Girlfriends' Trip - Gathering Together

 IT WAS FINALLY HAPPENING!!  After not being all together since before Covid, the 4 of us (Marilyn, Karen, Amy and myself) were flying into Portland to meet and spend the next few days together!

Amy lives in Co Springs now so I picked her up on a Tuesday morning and we headed to Denver to fly to Portland!  I was amazed at how much had been done at the airport since I had flown in August - and we were both amazed how FAST security went with their new system - taking your photo at the entrance to security and then going 3 at a time up to fill the bins!  It was a very smooth transition!!

Unfortunately the plane coming in was delayed so we left almost an hour late - but we enjoyed being in the newly remodeled wing of Southwest which had nice comfy chairs and couches along with actual tables to sit at if you were eating!

The plane ride went fine and after getting our luggage, we met Karen and Marilyn who picked us up in the rental car - Karen had flown in from Phoenix, Marilyn in from Tucson - both their flights were earlier so they had plenty of time to get the rental car, a Rav 4 - plenty of room for all of our luggage!

Naturally we hit rush hour but soon were out of Portland and we headed a few more minutes to Troutdale where we stayed in a hotel for the first night - good thing since it was already starting to get dark!

After checking in, we headed over to Troutdale Station - cutest place ever!!  There are 20 food trucks on 2 different sides of this huge indoor building - you just walked around and ordered what you wanted and then you ate it in inside - they had a bar in there along with desserts and donuts and coffee!!

We all decided we needed to come here for coffee and bakery items the next morning after seeing this!

We talked and talked that evening - nobody slept fantastic - who does in a hotel????  I woke up quite early and a couple of us went down for breakfast and then the other 2 joined us!  Actually the breakfast was quite good!!  Then we headed back to the Troutdale Station and had our beverages and bakery items before heading out for the day!

This was our first stop of the day - a great overlook of the Columbia River - wow - it was beautiful, despite the wind and cool weather - the building on the hill is the Vista House.

Check out their blowing hair - yes, it was darn chilly!!!

It was hard to stop taking pics and the clouds made it even more beautiful!

Then off to the Vista House which was closed, but we took pics through the glass door! - would have been fun to explore inside!

This picture of the river was taken from the Vista House!

Our first waterfall stop - Latourell Falls!  We did have to hike down a ways but the path was good!

I loved this waterfall - just simple and straight down and beautiful!

The other item I loved was the HUGE leaves off the cypress trees!!!  WOW! Most of the leaves were gold and light red and they were flying around with that wind - beautiful!

A selfie at the waterfall!

These bridges seemed to be at every waterfall - with the pretty leaves and the moss covered trees, it sure made for a neat picture!

And the waterfall journey continues.......