We always take our grandchildren on "an adventure" for their birthday. When they are older we take them on camping/backpacking trips These grandchildren are a bit too young for that, so we took them on a camper trip. Last year we took Camille, Tyler, and Shelby on a camper trip to the Discovery Museum in The Dalles. They had a great time, so we decided to take the next younger set on the same adventure.
We left Oregon City and drove directly to The Dalles, parked in the parking lot and ate lunch. What could be more fun than peanut butter sandwiches on pink plates in a camper mounted on Rado.
The museum appeals to adults and children alike. The kids get several sheets of paper with pictures on them and the kids are supposed to wander throughout the displays and find the artifact. When all the artifacts have been found, the child can return the papers to the front desk, and then choose a small reward from the gift shop. The rewards have been small glass blown animals like a bug or frog or whatever, about the size of a table grape. The kids love them and then lose them after about two weeks. When we took Tyler in 2015, he got a frog. A year later, he was wearing his junior ranger tactical vest and found his frog in one of the pockets.
Here are the kids (and me) sitting on a carved wooden sturgeon with their sheets of paper.
This mastodon was at the entrance of the "ancient primeval world" Gretchen did not want to get near it. We had to advance beyond it by going a back way.
A replica of a dugout out canoe that likely is similar to one carved by the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Our very own pioneer children.
Here Logan is putting together a wooden puzzle.
This is a barge that needs to be loaded up with all of the belongings a pioneer family might have. Will it survive the rapids of the Columbia River? Probably not.
At the end of the afternoon we loaded up the kids and drove west toward Portland. Our goal was the Koberg State Park rest area. There is a nice place where one can park a camper and spend the night. Koberg State Park is the location of a recreational area that in the early 1920's was a playground for the inhabitants of Hood River. There was swimming, an amusement park, a dance pavilion. I think it was the place to be for the young and restless to be on a summer night.
All that is there now is a gravel beach and lapping waves from the river. There is an Indian platform from which native Americans can fish and also some fish traps out in the water.
A photo of our young and restless
Logan is filling up the river with rocks.
Dinner. Pasta Roni Noodles!!! Everybodys favorite.
Bedtime. What can be cuter than grandkids in bed.
Morning!
Breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes!
The morning's activity was to hike to the top of Beacon Rock, certainly a rite of passage for all children. There was just one problem with the trail.
What to do? This solves everything.
Everyone had a great time. We'll do it again.
So fun!
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