The Dalles - Klindt's Booksellers

Our primary purpose that day was to see the Discovery Center (the subject of next week's post), but as long as we were in the area we wanted to make sure and stop by Klindt's, the oldest continually operated bookstore in Oregon. This is a reasonable point of pride for the store.

That being said, once you are inside it is largely a normal bookstore. Things inside are pretty modern. There may be more historic photos inside than you would find in another bookstore, but on some level it is just the trivia of knowing that they have been there since 1870. Of course, bookstores can be pretty wonderful regardless of age.

For evaluating them as a bookstore, there were a few things that stood out for me.

 They have a pretty good stationary selection and trinkets, so if you want to purchase something and are not sure what, there are plenty of options. There is also a pretty extensive children's selection that is nice to browse.

What was most impressive was the variety of books. The space is not huge, but they manage to fit in many different sections. I was drawn to the Native American section, because every year I am looking for more books on that subject. Their section contained some pretty good books, including titles I have read and titles that I have not gotten to yet but that I have seen recommended.

The historical aspects are nice, but as a bookstore Klindt's holds up pretty well too.

http://www.klindtsbooks.com/welcome

Washington County Fair

The Washington County Fair takes place at the Washington County Fairgrounds at the end of July.

In many ways it is a typical fair, with rids and midway games.

It is also a great place to find a lot of different fried foods.

One nice thing about it is that they do not charge an entrance fee. That leaves you more money to spend on rides, games, and food, which admittedly can be kind of pricey.

Some of the quilts were simply amazing. Some of the art looks only okay, and then you see the age of the artist and think "Wow!" The fair gives a wide variety of people a chance to show what they can do.

It is also a great reminder that for all the emphasis on Intel and Nike, that this is a great agricultural area too. You can learn more about the many people who work the land professionally and see what they do, and you can learn more about starting your own garden from the Master Gardeners.

And you can see reptile displays, and dog shows, and concerts, depending on when you go. There are a lot of options.

If you go via MAX, there is a free shuttle from the station to the fair entrance and back. The distance is walkable, but this way you can save your walking for inside.

The fair will be back in 278 days!

http://www.bigfairfun.com/

Oregon City Sea Lions

One of our stops this summer was the Sea Lion Caves. That will be a later post, but it is a really long drive. If you are in the PDX area, you can find sea lions closer to home for at least part of the year.

Several sea lions hang out on the docks on the Willamette River in Oregon City. Park near the KFC; we found a parking lot on Main Street. Walk toward the river and look through the trees, and there they are.

It seems like a fairly easy existence: some swimming, but mainly snoozing in the sun.

The one at the upper right appears to be doing a dolphin impression.

Or maybe an orca, but a sea lion's side flipper is so much smaller than an orca dorsal.

Anyway, we thought they were cute, and enjoyed spending some time watching them.

The Oregon City sea lions hang out there in the spring and summer, then head down to California for the other part of the year. You can find information at https://www.facebook.com/orcitysealions/.

One thing that the Facebook page acknowledges is that the sea lions are controversial. While their page is for appreciation, they know that not everyone feels that way.

I am fine with the appreciation, and there is no need to read beyond this unless you have a burning desire to know how I feel about the controversy.

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I had thought about ignoring the ignorance of those who complain without any sense of irony that these are sea lions so they should be in the sea, not here upriver. It sounds too stupid to take seriously, but actually the idea that wild animals should conform to the names that we give them - regardless of how much the person who named the species knew about them - goes well with the attitude.

So yes, if humans dam up rivers and impede the flow of salmon, and then if they over fish what is left, and if rising sea levels and temperatures disrupt food sources in the oceans, to where you have malnourished and underweight pups coming inland all the time - and none of this is even addressing the impact on indigenous peoples, which should be addressed - yes, the animals have a right to continue to try and feed themselves. The humans interfered first. We can make some allowances.

Beyond that, if you feel fine ignoring the impact of these disruptive actions, you may be surprised to learn that eventually it isn't just the indigenous people and the native animals that start having trouble finding food, but that ultimately it starts to affect us too. There are many reasons to consider our impact, and they include self-interest, but if we were humble enough and not rotten enough that we would consider the interests of others first, our own interests would not get so threatened.

That will be all.

Tualatin River Greenway Trail

The Tualatin River Greenway Trail opened in in April 2016 after years of planning. While the city continues to work on expanding its trail system, this trail is beautiful on a standalone basis.

Building on the area's past, decorations along the trail detail the ice age, the Missoula flood, the first appearance of man, the last appearance of megafauna, and modern settlement.

I was not previously aware of the existence of a sabertooth salmon.
              

Previously, the only time I would really see the Tualatin River was while driving over it on a highway bridge. Seeing a heron on a misty morning was memorable, but was only a fleeting glimpse. The trail makes it easy to take a closer look.

It is also built with several easy access points. You can start at the library like we did, or get access from Nyberg Rivers Shopping Center or through the River Lofts apartments.

The walking path is smooth and comfortable. You may not completely forget the existence of the outside world - especially while walking underneath Interstate 5 - but it is a nice escape without have to go very far.

Benches and scenic overlooks are spaced at regular intervals, accommodating different paces and walking abilities.

Don't forget to check out the other local traces of mastodon, whether the statue in front of the Nyberg Rivers development or the skeleton that inspired it at the Tualatin library.

https://www.tualatinoregon.gov/communityservices/tualatin-river-greenway-trail-project

http://www.willamettevalleypleistocene.com/tualatin-ice-age-trails