Friday, July 17

We woke up and took full advantage of having a kitchen to make eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns for breakfast. Then we went to the Columbia River Discovery Center Museum and learned a little bit about the geology, biology, and history of the Columbia River.

Then, we were lucky enough to get there just in time to see a raptor show. The museum takes in birds which cannot be released back into the wild, and shows them to the public in order to teach about birds of prey. We saw a red-tailed hawk, an american kestrel, and a great horned owl.

Then, we headed to Horsethief Park for lunch, and a special trip to visit the petroglyphs there. Some of the petroglyphs were removed from sites that were flooded by the Dalles Dam, but with special permission, we were able to see another site where all the petroglyphs are in their original locations. The most striking of these petroglyphs is She Who Watches.

One of the best parts of this trip is the opportunity to see things like She Who Watches, and visit places that I would never be able to go to otherwise. Seeing these glimpses into the cultural heritage of my children, is always a great excitement.