In Washington, we stopped for a few days at Toutle Rock RV Resort in Castle Rock so we could go to two well known parks. Mount St. Helens and Mt. Ranier. The drive up to the top of Mount St. Helens was amazing and beautiful. After all these years, you can still see the destruction and also see how nature itself has healed and changed the landscape. At the top at Visitor's center, you can see right down into the crater.


from highway

Thumper and ladies from visitor's center

Skip and Thumper

Looking inside of crater at Mount St.Helens

Mt. Ranier is another beautiful national park. Very large!!!! You really have to spend a week or more to really enjoy all there is. This is a hiker's paradise. There are lots of trails. Dogs are not allowed on trails because of animals living in park. We only saw a little of what this park has to offer, but the views were breathtaking.

entrance

Thumper ready to great ranger

g


ever changing glacier river

in front of many waterfalls

top ofMt. Ranier

Can you find Thumper's butt sticking out?



Stopped for lunch outside park for YAK BURGERS!!!! They were very good. Couple who own restaurant are from Nepal and have a lodge on way to Mt. Everest

 

Before leaving Portland, we went to The Grotto, Catholic sanctuary and garden near the center of the city. It is amazing how quiet it is when you walk around the gardens.

Skip looking out from Chapel

Labyrinth at The Grotto

outside altar

   For dinner, we went to Jake's Crawfish in Portland.

 I love crawfish and Skip loves etoufee!!!!!

Head to Washington in the morning.

Drove over to the Hood River and up to Mount Hood. Area is about an hour east of Portland. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Hood from Portland. We stopped in Hood River - a pee stop for Thumper and a wine stop for me at Naked Winery Tasting Room.

 After tasting and purchasing (they do not ship to Connecticut), we headed to upward to Mt. Hood (11,235 ft). You wind up and down Route 35 passing apple farms, pear farms, dairy farms. At approx. 6,000 ft you reach Timberline Lodge. It was also snowing when we reached the lodge, which was not good for pictures. Plenty of snowboarders and skiers out.

Mt. Hood among clouds

Mt. Hood beyond trees

me and Smokey at lodge

skier on mountain

snow

coming down from Mt. Hood

Over the weekend, we went to Portland Market located along the river in town. About 250-300 vendors there on Saturdays and Sundays.

Also located in area is Voodoo Doughnuts - a Portland institution. Skip couldn't believe we stood in line 30 minutes to get in shop for doughnuts. Skip had their mango doughnut and I had their famous

doughnut topped with maple syrup and bacon. Absolutely delicious!!!!!

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AREA. East of Portland, you can follow Lewis and Clark trail if you like. Skip and I drove along the Historic Route 30 up to Vista View overlooking the Columbia River and then along the route to stop and hike to some of these magnificent waterfalls. Left Thumper behind. We thought our "full figured" dog with her short legs couldn't handle the hiking. Some of the waterfalls are right along the route and other you walk between a mile to 3 miles. A great way to spend the day!!!!!

Columbia River

Columbia River is background



Latourelle Falls

Skip at Shepperds Dell



Shepperds Dell

Bridal Veil



largest of the waterfalls

couple brought their rabbit to falls