As we continue eastward, we are very much in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains. The short grass “Palouse” area was mentioned in the journals of Lewis and Clark for the shortage of wood for their campfires at night. The lush trees we found today were planted and irrigated in Lyons Ferry State Park and in Palouse Falls State Park. Water continued to contribute to our highlights of the day as we traveled to Palouse Falls, where the tumble of water into the massive plunge pool carve about 10,000 years ago by the Bretz Floods continues to impress us. A bookend to the falls, the calm waters of the Palouse River. There we navigated upstream winding our way through cattails, bulrushes and a bit of tree debris left by a busy beaver. In all it was a lovely, crisp fall day to be exploring in the wake of Lewis and Clark.
10/1/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Walla Walla, Washington
Today we awoke at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia River. After a quick Zodiac cruise to Sacajawea Park, we made our way through the wheat fields and rolling hills into “the town so nice, they named it twice”, Walla Walla, Washington. Many guests took the opportunity to visit the Whitman Mission, while others found their way to the Airport District, an old historic WWII Army hanger to visit Dunham Cellars for a curated wine tasting, and we even got the unique opportunity to enjoy a picture window into the harvest work happening in the cellar. Next, we all reconvened at Three Rivers Winery. We were welcomed and hosted by winemaker Holly Turner and her husband Andy. We enjoyed a beautifully catered lunch with paired wines, a cellar tour, and enjoyed the inviting landscape. Our last stop was a trip to the Fort Walla Walla Museum, or the chance to visit the historic downtown with wine tastings at three unique spots, including Mercer Estates where we savored their reserve cabernet and estate almonds. A great evening was capped off with a discussion about the Palouse earthworm and plans to enjoy the river tomorrow.