Perspective

Rowena Crest Viewpoint. A beautiful, spectacular spot, 800 feet above the river, easily accessible on my daily commute from Hood River to The Dalles. Looking upriver at the Columbia as it enters the eastern Gorge: a landscape defined and shaped by geology that predates humans by millions of years, and which will be here for millennia to come.

Formed by massive lava flows millions of years ago, and subsequently carved out over multiple ice ages by incredible floods (at max, 200 feet higher than this viewpoint!), this view of the Columbia River Gorge is inspiring. I make a point of stopping here often throughout the seasons, reflecting on the passing of time, the inevitable changes that time brings, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes in between, but always what we need to experience at the time. And, by far the best part: the incredible blessing of just... Being Here Now...