The drive from Portland to Kennewick today took us right up the Colombia River which is a very pretty drive. We planned our route before we left this time (smile). So, it was easy to get out of town.
Onto 5, across the river into Washington (Colette’s first entry), then east on the 14 a bit, then south across the river again on 205 where we picked up the 84 going east and we were off. And it all went like clockwork – unlike last night’s adventures coming into Portland.
We began the drive in rain and low visibility; classic Pacific Northwest weather. But, as we drove east, the rain eased off as the landscpe changed from evergreen forests and waterfalls, just beside the road, to open lava filled ridges with few trees rising high about the wide Colombia. We passed two hydroelectric large damsand I told Colette about the dams and the decline of the once great Salmon stocks.
Mile after mile of the Colombia Valley rolled by.
Then I remembered the story of “Kennewick Man” and shared it with Colette.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennewick_Man
We jumped off the 84 in The Dalles and had a look around the town. I told her about the salad bar poisoning committed in the town by the Rajneeshees in about 1984 that led to the final breakup of the Ranjneesh Commune, Rajnesshpuram, near Antelope, Oregon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Rajneeshee_bioterror_attack
I was a follower of Bhagwan Shree Rejneesh during the early eighties so I had followed all of this quite closely at the time. Indeed, I had attened the summer festivals at Rajneeshpuran from 1981 through 1984. And an amazing experience it was.
We drove on and arrived in Kennewick at Rose’s place without incident around 3 pm in the afternoon.
For those who may not know, Rose was my first wife. She and I were married from 1968 to 1979 and had two sons; Dan and Chris. Some folks ight think it oodd, but after all these years, she and I are still close friends. Indeed, Colette and I are here at her invitation to spend Thanksgiving with her and her sister, Alice, and a large extended family of people; many of who I’ve known since I was 21 so many years ago.
We arrived and hugs were passed out and introductions made.
Alice just moved down from Alaska about six months ago after being there for many years and this was the first time I’d seen her since the late sixties.
Chris, my younger son, and his girlfriend, Nikki, were due in a few hours. They were driving over from the Seattle area, so we sat and visited while awaiting their arrival which they did an hour or so later.
First night’s reunion’s done, we all turned in to rest up for the ‘big feed’ of an American Thanksgiving meal.
dennis