Perry

Managed to find a suitable route for a run - down to the beach & at that time a sunrise into the bargain. Preparations were underway for a stand-up surf competition but there's an eclipse to get to so no time for waiting around, particularly with all the scare stories floating around all the news shows. Plodded back and got a bonus swim in the pool. Logged onto the LFC site to listen to the match. 0-0 at half time so called time & went to brekkie. Packed & loaded - no free cookies this morning. A quick stop before hitting the road - Rowena Crest viewpoint. One final view over the Columbia - loads of cyclists on the way up - some great hairpins for them to enjoy. Time to hit the road. As we drove along the gorge the climate clearly got drier & more arid & at the same time the gorge became shallower. Eventually we said goodbye to the river and ended up on vast plains. Tedious. A couple of viewpoints broke up the monotony. One of the plains just outside Pendleton. Another at Emigrant Springs State Park where we learned about the Oregon Trail. The final stop just outside La Grande was a historic arch bridge built initially for the timber industry but which ended up being a tourist attraction. Has to be said that probably was the highlight of La Grande - there wasn't much above the high street & most of the stores seemed to be closed - eclipse hours apparently. Limited food options so back to Safeway for some microwave food - nice and cheap.Read more