We woke up just North of Mount St. Helens and after playing around on other gorgeous roads our friend Matt had highlighted for us, we headed to what is still a scene of devastation around Mount Saint Helens 34 years after the volcanic event that “produced the largest landslide-debris avalanche in recorded history.”
When Mount Saint Helens erupted in May of 1980 it sent volcanic matter 80,000 feet into the air and when it was all over, the volcano stood 1,300 feet shorter, while the lake at the foot of Mt. St. Helens depth was lessened by 295 feet.
Spirit Lake
The damage caused by this eruption is obvious today, but even so, it is hard to imagine that a 24-square mile area surrounding this volcano was covered in 150 feet of volcanic debris.
Still visible all around Mount St. Helens are the trees that laid down due to the force of the volcanic blast
While taking in the recovering landscape at the base of Mount St. Helens, we got to chatting with an interesting couple, about our parents age. Upon hearing our route was going to take us through Portland and that we were interested in staying in the area so that we could do some wine tasting, Pat and Chris invited us to stay at the apartment they are renting while Chris is on a medical rotation in Portland.
So this is how we came to be tasting wine in Portland’s Willamette Valley Wine Region with Pat and playing trivia (badly) at her son’s favorite Portland dive bar.
Tasting at Eyrie Vineyards, considered to be a pioneer in the Willamette Valley, as they were the first to plant Pinot Noir.
Though we love beer, as a money-saving rule, we never stop at bars or buy beer while on the road. But in Portland, a city that is home to 56 breweries, we had to break our rule. When in Rome... you know ;)
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