Following the Rivers West

Sunday, June 14
We woke to another beautiful blue sky day and the same gorgeous view of the Snake River.

However, this morning we had to say good-bye as we were headed to Boardman Marina and RV Park in Boardman, Oregon.  We followed the Snake River southwest for a short time remembering our beautiful jet boat trip yesterday.

But soon the river was headed toward the tri-cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kenniwick, Washington where it would join the Columbia River (the path the Corps of Discovery took) and we were headed a bit more directly south to Oregon where we would connect with the Columbia River and follow it into our campground for the night.

As we began to climb to the summit of another mountain we began to see patches of green fields

Soon we were at Alpowa Summit with an elevation of 2785 feet where we discovered green fields in every imaginable shade of green as far as the eye could see. (pictures simply don't pick up what the eye can see)

There was also a sign about Lewis and Clark and there discovery of this very fertile land. On their return trip in May of 1806 William Clark noted in his diary "the Soil is extreamly fertile...it produces great quantities of the quawmash a root of which the nativs are extreemly fond." The Indians ate the bulb of this plant that had a deep bluish/purple flower in the spring.

We drove about a hundred miles past miles of rolling land - some fertile and dry deserty -  and wondered what they would do if those long sprinkling systems didn't exist.  They must be used alot in the area.

In Umatilla we came down a hill and there it was, the Columbia River

We then turned on a road that took us along the shore of the river and provided lots of beautiful views.

We found a pull-off and stopped for lunch  in our RV opening the door so we could smell the air and enjoy the breezes coming off the water.  What beautiful scenery to soak up as we ate!!!

We discovered when we reached our campgound we would be able to see the river from our site.  Other RVs already had the spaces right on the water but there was a path in front we could walk to soak up the beauty and sounds of the water lapping at the rocks along the shore.

Turn around and you can see part of our motorhome through the trees.

Our wagon masters created "stone soup" from all the cans of vegetables they had collected from us and chunks of beef in broth that they had prepared ahead of time.  So soon after arriving we all gathered for a steaming bowl along with fresh bread and butter and some delicious desserts created by several of the women in the group.

A couple of days ago several of the women gathered together and Marlene taught them how to make braiding around the bottom of a T-shirt and the sleeves.  Tonight they all decided to wear their shirts and show them off.

Later Bette Foulke and I enjoyed a game of cribbage, a walk along the shoreline,  and just chatting together and then joining the group as they gathered around a campfire.