Where are we? Why are we here?

Here we were, at a Mazatlan restaurant in Washington, with 4 of us driving from Oregon and one from Tacoma, and all of us are Arizonans! Does that sound confusing to you? Should I explain a bit further? Well, Don and Sandy's cousin John is spending a few weeks with his son in Tacoma. We were at Ft. Stevens State Park at the very northwest tip of Oregon. So, we decided that we all could meet in Aberdeen, Washington for lunch. It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive for us, and also for John.

We are always up for Mexican food. It was tasty, even though both Sandy and I had heartburn the rest of the afternoon. The salsa was a bit spicy, I guess. Yes, it was a long way to drive for a meal, but at least we had a good visit with John while we were there.
One of our stops on the way back to the campground was Westport, a small fishing town on the Washington coast.
The other thing we wanted to see was the Astoria Column. This imposing landmark sits on the top of a hill in Astoria, Oregon. The column is covered with artwork that depicts the triumphs and turning points of the frontier for this region.
At the top of the column is a view platform. We decided to trudge up the 164 steps to the top, via a metal spiral staircase. May I add, it is narrow and confining inside, and you can see through the steps as you ascend. For me, that is definitely NOT a good thing. I am not a lover of glass elevators or steps that have no back to them. Acrophobia was settling in quickly.
Here is a closer shot of the artwork on the exterior.
I was about a third of the way up to the top and not sure if I could overcome my fears. My heart was racing, but it sure wasn't from climbing the stairs. Then, Don and Sandy passed me by on one of the platforms. That was it! I could make it if I concentrated on following Sandy and not looking down. I never once let go of the metal hand rail! Sandy also has a fear of heights, and Don has a bum knee, so we were all pleased as punch that we made it to the top.

Jerry and Sandy are all smiles as they back up to the railing around the platform. You can tell from the absence of my bangs, it was windy at the top. If it looks like I am hanging on for dear life.......I am!
This is a view looking out toward the bridge on the Columbia River between Astoria, Oregon and Washington.
I bet the views would have been fantastic if the day had been clear, rather than cloudy and foggy. At any rate, both Sandy and I were really, really glad when we got to the bottom!