Soaring at 31,000 feet over eastern Washington and Idaho and using the magic of a global information network beamed wirelessly to act as your own tour guide for the fascinating terrain unrolling beneath you.
We drove out of the high desert and down the Columbia gorge yesterday, my little camera clicking away like mad, and then I had the bonus of climbing out over the same terrain this morning, headed the other way and recognizing a lot of the same landmarks from the air. Can hardly wait to get home and hook up the camera.
I did a seminar presentation about the Channeled Scablands back in grad school (never finished) and a buddy piped up when I announced it "I think they have a lotion for that now."
ReplyDeleteIf that interested you look up: Lake Bonneville
ReplyDeleteHere's the money quote:
"It is estimated that this breach released 1,000 cubic miles (4,200 km3) of water in the first few weeks. "
Yikes. THAT would have been something to observe, from Orbit.
Longer quote from Wikipedia:
About 14,500 years ago, the lake level fell catastrophically as Lake Bonneville overflowed near Red Rock Pass, Idaho and washed away a natural dam formed by opposing overlapping alluvial fans. The lake level fell some 105 m (344 ft) to what is now the next lower bench (the "Provo level") in a flood that geologists estimate to have lasted up to a year. It is estimated that this breach released 1,000 cubic miles (4,200 km3) of water in the first few weeks.
Fortunately I grew up there, and happen to be back for a visit currently. Good thing I did not know about the match, I might have broken my "Never going to a match" vow simply to meet my soul mate in person! Or at least had you travel further down the Gorge to come help us in our never ending quest to rid the countryside of Belding's Ground Squirrel.
ReplyDeleteIt is the most fun a shooter can have with his/her clothes on!
Glad you're back home okay. Looking forward to the pics!
ReplyDeleteHope you liked our neck of the woods...Eastern Washington/Oregon and the Columbia Gorge certainly have their own type of scenic beauty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the North Wet is beautiful. Living now in flat and dry Kansas I miss the mountains and the wonderful summers.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't miss the denizens of Portland one bit.
So many coast-to-coast flights I've looked down and wished I could walk or ride (a horse or motorcycle) the land.
ReplyDeleteIt's been about 30 years ago, but I remember the Columbia gorge area as very beautiful. Can't wait to see your take on it. And I'm always riveted to the window in flights, thought I absolutely detest being in an airplane. So amazing to see so much, and it feels like a cheat to see it all at such remove. A big fan of the road trip, I.
ReplyDeleteI took a coast-to-coast flight 14 years ago... 45min stop in DFW on the way out, so I can say I was in TX, but I had the aisle seat. My sister got all the view. I wouldn't flyover again... I'd drive and take any opportunity to actually see the country.
ReplyDeleteHmmm....I actually live in Glacial Lake Missoula.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a popular (in the good sense) geology book about that area, I recommend "Glacial Lake Missoula and its Humongous Floods."
ReplyDeleteYou might notice from the air that the James River in South Dakota is too small for its valley. That is the route glacial Lake Agassiz took when the ice dam broke 12,000 years or so ago. Much smaller and a one-time event, apparently, but the river's valley was cut in a week or so.
LittleRed1
May I presume that you took my advice to divert around the east side of Mount Hood on your way back to P-town? (or had you already planned said diversion?)
ReplyDelete