Viento is the Spanish for Wind.

Where a railroad station once stood is now the home of one of the Colorado River Gorge′s best kept secrets: Viento is a great place to camp! With spacious campsites, Viento almost always seems to have a spot available when other campgrounds in the area are full.

Methinks, the reason this campground always has spaces open is because it is sandwiched between an interstate highway and a major railroad line, both of which keep it quite noisy here.

There is two loops at Viento State park. The north loop, that is the loop on the north side of the interstate highway which has electric-water hook up sites as well as five tent sites. Too, the north loop has the only shower house in the state park.

The south loop is on the south side of the interstate highway and has tent camping only. The south loop does have a restroom.

A side spur off of the north loop will lead to the state park′s river access with parking for windsurfing, swimming and other river activities.

The Viento State Park is located at exit 56, eastbound or westbound from IH 84 right in the middle of the Columbia River Gorge.

Biking, camping, fishing, hiking wildlife viewing, windsurfing,

A one-mile, fully handicapped accessible trail from Viento to the Starvation Creek waterfall takes you along a section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. Now a hiking trail, there hasn't been auto traffic here in more than 50 years. If you get a chance to visit, imagine an old Ford Model-T twisting around the corners.

Viento has a day-use area with easy access to the Columbia River and some of the best windsurfing in the Gorge. There is a great picnic area right next to a wonderful, babbling creek.

Tooth Rock, Bridge of the Gods, Hood River Trail, Rooster Rock, Starvation Creek, Wyeth Trailhead

March 22 - October 31

I arrived here after driving from Vancouver, Washington at about three in the afternoon, stopped at the south side shower house first for a hot shower, and the drove back under the interstate highway into the main campsite. I then backed in and is customary, got out my broom and sweep the hard surface of the fallen leaves. Cindy stopped by, got out her leaf blower and helped me finish sweeping. I then connected my electrical plug, and then climbed in to organize the interior for my camping stay. After that, with the doors still open and a cool breeze blowing, I got into horizontal and took a long nap.

Shortly after seven this evening, I step out of the jammer and take a couple of photos of the jammer in space A-26, climb right back inside the van and begin pounding keys. Then by eight this evening, I upload my first post from this camping sojourn along the Columbia River Gorge.

Arrived back here at Viento yesterday afternoon, backed into the space, plugged into the electric receptacle and began to sit back and enjoy the quietness under the towering forest trees here deep with in the gorge.

Same place, different day.

There is just one more night here within the river gorge, as tomorrow, Day Ten, I will be packing out and driving back into Washington and up to Whidbey Island.

With the sun shinning in through the windows, I Awake, grab my shower bag, towel, bandana and then walk to the shower house for some hot water on my body. Afterwards, I return to the jammer, put away my shower gear and then climb inside to boil water. Even though this sunshine days are few and far between, I enjoy every one of them, thanking Jehovah each time, looking forward to the next one.

Too, looking at the weather forecast, it gives me hope for one more Sunshine day, which should occur on Wednesday. 09 April 2025.

Arriving at the campground at three this afternoon, I back into space A-26, plug into the electrical box and then climb inside to set up my computer on the desktop and begin organizing and cropping the numerous new photos from the most recent drive into town for resupplying.

Awake, dress in my summer blues, walk to the shower house and then return to the jammer to begin pounding keys. I watch as the sun first begins to peak out over the top of the gorge in the east and climb steadily upward with a little movement slowly southward with each minute. I think that last night was the first night during which it has not rained. Although the temperature this morning was in the fifties, it is likely that this day will be the last time that it will be this warm upon awakening for the rest of my stay here this month.

Awake very late, this constant rain for nearly all this week must have wearied me. I dress in my fall blues, step out of the jammer and follow the cobblestone path around the large trees to the shower house where I take a hot shower and don fresh clothes. Then, I walk back to the jammer, climb inside and use my phone to connect to the Oak Harbor weekend meeting, now just beginning. After the meeting ends, several of the friends that are connected using the zoom app stay on line to talk for a short time. A couple ask me where I am located to which I tell them camping in one of the Oregon state parks. Finally, we all say our good byes and disconnect from the connection.

Arrived yesterday in the late afternoon, the campsite that I purchased was mostly under water, so I parked very forward in the space, close to the park loop road. When the rangers do their rounds later in the morning, I will ask them if I could move into the next space, #A26, which has so very little water in it. When I see the ranger truck, I step out and ask about it, to which they tell me that it needs to be looked at in the office and they will call me to let me know. A few minutes, my phone rings and Ranger Hiedi tells me that I have the go to move into space #A26. When I finish my f-meal, I then unplug, and move the jammer into campsite A-26♿ and then plug into the electric box.

wake, dress in my fall blues, step outside and stow all my gear inside the jammer, disconnect the electrical cord, roll it up and stow the cord in its place and close the side sliding door. I then walk around the jammer, climb into the drivers seat, start the jammer engine and after waiting for about three minutes, pull out of the campsite and drive around the loop to the exit. I then take the east bound entrance onto IH 84 and drive to Hood River where I get off at exit 64, for US 30, drive east half a mile and stop first at the d-mart for a couple of items.

After that, I return back along US 30 to IH 84, then west to exit 56 and drive back into Viento State Park, during which time I see and photograph a rainbow over the Columbia river.

This is the first rainbow

Yesterday afternoon, I ask Ranger Joe if I can move from my current campsite to the handicap campsite, telling him that the incline from my current site to the restroom and shower house is just too steep for me. He asks me to fill out a new SRE, too which I say, What is a SRE? He replies, Sorry, I am in the habit of using acronyms, SRE means self registration envelope.

So, after I fill out the SRE and hand it to him, he tells me that I can go ahead and move to the new campsite anytime. I roll up my electric cord and stow it inside the jammer, pick up my entrance mat and garbage can and also stow then away. Then, I drive the loop around, back into campsite A-26♿, get out my electric cord and plug it into the campsite receptacle box.

And, here is where I will stay for the next eight days within the Mount Hood National Forest.

After arriving yesterday afternoon and setting up my camp, and since I do not have room for an ice cooler, I began to cook some of the fresh food that I had brought with me. I chopped up an onion, red pepper, celery stalks, cilantro and ginger which all went into my skillet to sauté. When the veggies are done, I put them on a slice of bread and then put two salmon fillets into the skillet to cook. When the fish was done cooking, I made two fish sandwiches and enjoyed my first cooked meal here in the Mount Hood National Forest within the Columbia Gorge.

This morning, I begin my daily routine of waking, showering, eating, pounding keys, eating, pounding keys, sleeping. This routine although it is not any different from that which I have been doing within my room in Oak Harbor, it does have the secluded ambiance and a heavily forested setting here which provides myself with more inner contentment and tranquility, especially when it involves anytime but the weekends.

Too, I know that nowhere on Earth now does a perfectly satisfying and tranquil location exist, but I believe with my entire being that it will soon exist, which will happen when the heavenly hosts destroy all the wicked people and then allow the People of God to live in a time when there will be the perfect environment and tranquility. Yes, the Bible calls this condition the paradise.

Arriving at the state park campground just before one pm, I see that there is now ranger to greet the arriving campers, so since I have registrations, I just drive to my campsite, pull in and begin setting up. Then the camp host arrives to clean the campsite and we talk for a short time during which I tell her about my book. She asks Where can I get a copy? and I reply, Only on my website; it′s a digital version and is free. Then she continues with her work and I return to setting up. Once I have connected the electric plug, I set up my computer and begin pounding keys to put words on web pages.

At seven this evening, I try to connect to the Oak Harbor Congregation for the midweek meeting and get in just as the prayer is beginning to be said. I listen in on the entire meeting and afterwards, talk with some of the sisters who also connected with the zoom app. Then, during the meeting, one of the neighboring campers, walks by to give my a plate of food. I always love it when someone does that because they always eat the ribs, steaks sweet beans and etcetera, food that I do not normally eat because they are unhealthy. I am not complaining, I eat it once in a while, but now never buy it for myself.

I arrived yesterday morning after staying in a parking lot at town about thirty miles east of here. Upon arriving here, I spend much of the day cleaning the jammer, a much needed chore. The road tar flung up by the tires had become abundant which requires much scrubbing. I hope to stay here for several more days so that I can work more on my spring cleaning.

Upon arriving at the state park, I fine the park open and I enter, drive the loop and find many of the campsites are available. I find one space with plenty of sunlight, back in and set up my campsite. I get out the electrical cord, plug into the service and then plug into my inside wiring. Then, I climb inside and begin writing my journal entry and updating the page for this state park.

(Day 128 JO) 59°F.