Trolley Ride and Astoria Collumn in Astoria, OR

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Trolley Ride and Astoria Collumn in Astoria, OR

Tuesday 8/14/2012

On our last day in Long Beach WA, we drove back across the bridge to Astoria, OR to ride the historic 1913 Trolley.

The Trolley cost $1 for a round trip, or $2 for a all day pass.

The trolley runs along the historic working waterfront along the Columbia River. We went past a packaging plant of Alaska Salmon.

Of course as the trolley runs down the track, the conductor gave us information about what we are seeing or what once was there years ago. Mallery didn't like the ride on the trolley, so she hung her head out the window the whole ride. I had to hold the window up, because the driver told us that because the windows were original, they can fall down anytime. We were told to keep all body parts inside the trolley, if we wanted those parts.

At the end of the tracks, we are told that everyone was to get up and to move the seat back forward, and then to move to the seat behind the seat you were presently in. Now we were facing the opposite direction, as the trolley goes back down the track from where we came.

The Columbia River was full of boats fishing for salmon. We met a fishing guide in Rockaway Beach, and he told us that he had the next two weeks booked on the Columbia River. He said this was a salmon run time of year. He said he had these reservation made out over a year ago and he charges $250 for all day. He said he uses much more gas on the Columbia River, and it is also more dangerous, so he can charge more.

There are many big ships on the Columbia River.

Our driver told us that Astoria had steep streets like San Fransico, CA.

We were also told that if you wanted a great view of Astoria, to go up to the Asoria Column at the top of the hill. Good thing we took the trolley! No one told us about the Astoria Column.

The trolley ride runs a 2.6 mile track and makes many stops for those who have a day pass to get off and on at different sites.

We were told how an artist owned this building on the river. He had all his art work in this building. A large storm came through and ripped the walls and roof off and destroyed the artist's work. Unfortunately the artist didn't have insurance. He said the artist is currently rebuilding the building.

We got off the trolley at the Maritime Museum, where we had gotten on.

The gulls really liked the old dock pilings.

They make private islands for each of them, and as I have learned, the sea birds like isolated island for protection

Another view of the Columbia Lightship next to the Maritime Museum.

As the trolley left us I took one last picture. It shows the generator that drives the trolley now.

Joe asked our trolley driver for directions to get up to the Astoria Column. It sits on the Coxcomb Hill at 600 feet above sea level.

The Astoria Column was patterned after the Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy.

The column has 500 plus feet of artwork on it.

This is a map that shows where the Astoria Column sits, and the area around it.

I climbed the 164 steps to the top and got this view of Astoria and the Astoria Megler Bridge.

Looking northeast up the Columbia River.

Looking west, you can see the Astoria Megler Bridge to the right and the bridge that we crossed from southern Oregon to Astoria on the left.

View of the road that brings you up to the Astoria Column.

Looking south from the top of the column you can see Young's Bay. You can also see the Lewis and Clark River flowing from the top pf the picture into Youngs Bay. Young's River flows into the bay from the left in the picture.

Close up of Young's River.

Close up of the Astoria- Megler Bridge to Washington.

The Astoria-Megler Bridge closer to Washington.
My legs were like wet noodles for the next 4 days after climbing the 164 steps. I climbed them pretty fast, so I wouldn't think about turning around and go back down. When I got back down, I over heard another guy telling someone he got about 40 steps up and had to come back down, because he couldn't do it. His son was trying to climb it on his own, but he soon showed up saying he couldn't do it either.

We headed back down the steep street to downtown Astoria.

A Pilot Boat that was retired it is showcased along the main road. Pilot boats guide the big ships into and out to the ocean beyond the sand bars. They are highly skilled boat pilots and know the sand bars location from day to day depending on where it shifts with the currents.

Our trolley driver told us about a cupcake business in Astoria. It is located in an old bank.

Marie Antoinette's Cupcakes and Espresso Parlor

I figured I worked off a few calories with all those steps and decided to treat myself.

A pretty nice place for a cupcake place.

It was late in the day, so a lot of the flavors were gone.

These looked real pretty in their flower cupcake tin papers, but I had to go for the last chocolate one. It had a fancy name with special filling.

I enjoyed my cupcake as Joe drove us across the bridge.

I had Joe stop in Long Beach for a picture in front of the Largest Frying Pan in the world. It was made in 1941 for a Clam Festival. Other towns have since made larger frying pans, but it still make a great place for pictures.

Right next to the frying pan in downtown Long Beach, is the Oceanic RV Park. If we were at this park, I would have had internet service.

I noticed that the Hungry Harbor in downtown Long Beach had free WiFi, and I thought about coming down there for a few hours later that night. Unfortunately, once I got home I could not muster up the energy to return.