August 1, 2011 Lewis and Clark

At Fort Clatsop

Touch-me-not

After a leisurely breakfast, we set out for the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park at Fort Clatsop in Warrenton, OR. Fort Clatsop, on the banks of the Netul River (now called the Lewis and Clark River), was the winter encampment for the Lewis and Clark expedition members from December 1805 to March 1806. We spent the day on hikes with rangers who showed us the unique features of the landscape here that helped the Lewis and Clark party survive through a nasty cold, rainy, winter here. We learned how to distinguish elderberries from huckleberries from salmon berries, why not to eat twin berries, and that salal berries are good tasting. We felt horsetail, learned how sword ferns can help a mosquito bite, and had a surprise when we learned why one plant is called "touch-me-not" (see the video)  we saw a demonstration of a rifle of the type that Lewis and Clark used, and listened to stories about life at the fort from a another ranger. This ranger told us that during their stay at Fort Clatsop (roughly 4 1/2 months), there were not more than 12 days when it did not rain, and only six days when it was clear. Visiting places like this, reminds us of what a great country this is, and what a fabulous historical legacy we have been given.


Our day here was gorgeous, the hikes easy and relaxing, and the conversation enlightening. A wonderful day!

Astoria Column

By the time we were done our hikes, it was 6:00 p.m., and we hadn't gone to the Astoria Column yet. So we took the 10 minute drive over there. This was erected in 1926 to commemorate the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the Pacific Northwest. It is a 125 foot tower whose outside surface is decorated with scenes from Oregon's history. It stands on a hill over the Columbia River. You can climb the 164 steps inside, as we did,  to the top balcony area to get an absolutely breathtaking 360 degree view of the entire area around the mouth of the Columbia to Saddle Mountain in the distance. I'm so glad we didn't miss this.

View fro the top of the Astoria Column

We then headed back to our KOA cabin for dinner, and a walk around the campground. This place is huge! There are 46 cabins here, and hundreds of sites for RVs. Most of the KOAs we've been to have 10-15 cabins. But, as with all KOA sites, the place is impeccably clean.

Tomorrow we head to Forks, WA and the Hoh rain forest of the Olympic National Park.