A FAMILY REUNION AND THE BONNEVILLE DAM - VANCOUVER WA.

Hi gang, if this seems a bit late you’re right. A few weeks ago I came down with an infected lung and it has been pretty debilitating. Fortunately it is improving although slowly and I am about back on form. So here is our next adventure for you. We hope you enjoy it.

August 4 – 8, 2010



Wednesday morning we were about to head out to the Portland, OR, area where we had planned to park at the Elks Lodge in Portland, but Fran didn’t think too much of that Elks Lodge and suggested we consider the Elks Lodge in Vancouver, WA. instead. A quick check on the Google Earth site showed an excellent campsite and parking area there and besides our friends the Wolfes would be staying at the Roadmaster yard in Vancouver for a few days. BTW, driving through Portland in a motorhome is not for the faint of heart; with narrow lanes, many twists and turns and numerous on and off ramps, but we made it to the Vancouver Elks campground in good shape with no mishaps.

Our stay in the Portland area was primarily to visit with George’s sister Nancy Hyde and niece Robin Duke and her family. Robin had taken a job with the Corps of Engineers Bonneville Lock and Dam some forty miles upstream on the Columbia River from Portland and offered us a “behind the scenes” tour of the Dam and Power Houses on Friday, an offer we were quick to accept.


Meanwhile we visited the ROADMASTER facility where Brett would help Wayne Welles test a new system they have developed on his coach. We have known Wayne for some 12 years and followed his career as a development Engineer with IPD Corp. to his current position as development Engineer with Roadmaster, one of the major suppliers of motorhome appliances. Roadmaster had been based in Portland and when they looked into expanding their facility Vancouver offered many more incentives than Portland, so a few years ago they built three major buildings and moved their entire workforce across the river to Vancouver, WA. After work that evening Wayne took us all to his golf course clubhouse for dinner.


Thursday we found our favorite Old German Deli and after an excellent luncheon Fran bought some of their “Old Country” Lieberkase (Meat Loaf) and various fixin’s for “Rouladen,” rolled beef with spices; mmmm mmmm good! That evening Fran found a local Sushi restaurant on the internet that was celebrating their 20th anniversary and had reduced all sushi plates to only $1.00. Such a deal we couldn’t resist and yup, it was good.

Friday morning we met niece Robin Duke at the BONNEVILLE DAM AND LOCK and she soon had us signed in with badges and hard hats. After a cursory look at the Dam and Locks Robin introduced us to the Chief Maintenance Engineer, Buck Ober, who took us into the 75 year old No.1 power house with 10 huge water turbine powered generators.

Since one of the turbines was being rebuilt and had been dewatered he invited us to go down into the depths of the unit to see the actual turbine! Oh my God, we were going down 72 feet below the reservoir water level and even 3 feet below the water level of the Pacific Ocean!

This is an opportunity that only happens every 50+ years and we were very fortunate to be here at the right time. We all kept a straight face but I am sure we all wondered about the gates holding back all that water. A tiny temporary elevator soon had us down, one by one into the huge circular, and still wet, water chamber which led to the massive turbine vanes. Inside the turbine a man was working, checking the enormous bolts for the turbine wheel; somehow they had set up a temporary overhead crane to handle these very heavy bolts.

 I think he was glad to see us as it seemed to be a lonely place to work. Buck then asked if we would like to go further down into the draft tube below the turbine, an offer which we respectfully declined. Back up in the operating area we were taken into the control room and introduced to Brian, the chief operator who was all alone operating two power houses and many megawatts of power. If anything goes wrong, this is the man who has to handle the situation - plenty of responsibility for a young man.

After all this activity we retired to the Skamania Lodge in Washington for an excellent lunch on their outdoor deck overlooking the river on a beautiful day. (I guess not all days in Oregon are dismal and dank). After lunch we continued our tour through the fish ladder display where an employee counts the fish passing up and down the river and also separates them by species. We left Robin and Buck with many thanks for an exciting tour of the facility. Later that evening, in our coach back at the Elks Lodge, Robin and Buck joined us for one of Fran’s wonderful German dinners.

Saturday we were joined by our son Gordon who came to Portland for an Ice skating presentation and was staying at an airport hotel nearby. This was really a fortuitous happening as we enjoy seeing our son, especially so far from home.

We were off to breakfast (I know, eating again!) and then we were off to the JAPANESE GARDEN in Portland’s Mt. Washington Park;, however, since Robin had recommended a fantastic meat market on Killingsworth Blvd, we stopped by GARTNER’S MEAT MARKET on our way and were astounded at the size of the market and the crowds waiting to buy some of their beautiful looking meats and dozens of different kinds of sausages. There had to be 15 or more countermen and perhaps three dozen customers.

 Fran was number 46 (when we walked in, they were serving number 22) but we don’t know where they started. One young customer said that he lived nearby and had been a customer for many years; he said this crowd was quite normal, every day except Monday, when they are closed. Have you seen a real meat market lately?

The Japanese Garden has been carved out of the hillside in Washington Park and is really inspiring with many meditation settings and restful paths among all the Japanese style trees and topiary.

Of course there are a number of Coastal Redwood trees mixed in which are not really Japanese but it is all a part of the beauty of the park.

Saturday evening Robin and sister Nancy Hyde met us at the very German Gustav’s Pub and Grill, where we enjoyed good food, good conversation and a grand reunion.

Sunday morning we will be off to the Revconeer Rally in Madras, OR, so that is all for now 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later, folks

Gordon and Robin