Parks and Paths

At 11,400' Mount Hood, located 50 miles east/southeast of Portland, is the tallest mountain in Oregon.  It is considered an active stratovalcano that last erupted in the 1790's.  It is home to many ski resorts that are opened year round.

Monday we arrived in Troutdale, a town with a population around 16,000, located 16 miles east of Portland.  It was incorporated in 1907 and is known as "The Gateway to the "Columbia River Gorge."  Our campground, Sandy Riverfront RV Resort, is located on the Sandy River (surprise there!).

On our drive in we had a great view of Mt. Hood just east-southeast of Portland.  We had to go near downtown Portland Tues. morning to get a new bike rack at Rerack.  Neither of us was fond of going there.  Lots of violence and shootings!  I was shocked by the homeless and tent cities around.  So sad!

Bad picture out of the window but I hadn't seen hops before.

Mural picturing the early downtown.

It looks a little different today.  It is a vibrant and pretty downtown.

Our sites are pretty close together but we all have grass.

Down along the Sandy River in our campground there are lots of blackberries.

Glen Otto Park is on the Sandy River just across the street from our RV Park. The  Sandy River is a tributary of the Columbia River.  The glacial-fed river has colder than average temperatures, a rocky bottom, and fast waters.  4 swimmers have died on the river in the past month, including a father and daughter just 3 miles from our campground on Tues.

Multnomah Falls was about 20 minutes from us.  It is located on the Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River Gorge.  It is the second highest waterfall in Oregon and visited by 2 million people each year (pretty sure all 2 million were there on Weds.!).  This was the first day their ticket system went into effect.  It was not very successful if you ask me!  

We walked up to the top of the lower falls.  According to their web site the upper trail was closed so we didn't bring water with us.  It was, however, open.  With an elevation gain of 700' we walked up 4 of the 11 switchbacks before giving up.  It was both beautiful and amazing.

Looking down from the bridge at the lower falls.

Looking over the Columbia River Gorge.

The thistle was blooming.

2 1/2 weeks since I broke my arm and Pat has been super!  It's hard to do many tasks with one arm.  I am able to do a few more things now, including printing with my right hand a little better and quicker.  Pat never complains and jumps in often before I have  to ask.  Tonight he mixed up cookies to bake in the morning when it's cooler.  Weds. we may have hit 80°, today 82°, and tomorrow it climbs back up to 91°.  Our next spot will be cooler.

Oops!

Where are the Piepers now?   Troutdale, OR