“Rollin’, rollin’,
rollin’ on the river.” 
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Kathy and I woke up this morning in The Dalles, Oregon aboard the riverboat American West. The boat departed The Dalles at 8:45 A.M. for an all-day cruise up the Columbia River. We will dock just after midnight in Richland, Washington where, tomorrow, we will celebrate the Fourth of July.

Moving slowly up the river today has been incredibly relaxing. No stops or excursions were scheduled today, though we did enjoy the unique experience of passing through several locks along the way. A variety of on-board activities were offered throughout the day. This afternoon, Kathy attended a session facilitated by the executive chef on how to prepare shrimp scampi. After dinner this evening, she also attended a presentation by our on-board historian about the strange tale of D.B. Cooper. I opted to spend much of the day reading, relaxing, and socializing with other passengers. I also took advantage of the opportunity for a brief afternoon nap.

We have been blessed to experience this trip with a delightful assortment of fellow passengers from around the United States. Just about everyone we’ve met has been friendly and positive. Most of the passengers are a bit older than Kathy and me, so we’ve learned quite a bit about cruising and life in general from these people. I’m confident that we’ll keep in contact with a few folks we’ve met long after this cruise has ended.

I’ve also been impressed with the professionalism and hospitality offered by the crew — servers, housekeeping staff, deckhands, and the administrative team. They are consistently polite and friendly to the guests.  

I’ve been told that the riverboat is traveling about fifteen miles per hour as it makes its way up the river between Oregon and Washington. The views along the first segment of the cruise were highlighted by trees… lots of trees, along with some spectacular riverfront homes. As we continue to make our way east, the terrain has changed dramatically. Brown hills and cliffs, interrupted by an occasional small community, line both sides of the river. Unlike the choppy waters between Astoria and The Dalles, the river is like glass this evening. As it works its way toward Richland, the America West gently rocks starboard to port. Before we boarded the vessel on Saturday, I was a bit concerned about the effect such rocking would have on me. Fortunately, I have not experienced any motion sickness at all. In fact, I find the rocking to be incredibly relaxing.

Those of us on the cruise will enjoy a Fourth of July picnic in Kennewick, Washington during the day tomorrow. The predicted high temperature for tomorrow is 95º. That might seem a bit uncomfortable, but I’m feeling quite grateful. One week from today, the expected high in Richland is 111º. 

Timing is everything.