Back in the last century, one of the first computer games my kids and I played was The Oregon Trail. Through the early computing capabilities of DOS and a 528K hard drive, they were transported back in time to choose a profession, load up a wagon and set off on the Oregon Trail. It took some planning because life along the trail was tough. Along with the variables of bad weather, disease and angry native peoples there were also the consequences of the planning choices at the beginning of the game. Was enough food and ammunition purchased? If too much was purchased there might not be enough money left to buy things you needed along the trail, too little and starvation could be a reality. How many oxen were needed? Was it best to keep going or take a day to rest now and then? Each delay along the trail meant you were one day closer to the early snows blocking the mountain passes. I don’t remember how many times our attempts to reach Oregon succeeded, just the hardships along the way. Usually most of us died before even reaching the half-way point.
Let’s face it, even today travel is still has its risks. No matter whether you drive, fly or take a train, the potential for discomfort or even disaster exists. Last week Dave and I made our own trip out to Corvallis, Oregon to visit our son Andy. In the weeks before we left it seemed as though the news was full of the perils of air travel. There were the all to common incidents of unruly passengers, cancelled flights and unpleasant gate agents all planting seeds in my mind that we were in for a very unpleasant experience.
Thankfully, there was nothing newsworthy about our travels. Most of our flights were delayed and all of our seats were uncomfortable, but aside from the guy who sat next to me from Atlanta to Portland who felt compelled to hold his newspaper wide open allowing his elbow to constantly make contact with my ribs, our flights were uneventful. We moved safely from one end of the country to the other in a matter of hours vice months and except for jet lag and some muscular stiffness, with no ill effects.
What we did experience in common with the early pioneers was the beauty of the Willamette Valley. It is a place of immense natural beauty. Bordered by the Cascade Mountains to the East, the Coastal Range to the West and the Columbia River to the North, with green in between, it is not hard to understand why anyone would have endured the hardships necessary to get to this spot to start a new life.
Aside from the greenery, the difference in the color of the rich loamy soil from the red Virginia clay in my own backyard was striking and the bounty of its richness was evident as we strolled by the stalls at the Corvallis Farm Market which overflowed with baskets of ripe berries, piles of fresh asparagus, kale, zucchini, peas and beans. And then there were the roses which were blooming everywhere!
For the most part the weather was a nice change from the mugginess of Central Virginia as well. In fact, each day and each different location we visited seemed to have its own micro-climate; cool and misty along the ocean front, mostly cloudy atop the mountains and warm but comfortable inland. In many ways the Willamette Valley reminded me of my childhood home in Western New York. Because of this, I was tickled when I learned that connecting these two parts of the county is US Route 20 which runs 3,365 miles from Portland, OR through Western New York and then on to Boston, MA, making it the longest road in the county.
Sadly, US 20 wasn’t completed until 1940, more than one hundred years too late for the early settlers who braved the hardships of the Oregon Trail. Today, most people probably would opt for driving on I 90 instead the stop and go of the US Route as it winds through town after town along the way and more probably choose to fly across county to save time. But, whatever way you go, the destination is well worth the trip!
PS… While Googling for information about the Oregon Trail game, I discovered that you can play it for free online! I tried it this morning and sadly didn’t even make it to Independence Rock before passing on! Here is the link if you’d like to give it a try! https://classicreload.com/oregon-trail.html