I stayed up late last night watching "The People Under the Stairs", a Wes Craven horror flick from the early '90s. It was an utterly horrible (I mean bad, not scary) movie, but I was groggily captivated. I felt a little cranky when I woke the next morning having not gotten my standard 9 hours of sleep. But I wanted to take advantage of the shower, free breakfast, and wifi access before checkout. I prepared for the day while watching "Batman Begins" on HBO out of the corner of my eye.
I was soon on the road destined for Hood River, Oregon, about 15 miles to the west on the Columbia river. The Columbia River Gorge divides Oregon and Washington and offers a lot to a tourist - remarkable geology (including Mt. Hood), tumbling waterfalls, and lots and lots of wind. Unfortunately I wouldn't have time for Mt. Hood; I was there for the wind and the waterfalls. I had a couple of personal reasons to be there as well. My friend Dawn (who I would soon see in Seattle, more about that later) is from Hood River. I knew Dawn through Matt, her husband and former classmate of mine at Thunderbird. Dawn had told me what a wonderful place is Hood River. In addition, my friend Steve had passed through the area when he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada, in 2003. (Yes, he hiked all 2,650 miles in about 5 months and passed through California, Oregon and Washington along the way. Truly amazing.) He had a few recommendations as well and I was just curious to experience just a little bit of what he did 3 years earlier. I prepared lunch for myself at a park near downtown Hood River. I really like this town! Lots of pretty girls and it seems half the population has a car rack. People with car racks usually appeal to me, because those people are usually up to something fun. I think Conrad would look good in a car rack.
About the wind: I visited the Hood River visitor center to inquire about windsurfing. The lady at the center directed me away from the river and into the city center to make plans for windsurfing! ("Huh?") Dawn had recommended a place; I called the number and they gave me directions to their little rental shack down by the river. Within an hour I had arranged for a lesson, rented my gear, and was on the beach assembling my windsurfer. I had windsurfed maybe 3 times in my life (on a lake at my aunt and uncle's house in White Bear Lake, Minnesota). Winds were high and constant throughout the day and the current was strong because a lot of water had just been released from a dam further up the river. My instructor commented that he had never seen conditions quite like it. I had about an hour to take the windsurfer out on my own prior to the lesson. I was able to get up and go back and forth to the beach. I learned a lot in the lesson, corrected my bad habits, and had a great time. I "filled the thrill"!
By the time I was done cleaning the sand out of my wet suit I was hungry for supper and I needed to find a place to sleep. I located the Bingen School Inn across the river on the toll bridge in Bingen, Washington. The inn is a hostel that was converted from a school. It was the first time I had stayed in a hostel in about 10 years. I got a bed in the dorm, a shower, and access to the kitchen for $19. I prepared a delicious dinner of mac and cheese with tuna. I crossed back into Oregon and went back to the beach to watch the more experienced windsurfers and kiteboarders. Kiteboarding looks like a lot of fun. I'd like to try that someday!
My plan the next day was to hike, visit the waterfalls, see Steve's trail, and be in Seattle by the evening.
I was soon on the road destined for Hood River, Oregon, about 15 miles to the west on the Columbia river. The Columbia River Gorge divides Oregon and Washington and offers a lot to a tourist - remarkable geology (including Mt. Hood), tumbling waterfalls, and lots and lots of wind. Unfortunately I wouldn't have time for Mt. Hood; I was there for the wind and the waterfalls. I had a couple of personal reasons to be there as well. My friend Dawn (who I would soon see in Seattle, more about that later) is from Hood River. I knew Dawn through Matt, her husband and former classmate of mine at Thunderbird. Dawn had told me what a wonderful place is Hood River. In addition, my friend Steve had passed through the area when he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada, in 2003. (Yes, he hiked all 2,650 miles in about 5 months and passed through California, Oregon and Washington along the way. Truly amazing.) He had a few recommendations as well and I was just curious to experience just a little bit of what he did 3 years earlier. I prepared lunch for myself at a park near downtown Hood River. I really like this town! Lots of pretty girls and it seems half the population has a car rack. People with car racks usually appeal to me, because those people are usually up to something fun. I think Conrad would look good in a car rack.
About the wind: I visited the Hood River visitor center to inquire about windsurfing. The lady at the center directed me away from the river and into the city center to make plans for windsurfing! ("Huh?") Dawn had recommended a place; I called the number and they gave me directions to their little rental shack down by the river. Within an hour I had arranged for a lesson, rented my gear, and was on the beach assembling my windsurfer. I had windsurfed maybe 3 times in my life (on a lake at my aunt and uncle's house in White Bear Lake, Minnesota). Winds were high and constant throughout the day and the current was strong because a lot of water had just been released from a dam further up the river. My instructor commented that he had never seen conditions quite like it. I had about an hour to take the windsurfer out on my own prior to the lesson. I was able to get up and go back and forth to the beach. I learned a lot in the lesson, corrected my bad habits, and had a great time. I "filled the thrill"!
By the time I was done cleaning the sand out of my wet suit I was hungry for supper and I needed to find a place to sleep. I located the Bingen School Inn across the river on the toll bridge in Bingen, Washington. The inn is a hostel that was converted from a school. It was the first time I had stayed in a hostel in about 10 years. I got a bed in the dorm, a shower, and access to the kitchen for $19. I prepared a delicious dinner of mac and cheese with tuna. I crossed back into Oregon and went back to the beach to watch the more experienced windsurfers and kiteboarders. Kiteboarding looks like a lot of fun. I'd like to try that someday!
My plan the next day was to hike, visit the waterfalls, see Steve's trail, and be in Seattle by the evening.
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