Kalama, WA – Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Mt. St. Helens is the destination today. It has been 45 years since that historic blast that many of us locals still remember. Fortunately, we are bussed to the top and then get to coast all the way down. Almost 4,000 feet down in the end. The mountain is first shrouded in clouds when we arrive and then grants us a great view as we begin our descent. Another spectacular ride.
Some tandem bike friends of ours had talked about this being the most exhilarating part of their whole trip. They didn’t use their brakes and topped out at 52 miles an hour! I am not so brave and don’t trust my brakes – even with callipers and a disc brake. I think we make it to about 35 miles an hour downhill and a few bikers still pass us. The views are amazing (when I can put my head up from the road) and the devastation from the 1980 blast is still evident. The Tuttle river and valley is filled with a few hundred feet of mud left over from the explosion.
We stop in a few museums along the way which gives a good history, with lots of photos, of the before and after the eruption.
Back at the boat, we have some time to enjoy the redeveloped pier of Kalama to enjoy some ice cream and get to put our toes in the Columbia. With just a bit of splashing – Siri started it. Refreshing after such a long day.
Tonight’s entertainment is Broadway musicals and Bob is in his element. He is tapping along to Fiddler on the Roof and starts to sing along to Music Man. We have to tell him this doesn’t include audience participation.
We finished the evening watching the boat dock again at the place we started the whole trip. We laugh that it has taken 3 days just to get back where we started. Tomorrow we start up the Columbia Gorge and then keep heading east.
Siri and David Adventures 