Birthday Vacation: The End

We had a full day planned with Will and family out and about Umatilla. We got out early and headed for Hat Rock SP. It is named for this unusual basalt pillar that rises above the landscape. It was noted in the journals of Lewis and Clark when they passed by in 1805. Clark said that it resembled a hat. (We are not sure what kind of hat he meant).

 

We took the short hike up to the rock. Magnus shows where a hat goes.

Down by the river there were lots of geese that loved bread. The kids also really liked throwing things in the faster currant.

Magnus really got along with his cousins.

Wearing Hat Rock: 

In the afternoon we headed up to Walla Walla, WA to the Whitman Mission NHS, where the earliest Christian missionaries settled in the Oregon Territory. They helped to establish the Oregon Trail and teach the natives. Due to fear and misunderstandings, the settlers were massacred and a memorial was latter built. It is an interesting little park that has a portion of the actual Oregon Trail, the area with the settlement, and the memorial tower on the hill. We told Magnus that the tower was built to remember the people that died. He took that to heart and still talks about how, “people died…built a tower.”

Heading back, we stopped by the Twin Sisters, another cool formation along the river gorge cliffs. The legend associated with them is on the sign, it is a little weird.

We played with some big bubbles at Will’s house. The kids loved it…

And the mommies loved the momentary rest.

We left Sunday, but got some nice family pictures:

We stopped briefly in The Dalles to see a Lewis and Clark campsite they stayed at coming and going called Rock Fort. I had recently learned about it and we had some trouble finding it. Even though it is the actual spot they camped, there is very little information on how to find it. I got Magnus to pretend he was one of the famous explorers (like on the sign).

We made it home fine that evening and we had a great time on our trip. Thank you, Will and Courtney, for letting us stay with you!