After the late-night return on Monday via Amtrak, we slept in and went slow in the morning. I cooked a late breakfast of bacon and a cheese omelet. I still had trouble judging salt; the omelet needed salt, but otherwise, it was good. I did not find time to write the last two days of blogs in the morning.
I discovered that the EV had only charged 84% in the garage. On a level two charger, the usual setting is 80% as physics demands that the power to charge to 80% is needed to get the last 80%. Completing the charge takes a lengthy time because a level two charger cannot increase its output. I thought my settings were set to 100% on Air VW the Gray, but no. I want 100% for longer trips, of course. I have made this mistake before and wonder if the rate is resetting. Hmmm.
Deborah and I boarded the EV and headed to the Columbia Gorge. With a later start, I refocused the trip to the closer items; Hood River will have to wait for another trip. We reached the Gorge without issues, though traffic was often below the speed limit until we reached I-84 and the higher speeds in the Gorge (60 mph). We took exit 22, Air VW the Gray climbed five hundred feet on windy roads without issue, and reached the Women’s Forum Overlook. This view is of the start of the walled sections of the Columbia Gorge and is a lovely, if not stunning, view. You can see Vista House, another overlook, from there. We soon took the crazy pasted-on-the-side of the cliffs road to park next to Vista House, which was closed. The view was just good.
We returned the way we came, with twisty roads and sometimes missing or broken railings. Back on I-84, Multnomah Falls was only a few more minutes away. We parked the EV next to no car, with three spots on each side and 3/4 up the parking lot where no cars were. Later, someone parked next to the brand-new vehicle!
We visited the base of the falls, and it was cold and breezy. However, the view is always impressive, as it is a 500+ foot drop. Next, we took the not-that-easy trail to the Benson Bridge, and Deborah marveled at the moss and plants; the area had recovered from the fires. The cold was intense as we got near the falls. This is snow and glacier-melt waters, and they were cold. The noise is unexpected, and the mist covers the area. We climbed the much more rough and angled trail to the view of the Gorge and I-84. The mix of rough trails, small fallen rocks, and the sudden drop off at the edge can be intense for those not used to trails; that would describe us both.
We found the descent harder than marching up the trail. Nevertheless, we reached the bridge without incident and felt some relief. We took the trail slowly and were passed by many; we did not care. We again marveled at the plants and trees and enjoyed the area. We reached the trail’s end, and Julie was just walking up.
Julie (also from Laingsburg, Michigan, but lives in the Pacific Northwest) agreed to meet us for dinner at the Multnomah Falls Lodge. We got a table with a view of the falls, talked, and ate. Julie and Deborah have kept up and met here and there over the years. We talked about our lives and plans for retirement.
Deborah let the cooks rework a sandwich so that she would have salmon instead of turkey breast (the waiter suggested). My food was OK. Julie tired the club. We talked for over an hour until the places started to close (it closes at 6; there are no lights on the falls, and the trails are not usable at night). We promised to keep in touch (we follow each other on Facebook).
Air VW the Gray got us home without issue. Deborah read and was on her phone while I wrote two days of blogs. I was tired and had nodded off once while resting for a few minutes. When I got to bed with everything published, I soon fell asleep.
Thanks for reading.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 