Trip Report
The wonderful "Treasures of Tutankhamun" were the incentive for this bus trip to Seattle. We were delighted to find Gerry Fehly waiting for us at the I-5 exit to Lebanon/Corvallis.
At mid-morning snack time Hazel and Cliff Stalsberg handed each of us a paper napkin, appropriately decorated with the head of King Tut, and then treated us to delicious doughnuts. Thank you Hazel and Cliff.
At 10:00 a.m. we reached Champoeg (now Champoeg State Park) where the Oregon pioneers net and voted to establish a provisional government on May 2, 1843. It was raining so hard that we toured only the Visitor Center, with its selfguided interpretive exhibits that told the exciting story of Champoeg's historical past by means of paintings, photographs, maps, scale models, artifacts and visitor actuated audio programs.
By noon we were at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, the center of Hudson's Bay Company's vast fur-trading empire, 1825-1860. Chief Factor Dr. John McLoughlin was in charge of Company operations west of the Rocky Mountains. At the Visitor Center we viewed a short slide program and toured the museum. Then took a guided tour to the rebuilt bakery, trade store and factor's house. The latter contained a large dining room, and the apartments of Dr. McLoughlin and Governor Simpson. The covered picnic shelter was appreciated for our lunch site as it was raining again.
Short stop at Tumwater Park for a walk along the Des Chutes River or an optional tour of the Olympia Brewery. Most chose the latter as a dark cloud was overhead. Keith Newsom, now an Olympian, came to greet us.
Lois Schreiner, who had just flown in from Alaska, was waiting for us at the Sheraton Renton Inn when we arrived at 6:00 p.m.
Monday morning we left the Sheraton shortly after 7:30 - a few minutes behind schedule as service in the coffee shop was slow, and the luggage handler had not completed his work and could not be located. So several Obsidians "rose to the occasion" and speedily carried bags from lobby to bus, and we were on our way. Arrived at the Flag Pavilion, Seattle Art Center, shortly after 8:00 and were met by a museum guide who exchanged our voucher for tickets and took us to the entrance of the building. From here we moved to the orientation room, on through the portal with its turnstyles and down the long dimly lighted passageway to begin viewing the 55 beautiful objects shown in the Antechamber, Burial Chamber, Treasury, and Annex. We were awed by the incredible workmanship, the preservation, and display of these treasures of wood, metal and alabaster. It seemed impossible that they are more than 3000 years old. (No attempt is made to describe these treasures as most Obsidians have read about them.)
After leaving the exhibit some Obsidians took the monorail to the city center, others visited the Space Needle, Food Circus or relaxed in the sunshine. Baxter Shaw, our efficient driver, had the Trailways bus waiting for us at 1:30 p.m. A dinner stop was made at Todd's in Tigard before reaching Eugene at 8:50 p.m.
Those on the trip were Lois and Perry Baker, Carol & Lonnie Bourgerie, Bessie Brunig, Ingrid Carmichael, E11a Carrick, Marie Carstensen, Grace & Mel Carter, Zotty, Larry & Jeff Cash, Gerry Fehly, Marion Fulkerson, Bette Hack, Jane Hilt, Virginia Horton, Helen Hughes, Elwina Meacham, Dorothy Medill, Marilyn & Robert Morris, Jeanette & Lloyd Myers, Reta Ridings, Lois Schreiner, Grace Smith, Lila Smith, Hazel & Cliff Stalsberg, Mary Douglass Stovall, Betty Waddell, Thelma Watson, Margaret Wiese, Maxcine Williams, Ruth Williams, and leaders Frances Newsom & Betty Mae Stamm.
