October, 2025
This last afternoon here at Beacon Rock State Park, I took that same drive along the Columbia River that I took when I discovered Catherine Creek. But THIS drive was early in the afternoon instead of in the morning, so the sun was not in my eyes nor in the eyes of my camera. 🙂
This drive was about an hour, maybe a little more, each way, an hour or so out and an hour or so back. Let me share the video below of just 10 minutes of the drive … through lovely forests along the river at first, and then right up along the edge of the Columbia River itself. You’ll see how little traffic there is on this side of the river, the Washington State side. On the other side, the Oregon State side, there is a major four-lane speedy highway where almost all of the large truck traffic is and where most of the car traffic is too. So this two-lane slower road on the northern side, the Washington side, is quieter and calmer. Nevertheless, you’ll see an occasional large semi rig in this video.
You can also watch the environment change, the trees and the understory change, as I drive out of wet “western” Washington and into arid “eastern” Washington.
You’ll also see that there is usually no shoulder to pull off onto if you need to stop. Every so often there is a wide spot, but they usually aren’t very long … most of those wide spots are not long enough for a semi truck or a pickup truck pulling an RV, etc. So, most drivers choose to travel on the big highway on the southern, Oregon side, of the river. And, to my mind, that makes this northern side of the river so much nicer!
I thought about adding music to the video below but I might like different music than you like, so please turn on some music that you like so you can listen to it, and then start this 10-minute video and enjoy the drive.
Feel free to play the video in YouTube if that’s better for you and your device. And please do be sure to enlarge the video so it plays full-screen for you. Ok, start your music. I like this music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-_lKsNyAks. RIGHT click on that link and then choose “Open Link in New Window”, then let the ads play or stop them, but then let the music start. THEN come back to this webpage and start the video below, enlarge it to full screen … and then let’s go for a drive! If an ad pops up on that music website, just go back there and click on “SKIP”.
Notice the railway is on your right hand side in this video. But pay attention. At the end of the video, the railway is on your left. How’d that happen?
I stopped a few places along that drive, but didn’t spend much time in any one place. This was my last day here, my last afternoon, so I wanted to get back to the trailer and tidy up so I would be ready to hitch up in the morning and head home.
There was a nice sunset this evening. I took one photo … looking through the trees at the pink/orange sky. Maybe not the best of photos, but it’s a nice memory. 🙂
And then in the morning I took this one last photo below, before hitching up. It was so pretty here! A little road noise during the day from the highway, but absolutely no noise at night. This is now one of my favorite campgrounds and campsites. Ha! I always say that don’t I?
I love camping in the Pacific Northwest. Nothin’ finer. 🙂
Also want to include a note here from your blog Administrator (that would be me) … during the past month we’ve had ten new subscribers to the blog. Ten! That’s super duper. 🙂 I love it. Welcome everyone!! And thank you!! Please read along as you wish, and please do comment as you wish. A blog is “social” media, so please share your thoughts and ideas. Click on photos to enlarge them if you’re on a system/device that allows that. Turn your sound on for videos. And please do play your favorite music while you read and look at the photos, and sit back and enjoy this journey that I’m on. We are all in this world together … where are you in this world? Where have you been? What have YOU seen? I’d love to hear all about it including if you have a blog/vlog to share. Thank you, all of you, for being here and supporting this blog. Little Towhee, that bird, thanks you too. 🙂
Oh, yes, thank you! I love that drive, haven’t been on it for years, but that’s one of my favorite drives.
Thanks Greg. It’s become one of mine too.
What a nice drive. And no I couldn’t tell when the railway switched from right to left. Do you know, did you see it?
Well, no, I didn’t know at first, Lori … I was just driving and then suddenly realized the railway was on my left! What?! When did that happen? But when I drove back to my campsite, along that same road but in the other direction, then I noticed when the railway went right under the roadway. Super cool.
I kinda like that sweet little sunset picture. Just a simple thing.
Nice drive today! Thanks.
You’re welcome, Ben. 🙂
I watched the video with Penny sitting next to me. OK. On top of me, as she likes to do. She was mesmerized. She says she wants to go on a car ride out there someday.
Bring Penny and go for a drive!
Love that sunset through the tree. Wonderful drive!
Thanks Emily. 🙂
The tunnels are great, interesting terrain. I watched the video three time and finally nabbed the spot where the train crosses to the left. Fun stuff. 🙂
Ah YES!! You got it. Thanks Joe. 🙂
The change in plantlife is stunning, as in your last blog post about Catherine Creek. It changes so fast where you are, in just a mile or two. I suppose it’s because of the mountains there in Washington. In the midwest they dont’ have REAL mountains, same on the east coast. But the west, big mountains that block clouds and rain from coming in, they’re the norm. Really great drive. I loved the music. 🙂 Thank you.
Thanks Ruby. Yes, the plantlife changes really quickly here, from west to east. Trees and undergrowth and other plants too change in just a mile or two. And I’d bet birds and insects and other critters change too. The Cascade Mountain range in Washington and Oregon (and up in Canada too) are huge mountains and affect the weather and environment stupendously.
Glad you loved the music, it’s one of my favorites.
What a great time you had camping here and what a great tour you took us on. Thank you. Loved the video and the sunset photo and the sweet photo of the truck and trailer. Your attitude about life and people and plants and birds and insects sure inspires me to do the same. Let’s care for each other.
Oh June yes, “let’s care for each other”. Please everyone do that, take care of the people in your neighborhood, your town, your city. We care about trees and birds, let’s care about each other. Thanks June, you are super. 🙂
We usually watch your blog on Fridays when you first post them but this week we were out of town with only our cell phones and we did NOT want to watch that video on our cell phones! Glad we waited until we got home today and could watch it on a large screen. Especially when you post a video, we watch your blog on our large screen TV which has internet access, and watch and read while we eat dinner. It’s a great Friday evening happening! We love your blog, your travels, your kindness, your inquisitiveness. Keep on! 🙂
Smart decision, Lisa. That video of the drive should be watched on a good-sized screen, not on a small one, and not even a tablet, just doesn’t do the country justice, does it? How nice of you to say that and help other folks watching here. I’ve watched other blogs/vlogs on my laptop when I’m camping, but it’s just not the same as watching on a real computer/screen. And yet, I have a HUGE tv screen here at home, and I have not set it up to watch internet blogs … guess I better do that! Thanks Lisa. I will keep on! 🙂