river world

Saturday morning they called me early to ask if I could work. I was still asleep when the phone rang (long night of broken sleep) and was unable to disguise it which makes me crazy. I wish there was a pill I could take or an exercise I could do to sound instantly, perkily awake. (I suppose I could keep a bucket of ice around and dump it on my head, but that seems like too much planning, too much work.) ANYWAY  - long story not much shorter, I didn't go to work on Saturday, but I decided that since I didn't I should have an adventure instead.


I rousted the usual suspects and after much dithering, we decided on the river. Rooster Rock is one of the first places we landed - I'd never been there before! As you can see, the river was a good choice.


It was foggy and atmospheric. There was hardly anyone else there.


In the summer, all of the many parking lots are full, full, FULL - but not today.  There are alleyways of trees between all the asphalt. I'm sure they're lovely in the summer, but differently from how they're lovely in the winter.


I walked down one million steep steps to get to this. As always with one million steep steps, it was fine on the way down. I wanted a helicopter for the return, but I had to climb back up instead.

I am 100% bananas for the colors in this photo - the little bit of orange, the blue, the wet wood.

I think the tide was in.


Here's more. I didn't see too many birds, but that was probably due to my lack of stealthiness. ("How many freaking stairs are there, anyway?" and "oooh, look at that! No, THAT!" etc.)


I love the fog on the water. I know it's just a thing that happens all the time, but I have to tell you in all the times I've seen the Columbia river ( a lot of times!) I've never seen it look quite like this.