Adventures with Steve and Nora (Oregon)
July 28-30, 2009
One of my college roommates, John Choiniere, got married near Seattle on August 1, which gave Steve and Nora an excuse to travel up from California. They arrived via Amtrak on July 28, on the hottest day of the year. My thermometer peaked at 103.6 degrees, but some places nearby had 106. We spent much of that afternoon in the OSU library - one of the few air conditioned places in town.
On the 29th, we went to the coast, visiting my favorite spots before returning via sunset at Marys Peak.
Crashing surf at Cape Perpetua
Steve (with my hat) and Nora
Green-shirted guys (Steve's photo)
Watching the surf (Steve's photo)
Back to the giant spruce at Cape Perpetua
We got one small break in the clouds - enough to get a bit of a view from the top of the cape.
Atop Cape Perpetua
Foxgloves!
Oregon coastal rainforest (Steve's photo)
Spouting horn (cave that spouts as waves crash in)
Golden prairie in the last rays of sun on Marys Peak (this photo and next two from Steve)
Volcanic colors (there was an eruption in the Aleutians around this time)
Back at the house (from Steve)
On the 30th, we headed north, first to Portland then a bit east to Multnomah Falls, which at 620 feet, is Oregon's highest waterfall. It is right on the Columbia River, along I-84 and the busy Union Pacific tracks.
The picture that everybody takes
We hiked to the top of the falls for lunch.
We left the falls around 5 pm and drove straight through to Seattle, where Nora's house would serve as our base over the next days.