Unfortunately all the scenic stops, viewpoints and waterfall trails are closed along the gorge. Another place to come back to, it is stunning. It is also still very wet outside. At one point we are pommeled with hail. We can see Washington State on the other side of the Columbia river.
Thomas Jefferson acquired Louisiana from Napoleon in 1803 and funded the famous Lewis & Clark expeditions from 1804-06 to find a route from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean. They blazed a trail connecting to the Columbia river gorge and onto the pacific providing a route for the american fur trade using what would be known as the Oregon Trail. The British however also laid claim to the Columbia river watershed in 1811 as part of their fur trade in the Columbia District and had established Fort Vancouver. For many years the "Oregon Dispute" would go on.
By the late 1840 the fur trade started to slow down due to fashion changes and the value of the area diminished for the British. Few British subjects were willing to move 2,500 km to settle in the area. The Americans were far more successful in convincing settlers with the promise of fertile lands in "the garden of the world" and by 1843 the first permanent settlers started to arrive using the Oregon Trail. In 1846 Britain and America signed the Oregon Treaty and Oregon (including what is now Washington State) was ceded to the Americans whilst still retaining good anchorage for the British in Victoria (Vancouver Island). The border was established at the 49th parallel.
We have been reading a book from a travel writer that retraced Lewis & Clark's expedition using their detailed notes. It is nice to be able to see it for ourselves now. Such a shame all the trails and historic sites are closed.
We're staying in a hotel tonight and they are kind enough to let us plug-in the trailer so we can run the fridge and spare the battery.
Today: 265km - 3h46m
Total: 29,081km - 564h57m
