Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Rolling on a River
All of our road trips to Oregon start and end with the Columbia River since it forms the southern border of Washington State. And so it was this week – we managed to get a few days away to Oregon. We spent our first night in Astoria and our last night in Cascade Locks in the Columbia River Gorge. It was there that we enjoyed a 2 hour dinner cruise on a Sternwheeler.
We also visited Horsetail Falls, my new favorite waterfall in the Gorge, before we started back home.
The spray was cool and refreshing. Perhaps the memories will carry me though the coming week. Yes, that is the real and actual weather forecast for Renton, just south of Seattle.
Suffice it to say we in the Pacific Northwest are not accustomed to these temperatures. On the other hand, who is? 113 belongs in Death valley, not the Pacific Northwest! So I’m getting this post out tonight while it’s still cool and will save the rest for later. My office doesn’t have air conditioning so I won’t be spending much time in it the next few days. I guess I need to find another river.
– Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
I would love to take that dinner cruise on the old riverboat.
As for the temeratures, they are too much for English people. I have been moaning about the lack of summer here, but better that, than 113 degrees!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks Pete. We’d seen the boat on previous trips to the Gorge and it was fun to take it. As far as the weather goes, these temperatures are unheard of here and will be recorded breaking. I’ve lived here my entire life and only remember reaching 100 a couple times. We’re bracing for it! 🔥
That river cruise looks lovely, and the waterfall is gorgeous 🙂 But oh those temperatures are just crazy! We had around 90 degrees in Yakima on our WA road trip and that was plenty hot enough for me!!
Thanks so much. We love the Columbia River Gorge and it’s many beautiful waterfalls!
On the weather front – summer temps in Yakima are routinely in the 90’s so we stay away during the summer. But at least they’re used to it and the homes have A/C. Seattle only gets a hot streak a few days a year – and never this high – and the older homes don’t have A/C. But we’ll do the best we can and treat it like an adventure! 🙂
Yes of course, I forgot my WA geography! Of course Renton is near Seattle – we stopped there to see Jimi Hendrix’s memorial/grave. No wonder you’re feeling the heat!
No problem! 🙂 The two sides of our state are so different! Dry and hot east of the mountains, wet and mild on the west. My sisters live in Yakima and we know not to visit during the summer.
Such a gorgeous view and awesome ocean 👌🌷have a great weekend 🙏🌹
Thanks so much! We love visiting the Columbia Gorge! 🙂
Very beautiful place 👌🌷Thank you for sharing us 👍🏻🌹
Stay as cool as you can in this weather!!!!! I love that sternwheeler. I’ve been on a couple of their cruises. 😀 😀
Thanks so much! I’d seen the boat running on earlier trips and it was fun to finally take it. As far as the weather goes – we’ll do our best to survive the heat without melting! Trying to cool the house down this morning to prepare. And I know it’s usually hotter in Oregon! Take care! 🙂
That is hot weather, more like Arizona than Washington state. Keep cool, it won’t last long.
It’s definitely the hottest forecast I’ve ever seen for the Seattle area. We’re not prepared for that type of weather here and most homes don’t have A/C. Our home is surrounded by trees so will say cooler than some. So we’ll survive! 🙂 Thank you. 🙂
I enjoy a certain element of cold, but I’m not a fan of really hot weather. I grew up with that and don’t ever want to go back! So 113 is not that odd, but it is awfully uncomfortable. I’m so sorry. That is ice cream for supper weather!
It’s unheard of here in Seattle – definitely breaking all records – and the humidity makes it even worse. But hopefully it will pass after a few days and we’ll return to our normal summer temps! Ice cream sounds good… after the BBQ burgers! 🌝
I could not handle any level of humidity in that heat. (Silent scream at the thought)
We’re definitely melting here today as in Renton we reached 103… Monday is projected to be the worst at 112 or so! Then we drop down to a ‘reasonable’ 90 something on Tuesday still too hot by local standards. What fun! 😉
Ugh. Good luck.
As always, beautiful photos!
We are heading up to Whidbey Island to visit my mom in a week or so and have been asking her to please turn the temperature down. We live in triple digits for most of the year with AC. We would rather not visit the PNW during a heat wave without AC. Stay safe and cool!
We are definitely not used to the crazy temperatures! We will gladly turn the heat down for you by the end of the week! 🌞
Thank you, we would appreciate it! 🕶
Years ago a neighborhood church sponsored that trip on the sternwheeler. It was wonderful to get to see the Gorge, a place I had been many times, from another vantage point.
Sounds like fun to take the trip with a group! I’d seen the sternwheeler on previous visits to the Gorge and it was nice to finally take it.
Beautiful pictures, as usual!
Thanks so much! 😊
So much incredible natural beauty so close to you!
Yes, I feel fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest!