Cruising The Rivers Of The West
It was a beautiful, inspiring and educational trip. We took American Cruise Line’s ship American Song and cruised on the Columbia and Snake Rivers past some of the country’s most scenic areas. There were 150 passengers who ate meals wherever and with whomever they wished. Alcohol was provided day and night at no additional charge. It was our first time to take a trip with these folks and they certainly know how to provide a good, fun experience.
We flew to Portland and boarded on a Sunday morning in late July. The first stop on Monday was at Astoria, Oregon, the oldest city in Oregon and the setting for movies such as “The Goonies,” “Free Willy,” “Kindergarten Cop,” and others. The city is named for John Jacob Astor who established the fur business in the northwest. The city’s Maritime Museum is state of the art and from the Astoria Column (125 feet tall) you can see the 4-mile bridge across the Columbia that separates Oregon from Washington. You can also see where the Columbia flows into the Pacific, once an extremely dangerous place for ships because of the rough seas and sand bars.
The next day we docked at Kalama, Washington and took a long bus ride to Mt. St. Helens, the volcano that erupted 42 years ago, the deadliest and most destructive volcano event in US history. Having heard of the place for so long, it was an emotional experience to see it. There was a reverence among the travelers to see first hand the power of nature.
Then on to Stevenson, Washington where we crossed the Columbia River Gorge and visited Multnomah Falls, a 620 feet waterfall in Oregon. It is one of the most photographed spots in the nation. One couple on the cruise got engaged there.
At The Dalles, Oregon (the only city that starts with The) we visited the National Neon Sign Museum, founded by David Benko, who has done some of the most interesting neon signs in the country, some of them in Texas.
In Pendleton, Oregon, a city of 15,000 residents we visited the Rodeo Grounds, where 65,000 rodeo fans descend on the city every September.
The weeklong cruise ended at Clarkson, Washington. This is Lewis and Clark country and the lecturer on board kept us riveted when he told about their adventures while exploring the territory. We heard about the Nez Perce and other Indian tribes. The cruise director (best one we’ve ever seen) and the rest of the staff were most hospitable and the ship was kept spotlessly clean. There were activities all during the day for people who stayed on board during excursions, which by the way were fabulous. We only paid extra for one (Pendleton).
We went through 8 locks, saw several dams and at one point watched people count fish to determine the fishing seasons. They would sit for 10 hours in a dark room 6 feet below the surface, look through a picture window and count fish. Different.