Day 65. July 9, 2019. Rufus Oregon

It's day 65...It's also July 9th 2019,,,and we are in Rufus Oregon!

It's been a busy couple of weeks!

From Coburg we would do a bit of backtracking...another quick stop in Bremerton to enjoy more of the summertime weather, and to spend the 4th of July Holiday in good ‘ol BTown.

First up would be spending the day at the annual Bremerton Bridge Blast. The bridge blast is an exciting Fourth of July celebration that takes place on the Manette Bridge in Bremerton.

The Manette Bridge, which spans the Port Washington Narrows, connects east and west Bremerton across the channel.

Organizers put together an impressive fireworks show, which they claim is the largest display from a bridge on the West Coast. Approximately $35,000 worth of fireworks light up the skies above the Manette Bridge around 10:15 p.m. Thousands of people gather to witness the spectacular display

Spectators can view the show from various locations around the area including the Louis Mentor Boardwalk and the Bremerton Marina.

The event is loaded with opportunities for great food while exploring the quaint community of Manette. Other highlights included and Air Show featuring Vicky Benzing, a record-setting air racer...joining her were three other aerobatic experts, including Will Allen, known as "The Rock and Roll Airshow Man" His was a pretty cool show in that he combines incredible flying skills with live music. Kind of hard to explain....but definitely check both of these two on Youtube.

While back in Bremerton I took the time to pick up a new digital Antennae and cell signal booster for the RV. Also pretty excited to replace the house batteries with a new set of deep cycle batteries....needed to get all set up for all the boondocking I plan on doing.

Our last day town was spent getting things washed up...RV and car both...some adjustments to the tow dolly just in time to head out across the country...for real this time!

From Bremerton...this time it was back out to I-5...north to Portland...then east into the Columbia River Gorge.

Along the banks of the Columbia River about 110 miles east of Portland we found the Rufus Landing Recreation Center. Finally! Our first boondocking opportunity...and adventure...and we would end up spending several days here watching the comings and goings of the wind-surfing community....and exploring the incredible scenery and history of the area.

But first, A little about Rufus and the surrounding area. Rufus itself is a small community in Sherman County, nestled between Interstate 84 and the basalt cliffs of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. The area was settled in the 1860's primarily as a railroad stop. Ferry rides across the river were quickly established to support the increasing traffic in the area and it wouldn't be long before a Post Office would be established.

The town was named after Rufus Carrol Wallis, one of the areas earliest settlers...but surprisingly...would not be incorporated as a city until 1965.

The Columbia River Gorge itself is an incredible river canyon that stretches for over 80 miles along the Columbia River as it winds through the Cascade Mountain Range. The canyon is up to 4000 feet deep in spots creating a breath taking landscape of cliffs, spires, and ridges. The gorge also serves as the boundary between Washington, to the north...and Oregon on it's southside.

The Gorge itself was formed some 12 to 17 million years ago. Formation began during the Miocene period...a period of significant volcanic activity. As I look at the gorge today....and read about the geological processes that formed it...all I could think was man....how amazing it would have been to be able to watch it happen! Even as I thought this...as you have probably guessed...I realized....I probably could...

Sure enough....quick check on YouTube...and so much to choose from. I started with a video called "Forged through Time...The creation of the Columbia River Gorge. It's worth a watch.

The Gorge, and entire Columbia River Basin in general, was formed over the course of millions of years. Crazy to think that some 35 million years ago, long before the existence of Humans...Magnolia Blossoms, Fig trees, Avocado's, Crocodiles, Rhinos, giraffes, camels...even saber tooth tigers and wooly mammoths would roam, what at the time was a place of high plateaus and Palm groves. And all would fall victim to dramatic changes in their environment and be wiped away from the landscape.

Periods of massive lava flows from volcanic activity creating basalt layers, combined with The land sinking and creating depressions and Tectonic forces causing fractures and faults....all come together, and repeat themselves over millions of years. And as if that were not enough forces of nature....throw in the fact that simultaneously the Cascade Mountain Range was being shoved up through the landscape by immeasurable forces from below. Today the Cascade Mountain range has an average elevation of 5000 feet with peaks just over 10,000 Feet.

Some of the most dramatic shifts in landscape would take place when ice sheets formed due to the increases in elevation and shifts in climate causing dramatic geological events. Multiple events occurred when Ice Damns that had formed further inland in areas we call Idaho and Montana, would fail. At one point in time There was a body of water in Montana larger than Lake Eerie, and Lake Michigan combined! An ice dam failure caused flooding of epic proportion...almost beyond comprhension.....The flood would move through the entire valley with such force that the landscape would be permanently reshaped....and sea levels would increase and estimated 2 to 300 feet in the Pacific Ocean...nearly overnight. This activity shaped most of the Oregon and Washington Coastline as we see it today.

Millions of years of evolution lead us to what we look at today when experiencing the Columbia River Gorge. An area that holds the largest concentration of Waterfalls on the North American continent. And area, through which, over 260,000 square miles of land evacuates water west of the continental divide...out to the Pacific Ocean. Over 17.5 trillion gallons of water is pumped into the Pacific Ocean at Astoria Oregon...via the Columbia River making it the largest run off of water anywhere on the North American Continent. It is also one of the reasons this area is commonly referred to as the Graveyard of the Pacific. A true testament to the Rivers Sheer Force...and it's ability to prevent passage by even the largest of today's ships. "The term "Graveyard of the Pacific dates back to the late 1800's when Euro-American explorers first discovered the deadly combination of rugged coastline, unpredictable weather patterns, and the sheer force of the Columbia river entering the Pacific Ocean. Several tragedy's .... right up through modern times have kept the name alive....along with a few legends about ghost ships haunting the area after their failed attempt at passage.

In spite of decades of documentation...and warning....the area around the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean is the scene of some of the most dramatic Coast Guard rescues in modern history. A quick YouTube search for "Cape Disappointment and Coast Guard will give you tons of examples of wayward mariners in the wrong place...at the wrong time...proving how incredible the US Coast Guard men and woman are at what they do.

And...right up through today....the Columbia River continues to carve its way through its way through history...persistently, and patiently revealing more and more of the past. The constant rumblings of nearby Mt. St Helens and Mt. Rainier remind us...that the evolution continues.

Just inland from the coast...and up through where we are today.... archeological evidence shows us that Indigenous peoples crossed the Bering land bridge from Asia around 15000 years ago. Evidence of their presence can be found dating back 11,000 years at Marmes Rock shelter in Washington State. Indications are that they arrived shortly after that in the Gorge. The area's abundance of fish, game, and foilage provided a rich life for the tribes. Living along the shores of the river, and crafting canoes for fishing on the river. the tribes developed strong bonds with the land living in peace with the land, and surrounding tribes for thousands of years, even developing strong, and peaceful trade practices amongst the tribes of the area.

In 1792 Robert Gray and George Vancouver would be amongst the first European American explorers to reach the area.

Gray would trade with the Chinookan people near the rivers mouth, while Vancouver explored farther upstream mapping the river. Fur traders would follow...relying on the indigenous communities for knowledge of the river and it's resources. Soon after the Hudsons Bay Company would establish Fort Vancouver near what is present day Portland.

In 1802 The Lewis and Clarke Expedition would discover the area coming in from the east...introducing the area to the fledgling United States.

In the coming years, the river would remain a natural highway for the area as American settlers introduced Steam ships to the river linking communities along the river. Later into the 19th century...Railway routes would supplement travel up and down the banks of the river helping to grow the population throughout the area.

White settlers had just begun to migrate south a bit into the Willamette Valley, when in the late 1860's gold was discovered in Idaho. This would cause an influx of gold seekers into and through the area from all directions. This would begin the focus on commerce through the region. To this point the river had been the main form of transportation supplemented by limited railway...the area in general was extremely rugged...in some area's treacherous...figuring out ways to blaze trails, tunnel, and install bridges in the area would prove to be a true test of the technology of the time. But the persistence and ingenuity, and back breaking...sometimes life-threatening work, they put in would introduce new technologies and begin the transform the area into what it is today.

Among some of the more notable accomplishments...The Historic Columbia River Hiway. The first Scenic Hiway built in the United States. The first section of the hiway opened in 1916 with the entire project reaching completion in 1922. The route would include the Mitchell Tunnel...and engineering marvel for its time. The engineers of the tunnel were inspired by the roadways of Europe. In particular a 3 window tunnel in Switzerland. Their inspiration resulted in the 5 Window Mitchell Tunnel. The concept of carving out windows in the side of the tunnel would open up scenic vista's all along the 665-foot-long tunnel. The hiway was 73 miles in length and it's construction was met with nearly every obstacle mother nature could throw at it. Bridges, Tunnels, byways, viaducts and walls were all required to traverse the rugged landscapes.

With automobile traffic being relatively young at the time...the hiway drew visitors from around the world simply to revel in the scenic beauty and engineering feats that "The King of Hiways" had provided. For decades the Columbia River Hiway would be referred to as America's most beautiful Hiway.

Next up...The Bridge of the Gods.

The Bridge of the Gods is a steel truss cantilever bridge that spans the Columbia River between the Cascade Locks in Oregon and Washington State near North Bonneville. The Bridge opened to the public in 1926 with a span of 1127 feet. Construction of the Bonneville dam would raise the river levels which required the bridge to be further elevated in 1940 which extended it to its current length of 1856 feet. Another engineering feat for the time.... watching videos of the bridge's construction will give you a ton of respect for the work these guys took on...and the conditions they worked under! During 8 months of the bridge's construction...rowboats would patrol below the bridge each day just in case. After completion one of the rowboat operators stated proudly that he had waited 8 months to be a hero...but all I got was an occasional hot rivet! Documenting the fact that even under those working conditions...bridge workers balanced on steel beams, 90 feet in the air (without safety harnesses or being tied in I might ad...and yet there are no records or reports of any injuries. And finally....Bridge of the Gods" Where did that name come from? It is actually a Native American term that was given to a major geological even estimated to have taken place in the mid 1400's. A massive landslide occurred known as the Bonneville slide. The event took place near what is now Cascade Locks Oregon.

The landslide originated from nearby Table Mountain on the north shore of the Columbia River.

As a result of this significant landslide, debris covered an area of more than 5.5 square miles.

The debris slid into the Columbia Gorge, effectively blocking the river’s flow and creating a natural dam approximately 200 feet high and 3.5 miles long.

The impounded river formed a lake, submerging a forest of trees for about 35 miles

Native Americans would call this naturally formed damn The Bridge of the Gods...their gods had provided them safe passage across the mighty river...without even getting their feet wet!

But in time....even the earths own geological forces would not be able to contain the Columbia River. The dam would eventually breach washing away most of the debris leaving the area now know as the Cascade Falls.

Now...lets go back to the Bonneville Dam.

The dam is situated about 40 miles inland from Portland and spans the river between Oregon and Washington State.

Construction of the dam began in 1937 and the project was completed in 1937. The engineers and thinkers of the time had realized the importance of the gorge, and potential as a major player in moving commerce from the west coast inland to the midwest, and then on to the east coast. The dam was constructed with two major purposes...

First, the dam would facilitate safe navigation for ships and vessels through the area. It would also be a source for electrical power generation. A second powerhouse was completed in 1981 which means today the dam generates hydroelectric power contributing significantly to the regions energy needs. Flood control would be an additional benefit if needed. The dam is a concrete gravity dam with a run of the river design. Run of the river means that the dam was designed to have zero effect on the natural flow of the river. The damn stands 171 feet high,has a span of 2690 feet and is 132 feet wide at it's base. Installation of the dam created Lake Bonneville....which has a total capacity of 537,000 acre-feet. The catchment area for the damn covers an impressive 260,000 square miles! During it's construction in the 30's the damn was the largest water impoundment project of it's kind in the United States. The dam also received recognition as a National Historic Landmark area in 1987. Today, the dam remains a critical component in providing clean energy to the folks that call the Pacific Northwest home and is considered a testament to the feats of human engineering.

Man...that is a lot of engineering....technology....and more importantly a ton of hard work and sweat poured into this 80 miles stretch of the Pacific Northwest.

While out exploring one afternoon I pulled in to a scenic overlook. A Historic marker had been placed and I read the following...

In 1912 Charles W and Helena Parker established a summer home here at Mitchell point. With the construction of the Columbia River Hiway and the Mitchell point tunnel...the Parker Property became a one of a kind Landmark. Motorists from across the country stopped here to enjoy the river views and the Tunnel of Many Vista's...an engineering marvel of the day. In the early 1930's Elsie "Babe" Tenney, a single mother from Oklahoma bought the Parker Property. A savvy and harworking business woman...babe ran a grill, a service station, roadhouse, and rental cabins...all while raising two sons. Throughout Probition and the great depression...Babe's tourist stop earned a reputation as a place to cast away cares and woes. Here...you could enjoy a hearty meal...lyndy hop to a great band from Portland, and rent a room for the night. Rumer has it that the moon shine may have turned things up a bit!

Standing on this spot today...nearly 100 years later....I felt a sort of longing actually....a time I missed out on. All this natural beauty...combined with human ingenuity and elbow grease....It's likely no less impressive to look at today...but I somehow know it must have felt so much better to live it....than to just look at it. I wish I could have had one of babes hearty meals...I wish I could hear that music....I wish I could have seen those high spirited lindy dancers....taking a swig from the moonshine jug...

I dunno....I guess maybe ..... in a way....just being here....where they were....maybe I kinda did hear it. I know felt it.

When not out exploring....you'd catch us hanging out on the banks of the river...watching the tug boats and fisherman glide by...and even got a little better... when the windsurfers showed up!

Now here is an example of right time right place. Certainly know what wind surfing is...but I certainly did not know how popular it was. I also did not know that as we drove into the Columbia River Gorge...we were also driving into the wind surfing capital of the world.

The Gorge offers ideal conditions for windsurfers of all levels.

The Columbia River Gorge acts as a natural wind tunnel, creating consistent and strong winds.

These winds attract surfers from around the globe, making it a haven for wind junkies.

The windsurfing craze began in the 1970s and played a pivotal role in bringing hundreds of windsurfers (from beginners to experts) to the Gorge.

Start-up companies like Windsurfing Hawaii, Chinook, Slingshot, Sailworks, and Dynafiber moved to the Gorge for product development....The windy Columbia River provided an ideal environment for research and design.

I also did not know that wind surfing dates back to the 40's. It took off in the 80's and became an Olympic event in 1984. Today...23 million enjoy the sport globally with around 1.5 of them participating in the US.

The gorge is far and away the top spot in the US but its popular across the country in spots like Padre Island Texas, the outer banks of North Carolina, the San Francisco Bay and the North side of Maui in Hawaii.

We would stumble onto, or maybe land in the middle of...is a better way to say it when one afternoon our quiet spot in The Rufus landing recreation area....turned into a parking lot. At one point I counted over 50 vehicles....everything from RV's decked out to stay a while...to vans, pickups and cars with racks on them....if you can strap a windsurfing board onto it...it was here.

It was a fun afternoon....and again the next day watching folks take to the skys....makes a guy want to give it a try!

On our last evening here...I also read that in 1986 just under 300,000 acres along the gorge were designated a National Scenic Area. The designation provides protection from many types of development preserving the area, it’s history, and its beauty for generations to come.

The next morning we would pull back out onto the interstate and head east. We did not get very far up the road when I saw a sign that said Blue Mountain Scenic byway...

OOOOOH.....I wonder what we'll learn there?