In early August of 2021, my parents, my sister Carol, and I took a cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Our cruise was on the paddle wheeler "American Empress," operated by the American Queen Steamboat Company. My brother-in-law Larry and my nephew Alex drove from California and met us in Portland. They also met us at our first few ports of call. Click on a thumbnail to see a full-size image.

Prior to departure, we visited the Portland Rose Test Garden. From left to right, myself, Carol, Mom, and Dad. Later that day, we boarded our ship, the American Empress. The door between our verandas was subsequently removed. The American Empress docked in Astoria, Oregon From left to right, Larry, Carol, Alex, Mom, and Dad
We docked next to the Maritime Museum in Astoria The Maritime Museum has exhibits on the treacherous Columbia Bar, where the river meets the Pacific Ocean The Columbia Bar is one of the most dangerous bar crossings on Earth The Astoria Column. Larry and Alex are walking toward the column.
Canoe near the Astoria Column View of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean A Balsa wood glider, thrown from the top of the column View from the Astoria Column
The American Empress and the Maritime Museum can be seen below Another view of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean View from the Astoria Column The Flavel House Museum, in Astoria
The Flavel House The Flavel House The Flavel House Mom in front of the Flavel House
Info on the Flavel House Info on the Flavel House Captain George Flavel, a successful bar pilot and entrepreneur A Phaeton, a type of horse-drawn carriage
A sleigh Inside the Flavel House Inside the Flavel House Inside the Flavel House
Inside the Flavel House Inside the Flavel House Inside the Flavel House Inside the Flavel House
Bathtub with hot and cold water faucets Toilet Toilet and sink One last view of the Flavel House
Fort Clatsop Visitor Center and Museum Mom and Carol at Fort Clatsop Tsunamis are a threat to the Pacific Northwest 'The Arrival' at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center
Lewis and Clark built Fort Clatsop as a temporary place to spend the winter before their return trip home This is a reconstruction of Fort Clatsop, since the original fort no longer exists Alex, Mom, Carol, and I listen to a ranger Alex, Mom, and Carol at Fort Clatsop
A ranger talks to us at Fort Clatsop There were three rooms for the enlisted men at Fort Clatsop. This is the largest of the three, 'The Stump Room.' Alex at Fort Clatsop Lewis and Clark's room
Lewis and Clark's room Charbonneau and Sacagawea's room Inside Fort Clatsop Inside Fort Clatsop
A ranger talks to us at Fort Clatsop Another ranger at Fort Clatsop A cradleboard and dress, similar to what Sacagawea may have used An artist's impression of Sacagawea. There is no known image of Sacagawea made during her lifetime.
Sacagawea made important contributions to the Lewis and Clark expedition Jean Baptiste was Sacagawea's son, born shortly before she joined the Lewis and Clark expedition We cruised along the Columbia River, from Astoria to Stevenson The Columbia River Gorge
We enjoy the view from our veranda We view the Columbia River Gorge from our veranda The Columbia River Gorge The Columbia River Gorge
Approaching the Bonneville Dam and Lock Approaching the Bonneville Lock Our ship is tied down in the lock We watch our ship rise as water is added to the lock
Our ship rises in the Bonneville Lock View of the lock from the bow of the ship The gate will open when the water level reaches the top Alex posing with the American Empress in the background
Larry snapped this photo as our ship passed under the bridge The American Empress docked in Stevenson, Washington Carol, Mom, and I on our verandas, docked in Stevenson The following day, still docked in Stevenson
Dad waves at me from the veranda Mom and I took a stroll through downtown Stevenson Alex poses with Bigfoot! Wind surfing is popular in the Columbia River Gorge
Engine room tour! The chief engineer is on the left. The chief engineer and two of his assistants talk with passengers during the engine room tour The American Empress has four electric generators, powered by four diesel engines. We must wear ear muffs in the noisy engine room. Engine room tour
Engine room tour Two of the four diesel engines. The ship never uses more than three of the engines at any given time. The stern paddlewheel is powered by an electric motor, located on the other side. The paddlewheel provides 25% of the ship's propulsion. Engine room tour
Engine room tour Engine room tour Cruising through the gorge, to The Dalles (pronounced 'Dows') Cruising through the gorge, to The Dalles
Cruising through the gorge, to The Dalles Notice the train Cruising through the gorge, to The Dalles Mount Hood, as seen above The Dalles
Approaching sunset near The Dalles The Dalles (pronounced 'Dows') Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum, with exhibits on the Ice Age and geology of the region Mom and Carol at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum
Mom views an exhibit Carol views an exhibit An exhibit at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum The Fort Dalles Museum
Inside the Fort Dalles Museum All that remains of the Double Quartermaster's building More buildings of the Fort Dalles Museum Livery Taxi (Hansom Cab), which was driven by C.N. Wiley
Info on the preceding Hansom Cab and C.N. Wiley Carol walking among the buildings of the Fort Dalles Museum Another view of Mount Hood above The Dalles We enter a lock of The Dalles Dam, so that we can proceed east to Pasco
Entering a lock of The Dalles Dam Entering a lock of The Dalles Dam A view aft, after entering the lock The doors of the lock will close behind us
The doors of the lock close behind us The doors of the lock are almost closed With the doors closed, water is added to the lock This station has controls that duplicate the pilot house controls
The water level in the lock is rising The water level continues to rise Up, up, up we go! Now the lock can open and we can continue on our journey
The Dalles Dam, as viewed from the lock The captain drives us out of the lock The captain controls the direction of thrust of the starboard Z-Drive, as he maneuvers the ship Another view of The Dalles Dam, as we leave the lock
A look back at The Dalles Dam, lock, and Mount Hood, as we proceed east to Pasco A closer look at the controls for operating the ship The two knobs at the bottom control the direction of thrust of the aft Z-Drives. The Z-Drives provide 75% of the ship's propulsion. They can thrust in any direction. The upper knob controls the bow thruster, which can thrust in two directions, left or right. The American Empress docked at Sacajawea State Park in Pasco
We docked at Sacajawea State Park in Pasco, Washington The Reach Museum, in Richland, Washington (near Pasco) The Reach Museum Inside the Reach Museum, which has exhibits on the natural history and human history of the region
A Reach Museum docent prepares to talk to us On the map behind the docent is the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers. After we left Pasco, we traveled east on the Snake River. Another map of the confluence. Hanford is about 35 miles north along the Columbia River. The Reach Museum has exhibits on the Manhattan Project and the Hanford Site, where plutonium was made for the Nagasaki atom bomb and the cold war
Hanford's B Reactor produced plutonium from 1944 to 1968 Info on Hanford's B Reactor, which produced plutonium from 1944 to 1968 If you lived in Hanford, a sense of humor was helpful! Churchill's famous 'Iron Curtain' speech, presaging the cold war, was delivered at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, in 1946
Sacajawea State Park The Sacajawea Museum, in Sacajawea State Park Carol and Mom at the Sacajawea Museum Carol and Mom at the Sacajawea Museum
An exhibit on Sacagawea's contributions to the Lewis and Clark Expedition The presence of Sacagawea and her baby signalled the expedition's friendly intentions to the many Indian tribes they encountered For a time, two Nez Perce chiefs accompanied the explorers Sacagawea was the only member of the expedition who could interpret Shoshone, her first language
Sacagawea shared her knowledge of the local roots and herbs with the expedition members Emma Tendoy was the great granddaughter of Chief Cameahwait, who was Sacagawea's brother. Sacagawea and her brother had an emotional reunion when the expedition reached Shoshone lands. Cameahwait supplied horses to the expedition, so they could cross the Rocky Mountains with their supplies. An artist's impression of Sacagawea reaching the Pacific Ocean A canoe in Sacajawea Park
After visiting Sacajawea Park, it is time to reboard our ship All aboard! We will cruise the Snake River to Lewiston, our last stop The Nez Perce National Historical Park Visitor Center, near Lewiston, Idaho Another view of the visitor center and nearby hills
An exhibit showing Nez Perce village life. Also notice the canoe below the mural. A cradleboard, similar to what Sacagawea would have used Below the visitor center are trails leading to what's left of a former Nez Perce village Somewhere down there is the Nez Perce village site. Alas, I didn't have time to check it out.
Downtown Lewiston, Idaho Downtown Lewiston, Idaho The Nez Perce County Historical Museum, in Lewiston Another view of the museum. Behind it is the original territorial capital house.
Also next to the museum is the Heritage House Another view of the Heritage House A docent talks about the Heritage House A room in the Heritage House
This statue of Sacajawea used to sit atop a fountain in Pioneer Park, which is in Lewiston Now the fountain has a bronze statue of Sacajawea. Also, the cement coyotes were replaced with bronze coyotes. More info on the Sacajawea Fountain in Pioneer Park An old trolley car next to the museum
Inside the territorial capital house. On the left is the first governor of the Idaho Territory, William H. Wallace, who was appointed by his friend, Abraham Lincoln. Governor Wallace made Lewiston the first capital of the territory. The residents of Boise did not like this choice. Wallace soon resigned the governorship and served in the U.S. House of Representatives The capital of the Idaho Territory was soon moved to Boise
This is a replica of Governor Wallace's desk. The original is in Boise! Info about Governor Wallace's desk Back on board the ship, we are entertained Mom and Dad enjoy dinner in the ship's main dining room
The next day, we disembarked from the ship and took a bus to a hotel in Spokane, Washington. This is Riverfront Park, by the Spokane River. The Spokane Falls in Riverfront Park The Spokane Falls in Riverfront Park The Spokane Falls in Riverfront Park
The following day, we visited the Historic Flight Foundation, a museum located at Felts Field, an airport in Spokane North American Aviation T-6 'Texan' advanced trainer for fighter pilots North American Aviation T-6 'Texan' advanced trainer for fighter pilots Added fuel tanks enabled WWII fighter aircraft to accompany heavy bombers deep into Germany
The Hamilton Metalplane provided the first transcontinental airline service The Hamilton Metalplane provided the first transcontinental airline service The Grumman Bearcat, the last piston-engine fighter of WWII The Grumman Bearcat, the last piston-engine fighter of WWII
This Douglas DC-3 is fully restored to flying condition Bing Crosby grew up in this house, which he donated to Gonzaga University, his alma mater Alas, the Crosby House was not open for tours due to Covid-19 Bing Crosby attended Gonzaga University for three years, but did not earn a degree
Gonzaga University is a Jesuit school Mom and Dad at Gonzaga University Carol at Gonzaga University Gonzaga College was founded in 1887
Mom, Dad, and Carol at Gonzaga University The Crosby Student Center at Gonzaga University A mobile robot patrols the campus A mobile robot patrols the campus
Bing Crosby was granted an honorary doctorate in 1937 We had lunch at the Nordstrom cafe in the River Park Mall After lunch, we saw a movie (The Jungle Cruise) at the mall Before the movie, I dashed across the street to this visitor center, where I obtained information on the geology of eastern Washington. I needed this info so I could make plans to explore the area.
A view of the Riverfront Park, just across the street from the River Park Mall I returned to the River Park Mall before the movie started The next day, Mom, Dad, and Carol flew back home. I stayed an extra day, because I wanted to explore the channeled scablands of eastern Washington, which were created by the Missoula Floods at the end of the last Ice Age. These are the McFarlane Giant Current Ripples. This is a giant pothole on the Bisson Road Scabland, created by the Missoula Floods
A view of the channeled scablands along U.S. Highway 2 The Dry Falls were created by the Missoula Floods at the end of the last Ice Age The Dry Falls are 3 1/2 miles wide and over 400 feet tall Only a portion of the Dry Falls can be seen at any one place
More of the Dry Falls can be seen in the distance When filled with Ice Age flood waters, the Dry Falls were the largest waterfall on Earth The Dry Falls cut across the Grand Coulee (coulees are dry channels) The Dry Falls, created by Ice Age floods
Glacial Lake Missoula in Montana was formed by an Ice Age dam. When this dam broke, a wall of water up to 1,000 feet high tore through the land, creating the channeled scablands of eastern Washington. An artist's depiction of what the Dry Falls might have looked like during the last Ice Age flood The visitor center was closed that day Professor Bretz was the first geologist to realize the channeled scablands were created by enormous Ice Age floods. It took him 40 years to convince a skeptical scientific community!
The Dry Falls sit at the head of the Lower Grand Coulee The Dry Falls as seen from below, in a campground The Dry Falls as seen from below, in a campground Looking up at the Dry Falls
The Dry Falls cut across the Grand Coulee, dividing it into upper and lower sections After leaving the Dry Falls, I drove south along the Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway (SR 17). There are pretty lakes along this highway. A lake by the Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway A lake by the Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway
At Soap Lake, I turned east onto SR 28 and headed back to Spokane. Along the way, I photographed more scabland. Channeled scabland along SR 28 Channeled scabland along SR 28

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