Feb 21-25 The Columbia River Gorge

Feb 21-25: The Columbia River Gorge

  Since we are clearly experience winter conditions, the idea of camping in an RV park is not on our agenda.  Although the winter weather is mild compared to Maine, the water system in the RV freezes up when it gets below 32 degrees. In addition, the state parks are closed for the season which means we would not be able to have water or take a shower.  We have dry camped a few times but where the weather was a bit warmer.  With that in mind, we are staying in hotels for a few weeks. The scenery in Washington is too beautiful to miss so a few hotels along the way are just fine.
   Following our stay at the Columbia River Gorge Hotel, we continued east as far as Pendleton, Oregon where we visited the Pendleton Woolen factory where Mark bought a couple of shirts. Pendleton is a small city with a population of about 16,000 and the median home value is about $150,000.  We found a small sandwich place and talked to a few locals.  It turns out that Pendleton has a very interesting history.  In 1883 the transcontinental railroad linked Portland to the East Coast so by the late 1800’s the Chinese workers who helped build these railroads were now competing for jobs and depressing wages.  The Chinese workers who lived in Pendleton were not allowed to live above ground, prohibited from becoming citizens or owning land.  Because the Chinese lived below ground , they had built an entire city with opium dens, brothels, apothecaries, butcher shop, bars, and laundries.  These underground areas were connected by a series of tunnels with secret entrances and passage ways.  The Chinese were victims of crimes especially by Cowboys who would venture into the city after their time on the range. Due to the “exclusion laws” it was possible to commit all sorts of crimes against the Chinese including murder  without fear of punishment. This is a chapter of history that is often neglected.  The “coolie” wages that were paid to the Chinese workers who came to the United States along with their horrific discrimination is often skimmed over in history books.  Visiting the Pendleton Underground brought life to this neglected period of American history.
    We decided to stay in Pendleton for the night as the tour ended late in the afternoon and the weather continued to be wintery.