You Light Up My Life

Woke up to gloomy weather and drove south to the bottom of Washington state where we visited the area where Lewis and Clark finally found the Pacific Ocean in 1805. First stop in the state park was the North Head Lighthouse where we climbed to the top and admired the view. This is one of two lighthouses that protects ships from the wild currents where the Pacific meets the mouth of the Columbia River. Next I visited the Interpretive Center which had an excellent display of the Lewis and Clark journey and lots of information about the members of the Corps of Discovery including Sacagawea and her husband and baby.

We crossed the Columbia on a very long series of bridges into Oregon and that let us add one more state to our map. Immediately the scenery became awesome. I had no idea this is such a gorgeous state and the coast continues to suprise me with broad sandy beaches and rock formtions. Highway 101 goes along the coast passing through beach towns and passing state parks and cliffs and millions of trees. Everywhere you look is a treat for the senses.

We stopped at Fort Clatsop to see where the Lewis and Clark group spent the winter of 1805/1806. They built this small fort for protection and spent the rainy winter gathering meat and boiling water for salt for their return trip. Took a hike and saw some neat ferns and lichen.