Trip Report
Sixteen Obsidians and one nonmember departed from Eugene to see the historic Astoria area. Traveling I-5 through Portland we first stopped at the Trojan Plant at Rainier, Oregon. Ten members took a conducted tour of the working power plant while the rest enjoyed the attractive visitor center. After lunch in the park we crossed the Longview bridge over the Columbia River to the Washington side. We proceeded down river to Cape Disappointment where the Columbia meets the Pacific Ocean. Our tour of Ft. Canby State Park and the Visitor Center there was exciting. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in this area on their history making trip before they crossed the Columbia to the Oregon side. Clear weather added to the enjoyment of crossing the 4½ mile long Megler-Astoria Bridge to Astoria and to our motel for the night.
After breakfast on Thursday we visited Fort Clatsop, which is a replica of the fort originally built by Lewis and Clark (Expedition) to house their personnel during the rainy winter of 1805-1806. Returning to Astoria we spent the morning touring the historical Flavel House, the Astor Column where we enjoyed lunch and the beautiful views of the rivers and city, etc. From there we spent time in the Maritime Museum, visited Fort Stevens, and viewed the wreck of the Peter Iredale which was washed ashore in 1906. There was a short stop at Cannon Beach for refreshments enroute to Tillamook for the night.
Friday morning we walked to the Courthouse Museum near the motel. It contained much of early coast history and some wonderful wildlife collections, dioramas, and antique vehicles. Next, a shopping tour of the Blue Heron and Tillamook Cheese Factory. There were brief stops at the three Capes. It was a beautiful morning and easy to enjoy the glorious, rugged shoreline and lovely parks. Our route home was down Hwy 101 through Neskowin for lunch, Gleneden Beach, Depoe Bay and Newport, then from Philomath down the valley via Territorial Road through Alpine, Monroe and Cheshire. Our trip was blessed with very good weather, gracious tour guides, good company and a comfortable bus driven by Don Moorehead.
Travelers were Lois Baker, Carlene Beck, Evelyn Blackwell, Ingrid Carmichael, Sophia Christopher, Clair Cooley, Hilda Downer, Bill Eaton, Jan Gund, Vera Heidenreich, Frances Newsom, Wilma Simonsen, Grace Smith, Mildred Weatherby, Ada Woberg and co-leaders Virginia DeMers and Jane Hilt.
