Exactly 196 years and 1 day ago, on October 19, 1805, Captains Merriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Corps of Discovery saw the unusual landform in this photo for the first time, and named it Hat Rock. Their day was marked by running several rapids, and exploring the shoreline during a couple of portages. Our day was filled with a sunrise passage through the navigation lock at John Day Dam, and a wonderful late afternoon walk at Hat Rock State Park. We marveled at the fall foliage along the riverbank, and sampled the produce of the region with a scrumptious wine and food tasting. Although our salmon dinner may have been similar to that of the Corps' so many years ago, the decadent chocolate bread pudding we had for dessert most certainly was not.