Portland and Phil's VA Visit

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

We got up early this morning to drive into Portland, OR so that Phil could go to the VA Medical Center in Vancouver, WA (just across the river from Portland). He is still experiencing pain in his shoulder and right arm. He got the rig set up quickly, then left. He was unable to get an appointment in advance, so he had to go to the emergency room. There are VA’s in both Portland and Vancouver, we chose Vancouver because it looked like it would be easier for him to get to, and it was! But, they didn’t have an emergency room, so he ended up at the Portland facility anyway. Bummer!! He did get seen by a doctor that he was impressed with and thought was very thorough. The doc thought it was a pinched nerve in the C-7 area, so he had blood work and x-rays done, which pretty much confirmed what he thought. He gave Phil a shot deep into the muscle to relax it, took him off of the Celebrex and substituted something else. So, now we wait and see if this works. He also stopped at a drug store and bought a band to put on his forearm, just below the elbow to help with the pain he has there. He use to get cramps and pain there when he was working, but it had gone away, so he didn’t have his old band with him. The band somehow keeps the muscles from cramping. Fingers Crossed!!

Historic Oregon Highway 30

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Today we decided to finish the Highway 30 drive we started yesterday. This is a two lane country road, lined with older houses that are sitting on the rim, overlooking the river gorge below. Prime property!!

The road winds (literally)

up on top of the ridge at an overview with beautiful views of the river valley below.

Somehow, we got to talking about the problem I’m having with my bike handle, it’s not long enough or high enough or something and makes my arms hurt. So, we stopped at the visitor’s center at Hood River and got the location of the bike dealer in town that handles our brand of bikes. The owner himself helped us and he took a couple of hours transferring parts on one of the bikes there in the shop, but that didn’t help, so he brought out an alternate solution. What worked was a mountain bike type handle bar. The problem…we were leaving the next day and by this time it’s 4pm and my bike is across the river at the campground. So, he says to go get the bike, we will fix it tonight. We went to get the bike and sat in the showroom while he fixed it. He treated us like we had bought the bike there, the same way he treated the 20 or so people that came in while we sat there, either to pick up their bike or drop it off for repairs. It was evident that we had picked the right shop!!

The Dalles and Hood River, Oregon

Monday, July 22, 2013

Neither of us got much sleep last night, so we slept in this morning, but we did manage to get out of the trailer and out to see some of the sites in the area.

We decided to do a loop back the way we came, but this time we started on the Washington side, state highway 14. We had thought about coming in this way, but we found out today that it was a very good thing that we didn’t. There is a tunnel, not to far east from White Salmon, rounded like a mouse hole and only 13’2”, our trailer tops 13’6”, so we need a clearance of at least 14’ to allow room for error. Turning around on the other side would have been difficult at best! A couple of miles beyond the tunnel was another bridge that went across the river into the town of ‘The Dalles.’ Our destination here was “The Discovery Center”

which was about the Lewis and Clark Experience on the Columbia River, and partly about the Oregon Trail. By this time, it was getting late, so we only had

1-1/2 hours to go through this museum, so I told Phil he was going to have to snap his pictures fast and not linger!! We made it through it and still had time to go through the gift shop, where all we bought was a magnet!

That has to be some sort of record of the least amount of money spent in a gift shop for us!!

After leaving the ‘Discovery Center’ we headed west on Historic Highway 30, which use to be the main road through the Gorge. We followed it part way, then headed back to the trailer.

Walla Walla, WA to White Salmon, WA via I-84

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Phil was a little better this morning, so he drove to our next stop of White Salmon, WA, which is on the north side of the Columbia River, across from Hood River, OR.

We drove along I-84 on the Oregon side because the interstate follows right alongside the river, and it’s a beautiful drive! This is the first time we have actually driven along the Columbia River. We have gone north and south at both ends of it several times, so this trip we made it a “destination.” The Columbia is

wide and deep and seems to have a constant wind blowing up the river valley. Today there were white caps on the river and because of this wind; it is a playground for wind surfers and kite surfers. Watching these people play on the water gives you a feeling for how big the river is, and how powerful! Because of the river’s size and the distance from the road to the middle of the river, the surfer’s seem to shrink to the size of an ant.

The only reason you know they are there is because of the bright colors of the sails and kites.

At several points of our drive today we could see Mount Hood, still with snow capped peaks, overlooking the River Valley.

Mount Hood reaches 11,239 feet into the sky and is Oregon’s highest peak. It is quite majestic looking.

In order to reach our campground we have to cross the river at a town called Hood River. The bridge is all steel, including the roadway, which is metal grate.

If I could have stuck my head out of the window far enough, I could have seen the water through the roadway. The bridge is also very narrow, just wide enough for two way traffic, the guard rails were all scraped where vehicles had gotten to close. Somewhat nerve wracking when you are towing a wide load like the trailer across it! The bridge is also a toll bridge, cost us $5.00 with the trailer.

We are staying in the Bridge RV Resort on the Washington side of the river in a really small town called White Salmon. No interstate noise, but the train is at the bottom of the hill, just below the RV Park. At first I thought that there were some very inconsiderate people on Harley’s riding through the park, turns out it was the train, several times during the day and at night!

Kamiah, ID to Walla Walla, WA

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Phil had a really bad night with pain, I woke up with him a couple of times, but we were awake at 7:00, so we got up and got ready to hit the road again. We made it by 9:30, pretty good for us!!

We stopped at the Nez Perce National Park Visitor’s Center and listened to a program given by a Native Nez Perce who is a Ranger at the park. She gave a talk on baby boards,

why they were used, and the significance of bead work on Indian garments.

It was very interesting. After about an hour of wandering through the visitor’s center and museum, we hit the road again.

We crossed into Washington State at Lewiston/Clarkston and continued towards Walla Walla. About 30 miles out of our destination Phil said he was in so much pain that he was having trouble concentrating. So, ready or not, it was my turn to drive. We had a quick sandwich before I took the wheel and I was so nervous, that sandwich sat like a rock in my stomach!! Phil had stopped at a pull off at the base of a mountain grade, so my first order of business was to climb a steep grade. I soon started to relax some though, even though my hands were sweating on the steering wheel. On the funny side, I’m always getting onto Phil about going too fast while pulling the trailer, today it was his turn! The speed limit was 60 and if I got up to 63, he was on my case! The GPS guy doesn’t even shout his warnings until you are 5 miles over the limit. I drove us all the way into the RV Park we are camped at tonight. So, I was pretty proud of myself and Phil even said I did a good job! Then he added that I will just need more practice! The die appears to have been cast, I will have to help with the driving now, no more relaxing in the passenger seat!

Walla Walla is set in the high desert of east Washington, as well indicated by the temperature when we got here, it was 101! We have been here for a couple of hours and it’s still 98 outside.