March 03, 2019, 01:36 PM
IntrepidTravelerquote:Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Funny that you led off with the Columbia River Gorge....
About two years ago, I was planning on going down to Terlingua, Texas to check out the lay of the land. I was thinking I might buy some land down there and build an off-the-grid place to retire to. Well, my unit said "Hey, we need you to go to Astoria, Oregon instead."
Since I hate flying, I asked if I could take my leave in conjunction with the TDY. I'd just drive up from Texas to Oregon.
After leaving Terlingua, I passed through Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Moab, Capitol Reef, and of course, the Columbia River Gorge. I even got to check out Multnomah Falls. Took me two days.
That drive convinced me that there was still a ton left to see in the US, let alone the rest of the continent, and got me firmly on the path to getting an RV.
I love Terlingua, but only from about October through April. We go there every Christmas for a few days. Fun, quirky place, lots to do. Big Bend NP great for scenery, Big Bend Ranch SP good mountain biking ("bring two spares").
You saw a lot on your two day trip too. I second the desert southwest as a confirmed desert rat (who is unfortunately stranded in the south near Augusta GA for a while).