock" cafe & it too was better than your average sandwich! We also got out and hiked up to the rock & overlooks. There was an RV park there too, but we decided to move on & go to a KOA in Cascade Locks, OR. We head out I-84 & WAM! KK screams & it's Mt Hood just a sittin' there out our windshield!--I thought we hit something! Anyway, we get to the KOA about 4:00 & get a spot; set up and go out for a spin. But this was no ordinary spin: we find a bike route down to the river & then the path, which is the old US 30 Highway & it is unbelievable! It is totally tree covered with enormous pines, thousands of big ferns, moss covered trees, water falls, creeks and it was only 3 miles long, but not flat, and of course views of the river gorge..I'm like Capt Lewis when he described the Great Falls, I wish I could do better, but you just have to see it! We didn't go over "The Bridge of the Gods"..a toll bridge back over the river to Washington State-it's neat mind you, but a metal floor. so a few pics were taken on this outing. back to camp for supper-Grandad potatoes, chicken & salad. Hit the showers & turn on the WIFI & post to my journal. only 35 miles & 1500' today & KK got 14 miles.