The Next Adventure: Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, The Dalles, Oregon.

Yesterday we took a trip to The Dalles, Oregon. We visited the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Museum. I like to do some homeschooling with the kids in addition to their regular public schooling, and we have been studying the Oregon trail lately and talking about the pioneers. This museum had quite a bit of information about the Oregon Trail, as well as the first explorers of the pacific northwest, Lewis and Clark. There was even a kids room where they could dress up in period clothing and climb into a boat to pretend to be in "The Corps of Discovery" with Lewis and Clark.

The museum also had exhibits on the ice age, as well as skipping ahead to the early 1900's with the inventions of telephones and cars.

They offered a great "Raptor" Show featuring a Red Tailed Hawk, and an Owl. We sat in the front row and were feet from the presenter and the birds. It was fascinating to see these birds up close and Makai asked a few questions about the birds. We really learned a lot.

Here is Asher being an Archeologist.

A family floating down the Columbia in a covered wagon.

There were clothes to dress up in to join the pioneers, Makai wanted to be the girl.

Here we are trying to make a decision.

The "Point of Decision" in The Dalles, is the place where the Pioneers who had finally made it to Oregon, but are not quite to the settlement area in Oregon City, had to decide whether to risk damaging their wagons or injuring themselves or their livestalk by crossing the steep mountain passes following the "Barlow Road" or to make a raft and risk drowning or losing all of their belongings into the massive Columbia river while floating down it, making for a faster trip and avoiding the mountains.

There was also a great hiking trail outside the museum where we could see some of the actual wagons that were used, as well as Tepee poles. We took a walk and the boys played in the tall grass. We discovered a very large black beetle on the trail and we were all checking him out and wondering why he stood there with his butt in the air, when Asher suddenly picked up his foot and stomped right on him. Oops. I guess Asher is not a fan of large bugs.

The museum was wonderful and we had such a great time. This is a must see for anyone who is in the Northern Oregon area!

After we finished at the museum we decided to check out a nearby park where Brandon had seen on the map that it had a disc golf course (his hobby). The park was way up on a hill overlooking the city, and the sun came out as we were leaving the museum making it a beautiful sight. The park also had a great wooden play structure, or "castles" as the boys like to call them. So as Brandon got in a round of disc golf, the boys played on the playground, and I got to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and read a book. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!