OOPS PRESENTS PADDLE TO THE PACIFIC WITH LAURIE WILHITE
A kayak journey down the Columbia River from John Day Dam to Clatsop Spit near the Pacific Ocean was not on Laurie Case Wilhite’s retirement bucket list. However, after a few fun kayak paddles on the Columbia River with friends and family, Wilhite set the goal of paddling all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Growing up in Goldendale, her goal became to get to know the Columbia River better after many years of rushing up and down the river to appointments, vacations, and other destinations. Encouraged by members of her Goldendale writer’s group to share the kayaking journey stories led her write Paddle to the Pacific: A journey of reflection on the Columbia River which was published in February of 2022.