This ride kicks butt. Derek and I were headed to Portland this weekend to hear a band we really liked, so we brought the road bikes and got two awesome rides in. Saturday we started in Troutdale just outside downtown Portland, and rode out to Multnomah Falls and back on the old highway. There is little to no shoulder most of the way, but it is so twisty that most of the time you are going faster than any cars. It's a very scenic rode with LOTS to look at. Ivy grows up from the ground to the top of every tree, moss is thich and fury...it's amazing. Enough words.
This is the Vista House. It was built in 1916-1918 as a memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for those traveling on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The octagonal stone structure towers 733 feet above the Columbia River. I was stupid and didn't take any pictures of the inside.
My attempt at an artsy shot.
Most of the highway looks like this, only there are switchbacks and rolling sections.
There are so many cool bridges on this route. Anyone who has read my trip reports from France, Germany, New Zealand, or even the states, knows how much I love bridges
Horsetail Waterfall!
Here I am on another bridge.
So many waterfalls, can't remember all the names!
This Wahkeena Waterfall had different cascading sections and was awesome.
The last one was the biggy. Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation. The water of the Falls drops 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain.
I do not recommend driving along this route, getting out and taking pictures, and getting back inside your car. Ride the damn thing and smell the flowers!
This is the Vista House. It was built in 1916-1918 as a memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for those traveling on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The octagonal stone structure towers 733 feet above the Columbia River. I was stupid and didn't take any pictures of the inside.
My attempt at an artsy shot.
Most of the highway looks like this, only there are switchbacks and rolling sections.
There are so many cool bridges on this route. Anyone who has read my trip reports from France, Germany, New Zealand, or even the states, knows how much I love bridges
Horsetail Waterfall!
Here I am on another bridge.
So many waterfalls, can't remember all the names!
This Wahkeena Waterfall had different cascading sections and was awesome.
The last one was the biggy. Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation. The water of the Falls drops 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain.
I do not recommend driving along this route, getting out and taking pictures, and getting back inside your car. Ride the damn thing and smell the flowers!
