Lewis & Clark Winterim 2006

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the historic Lewis and Clark journey across North America, CWA offered a unique and once of a lifetime Winterim in February 2006 that traced the final stages of the Corps of Discovery as they finally discovered the Pacific Ocean. Thirteen students and one teacher made this trek and came away with a profound appreciation of not only the Captains that lead the journey, but for each member of the Corps. The following paragraphs track our personal story.

Starting at the memorial enabled the group to make the link between the great explorer and the impact his expedition had on who we are today. Next we traveled down to Portland, Oregon for our first overnight in the Rose City. That night we dined on pizza and soda as we watched the Ken Burns spectacular documentary on the Journey of Lewis and Clark. If you have never seen this PBS show, it is a must. It really captures the essence of the expedition in an easy to view format.

On Thursday we had reservations to view the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Exhibition that was hosted by the [Link]Oregon Historical Society. Created specifically to celebrate the anniversary of the expedition, the traveling exhibit is actually a combination of both private and public artifacts that were gathered this one time to honor the journey. It is not likely that these artifacts will ever again be in one traveling exhibit. From the actual journals of Lewis and Clark to so many other amazing items, it was a moving experience. (Click here to see a Flash Player interactive viewing of the exhibit.)

From Portland we traveled along the Columbia River to the town of Astoria. We checked into Clementine's B&B, a cosy and perfect place to base out of as we toured the area. Having a few hours before dinner, we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Founded in 1962, this is one of the finest maritime museums on the West Coast and is certainly a must see in the area. It is very user friendly and both young and old will find exhibits interesting and captivating. There are many "hands-on" exhibits that made learning fun.

On Friday we woke to a blustery day of wind and rain. This was not really a bad thing because it gave us the perspective of what it must have been like during the Corp's stay here 200 years ago. Although we certainly had a much better breakfast prepared for us!! Getting an early start, we headed over the Columbia River to Washington State where we started our tour at the Cape Disappointment Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. This newly renovated center was very informative and provided a fantastic link between what we saw in Portland and where the events actually happened. Just over 2 hours from CWA, this Park is an easy day trip for most families. Besides see the center and it's artifacts, we hiked to both the Cape Disappointment and the North Head Lighthouses, The walking trails were well maintained and the views spectacular. It almost felt as if nothing had changed since the great explorers were here. After a great lunch in the seaside town of Ilwaco, we spent a few hours at Fort Columbia, a Civil War coastal artillery fort that was built to protect the mouth of the Columbia River. Getting back to our B&B late in the day, we rested before dinner and a night of bowling.

Although we woke Saturday to another day of rain, we were not deterred. Following morning chow, we headed off to Fort Clatsop, the winter headquarters for the expedition. This was an amazing morning were we we able to walk in the footsteps of the explorers and actually see where they lived that wet winter. It is now a National Historic Park and very well maintained. There are walking trails, an interpretive center, a recreated fort, and National Park Rangers ready to help. Don't miss the gift store, it is full of Lewis and Clark items that can be found no where else. On a trivia note, it is one of the two places in the country that flies a 15 star and 15 strip flag: can you guess the other place that flies a similar flag? (Click here for the answer.)

Following our guided tour of Fort Clatsop, we headed to Station Camp in Washington. This was the site of the historic "vote" that decided where the Corps would winter. It is critical to remember this event because it was the first time a black man and a women were given the right to vote in America. The event clearly shows the importance that the Captains' placed in all members of the expedition and the leadership example we can gain from them.

On Sunday morning we checked out of our B&B and headed to the Evergreen Aviation Museum located in McMinnville, Oregon. This is truly a one of a kind aviation museum with many rare planes to see. The museum traces the history of flight and contains many authentic replicas as well as vintage aircraft. However, the pride of the museum is the Spruce Goose. This magnificent aviation wonder by Howard Hughes is alone worth the trip. But the museum is more than a resting place for this wonderful bird. The museum contains hundreds of aircraft, an IMAX theater, and much more to see. Roaming the museum are retired US Air Force pilots that provide a living history that makes the exhibits come alive. We were lucky to meet two World War II pilots that few the P-38 Lightning. They were amazing men and were more than happy to talk to our group.