2009 Life Members Tours

                       Life Members Tours Choices

                              September 22, 2009

Tours for the Life Members and their spouses will be on Tuesday September 22, 2009. Tours are designed to offer a variety of peeks into the Oregon and Northwest Experience.
 

Tour No 1: Mount St Helens and the Forestry Center

            Mount St Helens provides an impressive experience in the devastating and healing forces of nature; See up close how the 1980 eruption changed the landscape and how the landscape is responding. Pictures cannot do justice to the feeling of the volcano. The Forestry Center tracks changes in forest management practices from the 1830 have to present day management and use.

            Light walking.

Tour No. 2: Gardens, Zoo and the Big House

            A pair of unique gardens add color to this tour. The International Rose Garden is a rose lover's dream. Actually comprised of six rose gardens including the International Rose Test Garden, you're sure to find a flower of color and beauty to match your dreams while overlooking Portland and Mt Hood. Then up the hill, visit the Japanese Gardens, featuring five different Japanese styled gardens design to offer peace and serenity. Beautiful photo ops. The Washington Park Zoo is home to the most successful elephant breeding program anywhere but also features displays of animals in natural setting. The Pittock Mansion is nestled 1000 feet above the Portland skyline and offers an architectural wonder built with features decades ahead of its time.

            Moderate to heavy walking but worth the effort.

Tour No. 3: Oregon Coast, Seaside and Astoria

            Travel through tall timbers, take a peek at old logging equipment at Camp 18, and then swing into Seaside and its famous Boardwalk on the shoreline. Lewis and Clark spent a winter in the neighborhood. See where and how they made salt from the sea; visit Fort Clatsop where they spent the winter before heading back across the wilderness. Fort Stevens reveals the defenses used during WWII in the only place in the continental US to actually be fired upon by the Japanese and just a short distance across the sand to the wreck of the Peter Iredale, a four masted ship that has been a landmark for 102 years. Then on to Astoria to climb the Astoria Column, beautifully covered in artwork that would stretch 500 feet if unwound. The 125 foot column sits high upon a 600 foot hill offering a dramatic view of the mouth of the Columbia River, Mt Rainer and more.

Tour No. 4: Columbia Gorge and Stern -Wheeler Tour of the River

            The Scenic Gorge Highway parallels the interstate but it takes you back 100 years in time in a restful journey. The old highway has artfully created bridges and railings and tops at Crown Point with its vista views of the Columbia Gorge past many of the 77 named waterfalls in the next 20 miles including Bridal Veil, Horsetail and Multnomah Falls, the second highest in the nation and past the Oneonta Gorge, a beautiful narrow canyon that is a botanist's dream with its many one of a kind species. Then to the Bonneville Dam, first powerhouse built on the River and done as work project to create jobs during the Depression. Then board the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler at Cascade Locks and take a different view and tour of the River and its history. Close out at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery come face to face (literally) with 10 foot sturgeon in their view pond and see the salmon harvest for the hatchery.

Tour No. 5: Museums, Chinese Gardens and the Portland Underground.

            Take a guided tour of the Chinese Garden, completely hand built by 3,000 Chinese artisans in rock, wood and plants and animals. Beautiful, peaceful... totally designed to stimulate and relax the five senses (go barefoot and massage your feet on the stone walk). Then the Oregon Historical Museum which plans many special displays to highlight Oregon's Sesquicentennial (150th anniversary). Then, come over to the Dark Side...visit Portland's Underground and a revealing piece about former "recruiting techniques" for sailors and for bootlegging. Finally, balance the bad with beauty at the Portland Art Museum, featuring many famous local art displays plus many of the grand masters.

Tour No. 6: Wineries, Nurseries and Spruce Goose

            Sandwich a nursery visit by stops at two wineries and learn about one of the fastest growing ag industries in the state as wine makers discover the rich soils and grape conducing climates of Oregon. Conclude the day's activities with an afternoon at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, a grand display of historic air and space craft under roof including a new IMAX theater for the sensation of catching air without leaving the ground. Plus compare aviation giants  and see how they are dwarfed by the famous HK-1 flying boat dubbed the "Spruce Goose," the world's largest airplane ever assembled and flown.