BC, WA, OR and Nevada

IS THIS JOURNEY

July 21, 2008

As we travelled due south on the trans-Canada Highway through the Fraser River Canyon heading for Chilliwack, our home base for the next two weeks, we gained a greater appreciation as to why British Columbians have coined the phrase, when referring to their home, “The most beautiful place on earth”. The scenery here was so spectacular; it was difficult to concentrate on driving. While skirting the perimeter of this picturesque river carved Canyon, the only thing we had to look forward to, was just another breathtaking, awesome panorama around the next bend in the road. From scenic out-looks, we watched white water furiously flow in and around rocks and river islands as C.N. and C. P. trains winded and screeched their way around the canyon walls. I was as fascinated as a kid on Christmas morning with a new toy train set, as they hugged sheer cliff faces, disappearing sometimes into tunnels of darkness, only to reappear again just around the next turn.

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Doesn't your indoor cat also deserve a KITTY KAT KABANA?

The next stop on the B.C. portion of our journey was Vancouver. It’s a most strikingly beautiful city, with the blue Pacific Ocean at its front door, lush green forests and majestic snow-capped mountains at its back door. Amidst its many parks, lush, manicured lawns and gardens, beaches and seawall walks, even the cities glass towers, look as if they were always there, almost mirroring their majestic mountain backdrop. After the normal touristy stuff around the city, including Stanley Park and famous Gas Town, which by the way, gets its name from a Fraser River pilot turned saloon keeper named Capt. John” Gassy Jack” Deighton. (In Victorian times the term “to gas” referred to talking a lot, which ole Jack had become famous for) and lunch in Chinatown, it was time to head north through Squamish to the village of Whistler. From this alpine village, we took a chair lift up to famous Blackcomb, and a section of mountain called”7th Heaven”. At over 7,000’ elevation, the air was so cool, fresh and crystal clear, that for miles around we could see mountain lakes smoldering in hues of Emeralds and Sapphires. Far away, white mountain peaks shimmered like Diamonds, while from nearby valleys a cornucopia of fragrances wafted on the air.

On to the state of Washington and a view of Seattle’s cityscape as a glass elevator lifts us to the top of the Space Needle. This Seattle landmark was built in 1962 for the world’s fair. The futuristic structure has become a symbol for the city, with its soaring needle topped by a disc, reminiscent of a flying saucer. The structure required a 120-foot-square underground foundation that took 467 cement trucks an entire day to fill. The completed foundation weighs as much as the needle itself .Massive steel beams form its slender legs and upper body. The structure is designed to withstand a wind velocity of 200 miles per hour, several earth tremors have caused the needle to sway.

Our last stop in the state of Washington was Long Beach. This 27 mile serene sand spit is located in the southwest corner of Washington State, where the mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. This peninsula is surrounded by a third powerful body of water, Willapa Bay. Here, Eagles soar, Oysters grow and even in mid-summer, you can walk for hours, without encountering a single soul, except for an occasional Black Bear, of course!

When God created North America, He must have started with Alaska and as He progressed south through the Yukon, British Columbia and Washington became more proficient at His craft, because by the time He got to Oregon, He was ready and produced a masterpiece. Ahhh… the Oregon Coast!

The drive along this coastal Highway was without a doubt the, or one of the, most beautiful scenic drives we have even taken, with its soaring mountainous cliffs, broad pristine beaches, golden wheat fields, mottled green woodlands and the most colossal sand dunes. Every moment was mesmerizingly beautiful. Even before the scenic coastal drive, this state promised to be a work of art. The Columbia River Gorge is just one other example, spanning the Columbia River east of Portland, it’s nestled between Washington’s Mt. Adams and Oregon’s Mt. Hood. During the last Ice Age the Columbian Gorge was a cool, misty place, populated by Mammoths, giant Sloths and 7-foot-long Beaver. In those days, the river channel followed a relatively narrow course through the Cascades … a valley, not a gorge. Then, suddenly one day in Missoula, Montana, all hell broke loose when a proglacial lake (2200 cubic km. of water) broke through its ice dam, sending a wall of water a thousand feet high, charging down the Canyon, carrying vast chunks of ice and boulders with it, tumbling them like pebbles as the raging waters tore away trees, soil, rocks and entire hillsides. Today it’s a beautiful oasis once again; and a Mecca for kiteboarders and windsurfers alike. The day we was there the sky was ablaze with a kaleidoscope of colour as they soared high above the white-capped river.

Our final stop in Oregon was Crater Lake. It is the deepest lake in the U.S at 1,943 feet, five mile wide and encircled by cliffs almost 2,000 feet high. The lake sits 7,000 feet above sea level in the shattered remains of a volcano called Mount Mazama, which erupted and collapsed into itself 7,700 years ago. Frances Fuller Victor, author, describing her 1873 visit to Crater Lake; “At first a dead silence fell upon our party. A choking sensation arose in our throats, as tears flowed over our cheeks. I do not pretend to analyze the emotions, but to me it was a revelation.”


The following is an excerpt taken from the National Parks Service newspaper, which describes the most common reactions people have when viewing the lake for the first time; “People react in different ways to seeing Crater Lake for the first time. Some reach instinctively for their cameras, as though compelled to capture proof that such a remarkable lake exists. Others are moved to silence as they try to take it all in. Some people can’t help but laugh at the surreal sight of a round, blue mountaintop lake. Still others are roused to ask questions, curious about the lakes depth, colour, origin and features. But probably the most common response to seeing Crater Lake for the first time is to utter a single, simple word: Wow!”


My reaction was all of the above, with a lot of emphasis on the “WOW!”

The next state was Nevada, where we caught Interstate 80 at Reno, heading east to Utah. What can I say of Nevada? Well, let me prefix it by saying, I believe that if one doesn’t have something good to say about a person, place or thing, one shouldn’t say anything; however, I’m compelled to say that the Nevada we saw, was hot, dusty and boring, very, very boring. After saying that, I’ll reserve my final comment until the winter of 2009, when we plan to visit the southern portion of this state.

Stay tuned as we take you on the road in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming

K&G somewhere on the road

If you have the time, a worthwhile stop is Hell's Gate while you are driving the Trans Canada highway along the Fraser River Gorge. Take the Gondola ride down and across the gorge to the other side where their are numerous tourist attractions and educational displays about Hell's Gate. For the agile, you can walk down the Fisheries access road which angles down the side of the Gorge to their bridge across the river which also provides free access to the tourist attractions on the other side. Twice the volume of water going over Niagara Falls is passing through this narrow gorge.