Lewis and Clark Slept Here

Monday, August, 29 we arrived after a 90 minute transit to our next home for three days up the picturesque Oregon coast to Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton, Oregon. This State of Oregon military installation has been serving the Pacific Northwest for the last 90 years. Comprising of 2,000 acres, it offers both military and civilian users training options because of its location and facilities. Encompassing broad dune and woodland areas, firing ranges, barracks, and other facilities, plus a broad ocean front. The RV sites are authorized for use by the following: Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, Retired Military, 0-100% DAV (my eligibility status), Purple Heart Recipients, Former POW, Veteran Caregivers, DoD Civilians.

After checking in at the billeting office we found our site #8 sandwiched between another fifth wheel and the parking stanchion protecting the roof of the bath house. Karen carefully and skillfully guided my backing maneuver into the space. Our Walkie Talkies have proved to be the best communication device for navigating these tricky parking scenarios. After getting set up we rode our electric bikes around the camp to get a better "lay of the land". We finished the first day with a trip to Fort Clatsop, some errand running and a quick tour of downtown Astoria, Oregon.

Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805–1806. Located along the Lewis and Clark River at the north end of the Clatsop Plains approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Astoria, the fort was the last encampment of the Corps of Discovery, before embarking on their return trip east to St. Louis.

The site is now protected as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, part of which was formerly known as Fort Clatsop National Memorial until 2004. The original Fort Clatsop decayed in the wet climate of the region but was reconstructed for the sesquicentennial in 1955 from sketches in the journals of William Clark. The replica lasted for fifty years, but was severely damaged by fire in early October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial. A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in 2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9. The site is currently operated by the National Park Service.