I took MBW and the HA for an excursion yesterday. We needed to shake the rust off and see new horizons. So, skirting south of Mt. Hood, then along its eastern flanks for a while, until we cut due east through a national forest, winding along a narrow road, then north to the Columbia River at The Dalles.
We put in an hour and a half at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum. The HA was engaged, wanting desperately to show us everything that she was looking at, and involved in finding all the items pictured on the list she was given. We had the place mostly to ourselves. The establishment is partly a Natural History Museum and partly a traditional Historical Museum. I always like to pick up more bits and pieces of the past. One of my favorite exhibits was simply a list of all the saloons extant in Wasco County at a certain period. There’s some illustrative detail for you.
Among other things, I learned that during the Oregon gold rush days, the US intended to build a Mint in the Dalles. But the US Civil War put an end to the project.
After the museum, it was time for lunch. At a brewpub, naturally. Walking into Freebridge Brewing, I noticed a plaque indicating that the building was originally intended as a US Mint. How about that? The beer was solid, though — most unusually for me — I recommend the lager.
After lunch, we drove out to visit the dam and fish ladders. Closed. Sigh. At least we got to enjoy the east-of-the-Cascades sun, as well as the justly famous Gorge wind. Somehow I did not lose my hat.