The Adventure Has Begun!

After an arduous train ride from Jacksonville, Florida to Dyer, Indiana; I have finally arrived in Astoria, Oregon! The train ride was extremely long...hampered by track problems, schedule delays and the train also hit a person outside of Cincinatti, Ohio. I doubt I will ever travel the rails again to see our great country...I will spend the money and fly. BTW it is very hard to see the countryside in the middle of the night when it is pitch black outside.
My roommate has also arrived; so the adventure is beginning! I met Marnie Rawles on the Pacific Coast Ride I was on last summer. We should have a great time this summer as well. Slowly but surely the other riders are showing up. We are staying at the Lamplighter Motel, 131 W. Marine Drive, Astoria, OR. I am in Room 103.

As we waited for more people to arrive, Marnie, her friend Diana and myself went to the "Astoria Column" which is located on the top of the hillside and offers a panoramic view of the City of Astoria and also the meeting of the Columbia River, the Lewis & Clark River and the Young River. What an awesome sight! The Astoria Column is a tower which contains 163 steps which you can climb to get to the viewing deck at the top. All of us climbed the tower, but Marnie flew up the stairs without out even breaking a sweat. Diana and I took a leisurely pace up to the top. I have to say the view was worth the climb.

Close up of the Astoria Column

 The Astoria Column which contains 163 steps to the viewing deck on top.

 View # 1 Bridge

 View # 2 Rivers

 View # 3 More Rivers

 View # 4 Even More River

 View # 5 Look at the tanker barges just lined up like ducks in a row!

Tonight, June 2, 2011, 10 of us went to diner at "Drina Daisy Bosnian Restaurant", 915 Commerical Street in downtown Astoria. The food was delicious. It was like being back in Sarajevo...As usual, being the carnivore that I am, I had the spring lamb...it was marvelous! Just take a look at one of the meals that was served...yummy! I didn't have time to take a picture of my meal...I ate it too fast! :-)

Tomorrow the rest of the riders will arrive and final preparations will be made before we start our loop ride to Seaside, Oregon on Saturday, June 4, 2011.