It’s been nine months since we left Japanand although we did some exploring around Cascadia, I haven’t had much opportunity for travel since Viktoria left for Cairo. Fortunately, a recent work trip took me to Pennsylvania and I stretched it into a weekend in Philadelphia.
I dropped my co-worker for an early flight, which gave me an opportunity to get a jumpstart on sightseeing. I dropped the rental car off at my Airbnb in the historic Italian Market neighborhood, put on my walking shoes and set out on the town. The unseasonably warm November weekend would be full of walking as the transit workers decided to go on strike, but we’ve had experience navigating a transit strike before, so I was good to go!
48 hours and 60,000 steps later, I checked off everything on my Philadelphia bucket list.
The South 9th Street Curb Market, better known as the Italian Market, has been home to produce stands, cafes and shops run by not just Italians, but immigrants from around the globe, since the late 19th century. Today’s market has an increasing Latin American influence.The beautiful Washington Park is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier memorial. Completed in 1957, a bronze statue of George Washington overlooks the remains of either a Colonial or British soldier.An icon of America, most stories around the Liberty Bell are more myth than fact. The truth is that the bell actually cracked during its first test strike and had to be recast twice. It was finally replaced in 1876.Independence Hall as seen from Independence Square where a crowd gathered for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.The Assembly Room in Independence Hall. The “Rising Sun” chair at the front of the room is where George Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the United States Constitution.A sign outside the front door of Independence Hall, the birthplace of the United States of America.A view of the Christ Church Burial Ground from a window in the U.S. Mint building. Benjamin Franklin is the cemetery’s most famous occupantThe gravesite of Benjamin Franklin and his wife Deborah in Philadelphia’s Christ Church Burial Ground. Visitors leave pennies in honor of Franklin’s motto of “a penny saved is a penny earned,” but the combination of weather and the penny tosses have caused damage to the gravestone including the large crack.Outside the United States Mint. Photos aren’t allowed inside the largest of the Mint’s four coin-producing facilities. If your coin has a “P” or no letter, it was produced in this building!A statue of a lion squashing a snake in Rittenhouse Square, one of the original five public park spaces planned by William Penn in the late 1600s.Philadelphia’s City Hall was the world’s tallest habitable building from 1894 until 1908. Until the completion of One Liberty Place in 1987, builders in downtown Philadelphia had a “gentleman’s agreement” that no building would be taller than the hat of the William Penn statue atop the City Hall spire.Located across the street from City Hall is the Board Game Art Park, home to an installation of oversized board game pieces called “Your Move.”Since 1892, Reading Terminal Market has been the home to butchers, produce vendors and more. Today you can find Amish specialties and three shops run by descendants of original market vendors.The battle of the cheesesteaks… in this corner, Pat’s King of Steaks!… and in this corner, Geno’s Steaks!The rowhouse has been the domicile of choice in Philadelphia since the 1700s. Even today, nearly 60 percent of Philadelphians live in a rowhouse.Looking down South Broad Street toward Philadelphia City Hall early on a sunny autumn morning.Dilworth Park outside of Philadelphia’s City Hall has been transformed into a community skating rink for the holiday season.The Thinker sits outside Philadelphia’s Rodin Museum. Casts of the statue exist around the world today. We saw the original two-foot tall version in Musee Rodin in Paris during our travels around Europe.Since 1897, George Washington has kept watch over Eakins Oval in front of the famed steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.The Lion Fighter, cast for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, now stands outside the Philadelphia Art Museum.A statue of Rocky Balboa, cast for the movie Rocky III, stands in the shadow of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Several visitors ran up the steps, recreating the inspiring scene from the original Rocky movie.Boathouse Row lines the shores of Fairmount Dam on the Schuylkill River. The boathouses are home to 15 rowing clubs and is considered to be the home of rowing in the U.S.The neo-Gothic Eastern State Penitentiary operated from 1829 until 1971 and pioneered the modern approach of prisoner reform vs. punishment. The gargoyles are not permanent, but placed as decorations for the annual Halloween haunted house event, “Terror Behind the Walls.”A sign on St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church signifies that it was the site where Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment, although the Historical Commission oval above it actually pays homage to the nearly 200-year-old church.A ship is moored in the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia’s Navy Yard.
When most people picture Oregon, they see green fir trees, maybe snow-capped mountains or the Pacific Ocean. But 45 percent of the state is classified as desert and it is here where some of the most unique terrain in the state can be found.
More than 200 miles east of Portland, the Painted Hills may be the most unique of all. Millions of years ago, the desert was covered by an ancient river that left a geological fairy tale behind in the rock and soil. Vibrant black, gray, red and gold soil layer the hills, colored by the prehistoric vegetation sediment from a time when the area was a hot and humid rainforest.
Located in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, the site is also important to archeologists. A bounty of fossils, the remains of early horses, camels and rhinoceroses, can still be found in the area.
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The first view of the hills as you enter the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
The road to the Painted Hills
Painted Hills
The hills from the viewpoint.
The boardwalk on the Painted Cove Trail.
The top of the Painted Cove Trail has panoramic views of the hills and the Painted Hills Reservoir.
The end of the Painted Cove Trail has panoramic views of the hills and the Painted Hills Reservoir.
The boardwalk around the Painted Cove Trail offers close-up views of the various layers.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, American colonial history is an afterthought. Our history is mostly natural or belonging to the region’s Native American tribes. But on the east coast, the birth of our country is on full display in every city and neighborhood. The backdrops of key moments in our nation’s history are now national parks, museums and monuments.
Situated on Baltimore’s Locust Point jutting into the Patapsco River, Fort McHenry is one of those places. The star-shaped fort played a major role in the War of 1812, but it is best known as the inspiration for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Over two days in September 1813, soldiers held off the mighty British naval fleet in the Battle of Baltimore. The standoff would become a turning point in the war for the American forces.
A statue of Francis Scott Key, author of the Star-Spangled Banner, greets visitors to Fort McHenry.
A young lawyer named Francis Scott Key witnessed the battle from the sea. Key was sent by President James Madison to negotiate the release of several prisoners, including Maryland physician William Beanes. Beanes was eventually released in part due to his willingness to care for both American and British soldiers during the war. The mission helped set a precedent for the rights of humanitarian workers in war zones.
The original draft of the Star-Spangled Banner in Francis Scott Key’s own handwriting is on display at the Fort McHenry visitor center.
On the morning of September 14, 1813, the results of the battle were still unknown. In the “dawn’s early light,” Key watched as the giant garrison flag—now on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.—was raised from the heart of Fort McHenry, indicating the fort had survived the battle. Inspired, he jotted the first draft of what would become The Star-Spangled Banner.
Did you know? The Star-Spangled Banner is sung to the tune of “To Anacreon in Heaven,” the official song of an 18th-century London gentleman’s club who gathered weekly for concerts, dinner and a lot of drinking.
The garrison flag flies in the courtyard of Fort McHenry. The flag has 15 stars and 15 stripes, representing each of the colonies at the time. It was the only version of the flag with more than 13 stripes.
Today, the story of America’s national anthem is the main draw for visitors to the fort. The visitor’s center welcomes you with a small museum featuring artifacts from the war and displays about the evolution of the anthem in popular culture. A short movie offers a great crash course about the War of 1812 and how Key’s came to pen the anthem. At the end of the presentation, the screen recedes into the ceiling, revealing a window looking out to the fort and the massive garrison flag waving proudly while the Star-Spangled Banner plays.
During the park ranger-led Flag Talk, participants unfurl and hold a replica of the garrison flag that flies above Fort McHenry. At 30 feet by 42 feet, it required more than 30 people to hold it steady.
After the movie, we stepped into the oppressive summer heat for a Flag Talk. A young park ranger explained the story of the 30-feet by 42-feet flag as the gathered crowd unraveled a full-size replica. Holding the flag in your hands and seeing how many people it takes to keep it aloft is awe-inspiring. It’s a physical reminder of a time when Americans worked together for the survival of our country.
Women dressed in period costumes demonstrate how soldiers would have made dried pasta during the 19th century.
We wandered through the fort itself and watched as history came alive. Most of the buildings are open, including old bomb shelters, barracks and the armory. The claustrophobic feeling of life in the barracks is palpable. The armory building has a slight lean from British bombs. You can look out over the river and see the ghosts of the Royal Navy filling the horizon.
Fort McHenry is a physical reminder of another time. A time when Americans banded together for the common good. It’s a lesson regularly forgotten and relearned in times of tragedy. In these divisive times, it’s a good lesson to keep in mind…
What does the Star-Spangled Banner mean to you? How do you feel when you walk through historic sites like Fort McHenry? Head to the comments section below to take part in the conversation!
If You Go…
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
2400 East Fort Avenue, Baltimore. Follow the Fort McHenry signs on the freeway as many GPS directions are incorrect. Admission to the fort is $10 for adults age 16 and older and is valid for seven days. The visitor center, museum and informational movie appear to be free.
The summer of 1998 was my first in sleepy Monmouth, Ore. Best known as the home of Western Oregon University and the west coast’s last dry town, Monmouth had a permanent population right around 7,000 people in the late 1990s, but you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a few of them on a typical weekday.
I lived in a small duplex one block south of Main Street. On the morning of July 4, my roommate and I opened our curtains to discover cars parked end-to-end and people streaming en masse down our typically quiet street.
Certain the zombie apocalypse was upon us, we turned on the television for further instructions. Instead of warnings from the Emergency Broadcast System, we found the local television channel introducing the annual Western Days Parade.
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Members of the Western Oregon University drumline march in the 2016 Western Days Parade.
Kids are a big part of what makes the Western Days Parade a special event.
A classic fire truck in the Western Days Parade.
Smokey Bear catches a ride with the Oregon Department of Forestry during the 2016 Western Days Parade.
Western Oregon University mascot Wolfie served as Grand Marshal for the 2016 Western Days Parade in Monmouth/Independence, Ore.
A local florist decked out a float in red, white and blue flowers.
Even Abraham Lincoln turned out for the 2016 Western Days Parade.
No community parade is complete without an appearance by the local Shriners Club and their miniature cars.
It would be nearly 20 years later before I actually attended the parade in person. Small-town Americana is on full display as kids on bicycles and makeshift floats pulled by pickup trucks make their way down Main Street and through neighboring Independence before arriving at Riverview Park on the banks of the Willamette River.
Main Street in Monmouth, Ore. after the Western Days Parade.
Independence Day celebrations have a long history in Independence. The first recorded July 4 event was held in 1903. The all-day affair began at 9 a.m. with a parade of nearly 30 floats followed by a “Grand Barbecue.” The competition heated up in the afternoon with tug-o-war, pie eating contests and baseball games. A “Grand Ball” finished up the evening.
The event was also the first time many locals saw an automobile in person. The “horseless carriages” shuttled visitors between downtown Independence and Pioneer Park just under a mile away.
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The small town of Independence, Ore. was named an All-America City in 2014.
Fireworks at Riverview Park in Independence, Ore.
Fireworks at Riverview Park in Independence, Ore.
The celebration hasn’t changed much in the 114 years since that first event. The 2016 Western Days spanned four days with thousands of visitors coming in for the 5K fun run, parade and riverfront festival. Two nights of top-notch fireworks—funded through the hard work of year-around community fundraising efforts—anchor the holiday festivities.
The Independence Enterprise wrote after the first July 4 festival, “…the celebration of 1903 at Independence has set a new standard, a comparison to which will be drawn, and the highest compliment to be paid to any to come will be: It equals the splendid demonstration held at Independence in ’03.”
The community of Monmouth-Independence continues to set the bar high.
Special thanks to Peggy and Shannon at the Independence Heritage Museum for historical information about Independence Day in Independence, Ore.
Growing up in the northern end of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, it was easy to take the majesty of Mount Hood for granted. The glowing beacon in the east filled the horizon while effortlessly blending into the background.
Looking at the northwest face of Mount Hood from the Hood River Bridge.
It was only after moving away from the Valley that the iconic mountain became something more. When I’d drive home from college, it was the mountain that told me I was getting close. Living in Japan in the shadow of Mount Fuji, I would always be reminded of Mount Hood and how lucky I was to experience two of the world’s great natural creations on a regular basis.
Mount Hood might be the quintessential Oregon image with its perfectly pointy, snow-covered peak. But in true Oregon fashion, the natural beauty is just the first of many layers that tell the whole story of the mountain the Multnomah tribe called Wy’east.
At just over 11,000 feet, Oregon’s tallest mountain is also a semi-active volcano. Recent earthquake swarms, while common, served as a reminder that Hood is Oregon’s most likely candidate for a volcanic eruption, last bursting in 1865.
The summit of Mount Hood is mostly free of snow by mid-spring.
Eruption concerns don’t keep the visitors away. During the winter, Mount Hood is the ultimate playground for snow sports. Snowboarders and skiers come from around the world to tackle the miles of trails at Mount Hood Meadows, Timberline and Skibowl, home to the largest night skiing area in the U.S.
The surrounding national forest keeps things busy during the dry season, with more than 1,000 miles of hiking trails and 140 miles of mountain biking trails. We recently tackled a pair of gorgeous hikes, including the family-friendly Mirror Lake trail. The three-mile in-and-out hike slowly gains 700 feet of elevation via switchbacks from the trailhead to Mirror Lake. Views of Mount Hood’s peak reflecting in the aptly-named lake are simply breathtaking.
In the afternoon, we tackled a good portion of the seven-mile Ramona Falls trail. Crowds thin out after the first mile where the trail crosses the Sandy River. The bridge over the river was destroyed in a rainstorm in 2014 and has not been replaced, requiring hikers to brave the crossing via fallen tree trunks. Around mile three, the trail connects with the famous Pacific Crest Trail, leading to the wide, cascading waterfall.
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Historic Timberline Lodge near the summit of Mount Hood. The “cave” protecting the stairs from the snow was still in place in June.
The multi-floor fireplace in the Timberline Lodge lobby. The 90-foot chimney serves as the top of the iconic tower outside.
View of Mount Jefferson from Bruno Ski Lift on Mount Hood.
The snow-covered summit of Mount Hood begins to melt by early June.
With all the physical activities, it’s no surprise that the area also offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation. Timberline Lodge is among the most popular stops for tourists visiting the mountain. The National Historic Landmark was originally a project of the Works Progress Administration as a way to put people back to work after the Great Depression. The 40,000 square-foot lodge was finished in 1938 and dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself.
Today, the lodge draws in freezing skiers and snowboarders who surround the six-sided, two-story fireplace in the lobby. A small museum tells the story of the construction and restoration of the lodge and includes displays of Native American art, artisan-built furniture and even Roosevelt’s chair. As a child of the 1980s, I was most impressed to learn that the drawing of the skier on a chairlift on the orange Pee-Chee folder was taken from a photo on Timberline’s “Magic Mile” chairlift. The photo of Merrie Douna riding the world’s second chairlift was also featured in a 1948 issue of Life magazine.
For out of town visitors, Timberline’s connection to popular culture is a major draw. The exterior of the lodge was featured in the 1980 Jack Nicholson classic The Shining as well as the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling novel Wild.
On a warm day, a stop into the Mt. Hood Brewing Co. taphouse just off of Highway 26 in Government Camp is worthwhile. Six flagship brews and a handful of seasonals are served on a frozen rail built into the bar, invoking the feeling of winter even in the dog days of summer.
Timberline Lodge
From US-26, follow signs for Timberline Lodge. The lodge is open 24 hours. Check websitefor restaurant and lift hours.
Skibowl
From US-26, follow signs for Skibowl. See website for seasonal hours.
Mirror Lake Trailhead
On US-26, look for the roadside parking area about two miles west of Government Camp. A Northwest Forest Pass is required, but day passes can be purchased from stores on US-26. Family-friendly.
Ramona Falls Trailhead
From US-26, turn left onto E Lolo Pass Rd near Welches. Turn right onto Forest Road 1825 and turn right across the bridge in about a half-mile. Follow narrow road to large parking area. A Northwest Forest Pass is required, but day passes can be purchased from stores on US-26. Due to the dangerous river crossing, this is not a family-friendly hike.
The sprawling plateau of central Oregon’s high desert region is one of North America’s great adventure sports destinations. Mt. Bachelor tests experienced snowboarders and skiers during the winters. The Deschutes River draws rafters, kayakers and paddleboarders all summer long. Sprawling trails offer mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners endless possibilities.
A few miles north of Bend—central Oregon’s largest city—Smith Rock calls rock climbers from around the globe to the precipitous cliffs of its volcanic tuff. Carved out over the course of 30 million years by a collapsed volcanic crater, lava flows and finally shaped by the aptly-named Crooked River, the formation stands out from the surrounding flat farmland.
Smith Rock is widely known as the sport climbing capital of the world. More than 500 climbing routes provide opportunities for beginners and elite climbers alike. However, it was the challenging hiking trails that led us to the rock on a warm and sunny spring day.
The Crooked River helped shape the current geography of Smith Rock.
Even during the middle of the week, the ample parking area was full. A small interpretive center is surrounded by a shaded picnic area leading to the trailhead. Views from the top of the ridge are spectacular. The Crooked River winds through the formation while Mt. Washington with its distinctive pointed summit peeks out from a dip in the jagged rock.
Two paths lead from the parking area to the various trailheads. The subtle Canyon Trail takes a long loop along the rim walls down to the footbridge. The steep and rocky Chute is a straight shot for those hikers anxious to hit the trail.
Looking south toward Monkey Face from the River Trail at Smith Rock.
Across the bridge, two family-friendly trails offer an easy walk with great views of the cliffs and a front-row seat to watch the dozens of climbers attached to the walls. The mile-long Wolf Tree Trail follows the north end of the canyon while the 2.5-mile River Trail heads south and provides the best look at the famous Monkey Face.
The Misery Ridge trailhead follows steep switchbacks to the summit around 1,000 feet above.
Wanting more of a challenge, we went straight ahead to the Misery Ridge Trail. The steep and rocky switchback trail is less than a mile to the top, but difficult as it covers 1,000 feet of elevation gain on a narrow trail. Along the way, tiny dots of climbers cling to any available wall, leaving our legs weak just looking at them.
Looking north toward the Crooked River from the summit of the Misery Ridge Trail.
We approached the summit of the Misery Ridge Trail, encountering a few climbers who took the “easy” way to the top. We looked back at the challenging climb from the stone plateau where the Crooked River meandered below. We dared ourselves to take in the view, staying a safe distance from the edge of the sheer cliff.
Looking toward Mt. Bachelor and Three Sisters from the Misery Ridge Trail summit.
On the opposite side of the summit, the viewpoint opens up over the nearby cities of Redmond and Bend, all the way to the Cascade Mountain Range. We sat for awhile with a group of hikers from the Salem-area and watched as climbers tackled Smith Rock’s iconic Monkey Face.
Climbers descend Monkey Face.
Monkey Face is a 350-feet-tall rock spire that appears ready to topple at any time. Climbers ascend via multiple routes, including one known as Just Do It, considered one of the toughest free-climbing routes in the world. During our visit, the climbers descended over the monkey’s nose, resting on the mouth before dangling from their ropes and slowly lowering themselves to the rocks below.
A bald eagle soars majestically over the Mesa Verde Trail.
Misery Ridge connects to the Mesa Verde Trail for the descent with equally-steep switchbacks over loose gravel. The slow shuffle to the bottom took about an hour to cover just a mile, although we stopped for awhile to try and capture a photo of a bald eagle that swooped overhead.
A hummingbird zipped in and out of the grass near the river.
At the bottom, the trail levels out as it connects to the River Trail. We stopped repeatedly to take in the southern view of Monkey Face, where its namesake details are most visible. The River Trail expectedly follows the Crooked River back to the beginning of the trailhead.
Just when you think you’re done, a steep climb up The Chute or the Canyon Trail stands between you and your return to the top. We enjoyed a picnic lunch before making the long drive back to Portland.
If You Go…
Smith Rock State Park
From Bend, follow US-97 toward Terrebonne. Turn right on NW Smith Rock Way and left on NE 1st Street. Turn left on NE Crooked River Dr and follow the road to the parking area. Day use parking is $5 or free with an Oregon State Parks parking permit.
Misery Ridge Trail 3.7 miles, steep and rocky with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. From the main parking lot, follow any trail toward the canyon. Take the Canyon Trail or The Chute across the footbridge and up the switchbacks at the trailhead marker. From the Monkey Face viewpoint at the summit, head down the left side toward the switchbacks connecting to the Mesa Verde Trail. As you approach the river, continue straight on the trail to connect to the River Trail and follow back to the trailhead at the footbridge.
Driving east on Interstate 84 from Portland, Ore. lies 80 miles of one of the most beautiful stretches of nature on the planet. Still largely undeveloped, the Columbia River Gorge is a playground for both locals and more than 3.5 million tourists annually.
The Gorge was formed over the course of 15 million years as the mighty Columbia River slowly eroded away the rock. Floods from the end of the Ice Age carved out the most dramatic features, exposing beautiful layers of volcanic rock. Looking at the Gorge today, with the river flowing strong some 4,000 feet below the top of the cliff walls, it’s a powerful image to imagine what it may have looked like as nature took its course.
On a recent sunny spring day, we headed for this natural wonderland, ultimately bound for the small town of Hood River. It didn’t take long to ditch the interstate for the more scenic Historic Columbia River Highway. The first planned scenic highway in the U.S., today’s HCRH runs for 40 miles through the forest, offering a gateway to many of the 90 waterfalls along the Oregon side of the Gorge.
Looking east from the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint toward the Vista House on Crown Point and down the Columbia River Gorge.
Our first stop was the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint, providing the most photographed view of the Columbia River Gorge. Just up the road, the Vista House at Crown Point unofficially marks the beginning of the Gorge. Built in 1916-18 as a resting area for the new highway, it now houses an excellent museum featuring the natural and human history of the Gorge.
Continuing east on the HCRH, rows of cars begin to appear on the shoulder of the narrow two-lane road. The waterfalls in this stretch—the most concentrated in all of North America—are the main draw for day-trippers from Portland looking to hike the scenic trails or just stop for photos or a picnic. Many of the falls are accessible by a short walk from the road or nearby parking lots.
Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s tallest waterfall at an estimated 620 feet tall. It flows year-round, making it a popular tourist destination all year long.
The biggest crowds are reserved for the magnificent Multnomah Falls. Oregon’s tallest waterfall drops in two parts—a long upper falls that collects into a basalt basin, giving way to a shorter lower falls. The best view is in front of the lower basin looking up at the footbridge, but a short walk up to the bridge is worthwhile.
Hiking to the top is a difficult march through steep switchbacks, but the views are worth it. You’ll also be rewarded with another waterfall—Little Multnomah—that can only be seen from the top.
From here, we followed the HCRH back to I-84 toward Hood River. Even on the modern freeway, there’s no shortage of sights along the way. The community of Bonneville is best known for the massive Bonneville Dam. Built in the 1930s as an initiative of the New Deal’s Public Works Administration, the dam provides power to more than 500,000 homes. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
Further up the river, the Bridge of the Gods crosses the Columbia River in the small city of Cascade Locks. The 90-year-old steel bridge gets its epic name from Klickitat tribe folklore, sharing its moniker with a land bridge created by a slide in 1100 A.D. The bridge also serves as the Columbia River crossing of the 2,659 mile-long Pacific Crest Trail, stretching from the Mexican border in California to the Canadian border in Washington.
The northeast face of Mt. Hood as seen from the Hood River Bridge.
We were ready to do some hiking of our own, although on a less grand scale than the PCT. Passing through Hood River, we quickly found ourselves at the payment window of the Hood River Toll Bridge without the requisite dollar for passage. A kind soul had left an extra dollar behind, covering our river crossing. On the way back—after a quick ATM stop—we left $2, one for our crossing and one to pay forward to the next forgetful traveler.
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A view of the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood from the Catherine Creek Universal Access Trail on the Washington side.
Wildflowers along the Catherine Creek Universal Access Trail in Lyle, Wash.
Wildflowers along the Catherine Creek Universal Access Trail in Lyle, Wash.
Having safely forded the river, we continued east on the Washington side through the city of Bingen toward Catherine Creek. The Catherine Creek Trailhead offers something for everyone, from a short 1.2 mile walk through the Universal Access Trail (UAT) to a long, hilly 8.2 mile out-and-back to Coyote Wall.
Before we left for our two-year journey in Japan, we’d hiked the West Loop trail and its spectacular views of the Gorge and nearby Rowland Lake. This time, we opted for the two-mile Arch Loop hike, but first, we walked the loop around the UAT. The paved interpretive trail is packed with great views of the Gorge and Mt. Hood. Dozens of varieties of wildflowers bloom at different times of the year, always offering a punch of color. Benches offer places to rest and enjoy the scenery and the entire trail is wheelchair-accessible.
An abandoned corral along the Catherine Creek Arch Loop trail.
After our warmup, we headed out the stone and gravel path toward the Arch Loop trail. The easy trail has a bit of incline as it winds through the light forest, across Catherine Creek and between tall stone cliffs. Opposite an abandoned corral is the trail’s namesake arch rock. The area is fenced off as it is a sacred area for the local Native American tribes.
View of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River from the top of the Catherine Creek Arch Loop trail.
We followed the trail up to the top of the arch rock where views of Mt. Hood and the Gorge fill the skyline. The flatlands at the top offer a great opportunity to explore or just sit and enjoy the views. Eventually, we left the vista behind, following the edge of the cliff until the trail picked up again. The last stretch was a bit underwhelming as we made our way down onto the highway for the final quarter-mile, but overall, Catherine Creek is an enjoyable stroll.
We crossed back to Oregon and headed into Hood River for a stop at one of our favorite breweries. Full Sail Brewing is the largest, yet still maintains a local feel at its brewery and taproom overlooking the Columbia River. Full Sail’s simple flagship beers are widely available, but it’s here in Hood River where the mastery of the craft really shines with a variety of seasonals and Brewmaster Reserve recipes always on tap.
After enjoying the seasonal sampler, we took a walk around the downtown area. Although quiet on the weekday evening, the charming and easily-walkable downtown is lively on the weekends with great local restaurants and shops. We finished up with one last pint and a pizza at Double Mountain Brewery before heading back toward Portland.
Sunset over the Columbia River.
Perhaps the only view more stunning than the eastern vista on a sunny day is the western view on a clear evening. The sun began to set as we approached the viewpoint near the historical marker commemorating the British explorers of the H.M.S. Chatham in the 1790s. The fiery sky reflected off the calm waters of the river, slowly gradating to the indigo of the evening. A perfect ending to a great day in the Columbia River Gorge.
Vista House at Crown Point
Follow the Historic Columbia River Highway east from the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint.
Multnomah Falls
Follow the Historic Columbia River Highway east from Crown Point or take I-84 E to exit 31 (left-hand exit) for the Multnomah Falls parking lot.
Catherine Creek Trailhead
From I-84 E, take exit 64 near Hood River and turn left for Button Bridge Rd. Cross the toll bridge ($1 each way for most vehicles) and turn right on WA-14. Just before Rowland Lake, turn left onto Old Highway 8 to the trailhead parking.
Full Sail Brewing
506 Columbia St, Hood River. Open daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Portlandia strikes an imposing form over SW 5th Ave. in Downtown Portland. The statue is the second-largest copper relief status in the U.S. after the New York’s Statue of Liberty.
Based on the seal of the City of Portland, she’s dressed in classic clothing and holds a trident in her left hand while reaching down with her right. Portlandia has been perched atop the entrance of the Portland Building since 1985.
Sculptor Raymond Kaskey maintained intellectual property rights over the statue. As a result, the image of Portlandia has been rarely used for commercial purposes. Most famously, you can see the statue in two shots during the opening credits of the Portlandia television show on IFC.
The experience of a sunny spring day in downtown Portland, Ore. can compete with any city in the world. Rain-weary locals come out of the woodwork, decked out in shorts and flip-flops despite temperatures only reaching the upper-50s. Local markets and food carts sprout from the ground like tulips, dotting the city with a colorful garden of activity.
When touring your own city, you can choose to eschew the touristy things that bring visitors to your hometown or embrace them with open arms. We did the latter and took in all that Portland has to offer in one, long Saturday.
The year-round Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University in the South Park Blocks will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2017.
We started out at the Portland Farmers Market. For 25 years, the year-round market lining the South Park Blocks near Portland State University has drawn both tourists and locals alike for produce, flowers, food and entertainment. We met up with Viktoria’s high school journalism teacher who lives in the area.
After scoring some fresh locally-grown vegetables and a cup of french-pressed coffee from Nossa Familia Coffee, we sat down for lunch at nearby East Side Delicatessen. The small deli has an awesome vegetarian menu, including custom-made sandwiches. The Veg-Italian sandwich on dark rye bread is pure joy.
A t-shirt featuring Portland’s various nicknames hangs above the Clever Dork Shirt Co. stand at Portland Saturday Market on the banks of the Willamette River.
With our parking meter nearing expiration, we moved toward the Willamette River to visit Portland Saturday Market. Once a counter-culture haven, the largest open-air market in the U.S. has grown over the last 40 years to take up a significant section of Old Town/Chinatown. The market has lost a bit of its edge over the years, but has firmly held onto its hippie ethos.
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The unofficial city motto, “Keep Portland Weird,” painted on the back of Dante’s on the edge of Old Town Chinatown.
Voodoo Doughnut is a Portland institution, now just as famous for the long lines of tourists as it is for its tasty, unique doughnuts.
A Unipiper sighting! Unicyclist Brian Kidd is famous for rolling around town in a Darth Vader helmet playing occasionally-flaming bagpipes.
Looking east over the Willamette River toward the Steel Bridge, Moda Center—home to the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers—and the glass towers of the Oregon Convention Center.
The Sternwheeler Portland docked along the Willamette River at the Oregon Maritime Museum. It is the last operating steam-powered sternwheel tug in the U.S.
Old Town/Chinatown has seen significant change over the past decade-plus, establishing itself as a must-visit for many out-of-towners. The world-famous Voodoo Doughnut is a big part of that. Portlanders have a love/hate relationship with Voodoo in the years since tourists and television foodie shows discovered it. Weekend lines often stretch 100 deep down the sidewalk of SW 3rd Street and it’s not unusual to wait upwards of 30 minutes to get inside.
Embracing the full tourist experience, we hopped in line behind a couple visiting from Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Acting as surrogates for the Chamber of Commerce, we answered all of their questions about the city and even talked them into waiting in the doughnut line. Once we arrived at the front, they bought the classic Voodoo Doll, Bacon Maple Bar and cream-filled Cock-N-Balls. We opted for the head-sized Tex-Ass glazed doughnut and the Elvis-inspired Memphis Mafia, a banana fritter covered in chocolate and peanut butter.
Waterfront Park is the perfect place to walk off those extra-large doughnuts. Named for former governor Tom McCall, the 30-acre park was built in the 1970s to reconnect downtown Portland to the Willamette River. We even spotted the Unipiper, a Darth Vader-masked unicyclist who can often be seen spewing flames from his ever-present bagpipes.
To Oregon With Love, a mural by Blaine Fontana, is part of the Forest for the Trees mural project on Albert St. in NE Portland.
Part of a mural on the side of the Black United Fund of Oregon building. The 100-feet-long mural features iconic women of the civil rights movement, including Coretta Scott King, Ruby Bridges, Ruby Dee, Angela Davis and Maya Angelou.
Part of a mural on the side of the Black United Fund of Oregon building shows Ruby Dee, an actress as equally famous for her civil rights activism as she was for her art.
A mural of a mermaid on Alberta St. in NE Portland painted by local artist Pablo Garcia.
Keep Your Chin Up, a mural by Blaine Fontana, Zach Yarrington & Jun Inoue, is part of the Forest for the Trees mural project on Albert St. in NE Portland.
Next, we headed to Northeast Portland. While downtown gets all the attention, the eastside is where Portland’s “weird” culture truly lives. As the craft beer capital of the world—Portland is home to 61 breweries in the city limits, 91 in the metro area—it’s easy to find a place for a cold one. We stopped in at Breakside Brewery and Great Notion Brewing, then proceeded down NE Alberta Street.
The Alberta Arts District was once the heart of Portland’s African-American community, but gentrification has pushed long-term residents out while bringing in new shops, restaurants and housing focused on a higher-income market. As a result, Alberta Street is the subject of many national studies on the effects of gentrification.
Ignoring the cultural impacts, the street is a vibrant and lively mix of old and new Portland. The street is brightened by murals, some from the non-profit Forest For The Trees art project and others from local artists.
One of the most impressive is the recently-completed mural of female civil rights leaders painted on the side of the Black United Fund offices. The mural features portraits of Coretta Scott King, Ruby Bridges, Ruby Dee, Angela Davis, and Maya Angelou amongst powerful images of change and evolution.
We waited in one last line at the Salt & Straw artisanal ice cream shop for Portland’s best ice cream. Famous for collaborations with local chefs, brewers and more, the current menu features flavors created by neighborhood school children. The Elementary School Inventor Series has yielded some interesting flavors, including the Bean and Cheese Burrito featuring sweet red bean paste, cream cheese and soft tortilla strips.
The June 2015 mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina was tragic, yet predictable. 21-year-old Dylann Roof entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston and opened fire with the intent to start a “race war.” Five times he reloaded his .45 caliber pistol—received legally as a birthday gift from his father despite his pending felony drug charges. He finally turned the gun on himself, only to find it was empty. In the end, nine church members were killed. Roof was later arrested and is awaiting trial.
As often occurs, the focus in the days that followed shifted toward more symbolic matters. Mass protests led South Carolina to remove the flag of the Confederate Navy—commonly referred to as the “Confederate Flag”— from its statehouse. Major retailers followed suit, pulling items featuring the Southern Cross from inventory.
Yet, many of those same retailers still sell firearms in their stores. A prime opportunity to start a proper debate on gun control quickly diluted into ill-informed Facebook posts about the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Firearm Laws in Japan
The most common “middle-ground” argument for gun control in the U.S. is to restrict ownership of military- and police-style automatic and semi-automatic guns. In Japan, it’s illegal for citizens to own handguns, automatic assault weapons, semi-automatic assault weapons, military rifles or machine guns. Even possession of a sword without a permit has been banned since the end of the Samurai era.
The only firearms Japanese citizens may own are rifles for hunting or sport shooting use. Before attaining a license, they’re required to take written and practical exams, receive a mental health evaluation at a local hospital and be screened for drug use. If they pass this first round, the police begin background checks, interviewing family members and looking into personal and political affiliations. Certain memberships lead to automatic refusal of the license.
The license is valid for three years, at which point the exams must be retaken to renew the license. During the three years, owners are required by law to keep the gun and ammunition in separate locked safes and provide police with a detailed map to the location of the safes in the home. The firearms are inspected annually by authorities.
In the case of an unlicensed firearm discharge, there are actually three separate crimes being committed. The possession of the gun is a crime, subject to a 10-year prison sentence. The discharge of the weapon is obviously another crime, but it’s also illegal to possess the bullet. As a result, even the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) tend to avoid guns.
Even better, guns are not considered family heirlooms. Upon the death of a gun owner, the firearm is required to be turned into police. They cannot be simply transferred between family members, something that might have prevented the Charleston shooter from becoming the owner of a pistol.
This restrictive approach to gun control have led to a very low rate of gun ownership. For every 100 people in Japan, less than one firearm is owned compared to 88.8 guns per 100 Americans. Firearm sales in the U.S. is one of the few industries that not only weathered the recent recession but experienced growth.
By The Numbers
So, do these tight gun controls make a difference? Absolutely.
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In 2006, the U.S. had 10,225 firearm-related homicides. Japan had two. Seriously. Two. The following year, that number skyrocketed to 22 and it was treated like a national crisis. Since 2007, the number of total gun-related murders hasn’t topped 19.
Total homicides isn’t a great measure since the U.S. outnumbers Japan by 195 million in total population. Comparing homicides per 100,000 people in the population levels the playing field. The U.S. hovers around 3.5 to 4 homicides per 100,000. Japan is below 0.02 homicides per 100,000.
Heck, more people accidentally shoot and kill themselves in the U.S. than total firearm related deaths or injuries in Japan in any given year. In 2013, the U.S. had 505 accidental gun deaths. From 2009-2013, Japan had 182 firearm deaths TOTAL—accidental or otherwise.
The Culture Gap
In the U.S., the Constitution is wielded irresponsibly by the average citizen, not unlike so many of the aforementioned firearms. In the case of firearm ownership, the Second Amendment is the rope in the eternal gun control tug-of-war.
At worst, the Second Amendment is an argument for the proper use of commas. It reads:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
For the individual rights folks, it’s crystal clear that their rights shall not be infringed. For the collective rights backers, it’s crystal clear that this is intended for Militias, not individuals. So, who’s right?
Everyone!
In reality, the original intent of the Second Amendment was likely to allow private ownership of firearms to keep local militias from getting out of control in the years following the founding of the nation. Over time, that need dissipated as the military centralized. In 1939, the Supreme Court adopted a collective-rights precedent in a case regarding the transfer of sawed-off shotguns. The Court followed this precedent until 2008 when it ruled that the 30-year old handgun ban in Washington D.C. violated the Second Amendment. They’ve continued to make rulings with this later interpretation in the years that followed.
Note: While total gun-related homicides are down in D.C. since 2008, it still leads the nation in deaths per 100,000.
The “individual rights” mindset is why it will be an uphill battle to expand gun control in the U.S. Many arguments go something like “The criminals have guns, so I need a gun to protect myself and my family.” It’s literally an individual arms race that’s growing like Cold War-era nuclear proliferation. Few are willing to give up their individual rights, even if it means a better nation overall (see the Affordable Health Care for America Act, i.e. Obamacare).
Yet, will responsible gun owners ever be willing to compromise for the good of the whole? Hunters and sport shooters don’t need to give up their rifles, but will they hand in their semi-automatic hand gun if other, less responsible owners will do the same? It seems this group may need to be willing to take the lead for real change to occur.
In Japan, the national identity is far more collective than in the U.S. The lack of access to firearms has zero impact on personal security. This is a conscious choice made by the society. The strong sense of individual responsibility leads to a collective national responsibility—each person takes care of themselves as a part of taking care of the whole. Each person also chooses to sacrifice a bit of themselves for the betterment of society.
Interestingly, the most significant foreign effort toward gun reform in the U.S. comes from Japan. Every year, petitions containing hundreds of thousands of signatures are sent to the U.S. government.
The effort began in earnest. In 1992, a Japanese exchange student in Louisiana was shot and killed by a homeowner after he accidentally entered the wrong home on his way to a Halloween party. He didn’t understand the English idiom “Freeze!” meant that he needed to stop. While only a blip in the U.S. news cycle, the outrage that followed in Japan has carried on to this day.
Hope For Change
It may seem impossible that the U.S. could implement a system like Japan’s. Aside from the sheer collection of unauthorized firearms and licensing protocol changes, the real challenge is changing public opinion enough to turn the tide toward real reform. But consider this:
In 1996, gun massacres in Australia—similar to those in the U.S. today—were on the rise. A “pathetic social misfit” opened fire in a popular Tasmania tourist location, killing 20 people in 90 seconds with a semi-automatic military-style rifle. When the literal smoke cleared, 35 were dead and 18 more were injured.
Then-Prime Minister John Howard announced a major reform to Australia’s national gun laws, working with each of the country’s states and territories to enact widespread change. Automatic weapons were banned. Licensing requirements were tightened up and personally-owned firearms were licensed.
In two separate federally-funded buy-back programs (paid for by a one-time tax on all Aussies), the government collected and destroyed more than 1 million firearms. New imports of automatic and semiautomatic weapons were banned.
In the years since, the rate of firearm-related deaths—both murders and suicides—plummeted more than 50 percent. Even the most recent event, the cafe shootings in Sydney, only resulted in three deaths, including the gunman.
The Australia action was successful because of strong leadership at the top of government, a willingness for individual states to sacrifice for the greater good and a wave of support from Australians to see changes made to save the lives of their fellow citizens. Rural politicians took hits in the following election, but it worked.
Will America be willing to create this wave required for change? Will we heed the words that preceded not only the Second Amendment, but created the foundation for our country?
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
