In the Steps of Lewis and Clark

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Tuesday, 20 June 2017 - Docked at Burbank, and toured a fascinating museum about the Hanford Engineering Works' World War II nuclear history, then visited Terra Blanca winery for a tasting and learned about winemaking before cruising past the Wallula Gap with its dramatic basalt walls formed by ancient floods.

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Overnight the S.S. Legacy sailed down the Snake River to the confluence with the Columbia River. There, we docked in Burbank, Washington. From there we took a bus to a museum covering the nuclear efforts in Washington at the Hanford Engineering Works. Alluring museum - we had no idea the amount of work done in eastern Washington during WWII. From there we went to Terra Blanca winery.

On a tour of Terra Blanca winery - the cellar was an obvious stop.
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Barrels with their access port for tasting.
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Very immature grapes on the vines.
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The vines are very old - each point for a vine has two vines - one growing one way and the other growing the opposite direction.
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Hundreds of rows of vines
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After the tour it was time to taste some of the wines offered by Terra Blanca.
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The tasting was eight different wines and a great presentation by the owner Keith Pilgrim. He was very entertaining talking about how the winery came about including meeting his wife and wine mentor.
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The winery grounds are landscaped with beautiful plants and flowers
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The crew rolled out a pair of pink flamingos for the Burbank docking - not sure of the significance - but I think some ship-related superstition.
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Burbank was not the most scenic of ports on the cruise - right next to a steel recycling collection point.
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Back on the Columbia River after boarding and headed west, downstream.

This is the Wallula Gap looking west. It is here that the massive floods during the ice age had to slow down to make it through the gap and on down the Columbia River basin. Because the gap slowed the water the sediment was able to fall to the bottom of the water creating sediment which is very rich - and good soil for allowing a winery. The downside (but upside for winery) is low rain, so all agriculture needs irrigation.
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The Twin Sisters - in legend created by the mischievous Coyote when he turned two girls who became his wives into two pillars of basalt. These formations were exposed during the massive Ice Age floods.
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A closeup of the Twin Sisters. There is a hiking trail to the top.
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The basalt rock on the cliff on the south side of the Wallula Gap.

Another great dinner called me away from the fourth deck and picture taking....
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