Community Forums

Rambeau · 11-14-2018, 11:28 AM

Looking for a place to volunteer next summer? Check out Bonniville Lock and Dam on the Columbia River 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon. Probably the best free RV site you will ever get. This is cosidered an interp. position with a lot of public contact. Meet and greet 100's of people a day. This is an unpaid position for the Army COE.

https://www.volunteer.gov/index.cfm

We have volunteered here for several years.

MarkK · 11-18-2018, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambeau

Looking for a place to volunteer next summer? Check out Bonniville Lock and Dam on the Columbia River 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon. Probably the best free RV site you will ever get. This is cosidered an interp. position with a lot of public contact. Meet and greet 100's of people a day. This is an unpaid position for the Army COE.

https://www.volunteer.gov/index.cfm

We have volunteered here for several years.

Hi Dave. What was the actual hour committnent each week for each of you? What did you like about the RV site? What other amenities were there such as wifi, laundry, etc? Are you still going to do it this year? What did you do with your off time?

Rambeau · 11-19-2018, 08:38 AM

Usual day was 6.0 hrs including a 1.0 hr lunch break and a 1/2 hr rest break. The 6 RV sites are on an island between the navigation lock channel and the Columbia river, down stream from the dam hehind locked gate at night. Free private WiFi system at sites for volunteers only. free laundry, all sites are able to get sat signal, and full Verizon signal.
We work with a top notch COE Ranger staff. We have volunteered several years in the summer and fall for a total of 3-4 mo. a year. Yes, we are going back again in the spring of 2019. a day above 90 deg. is rare in the summer. The Gorge is known as the "wind surfing capitol of the world" so it is windy a lot of the time (no bugs).

Terry L T · 01-20-2019, 04:57 PM

Was that 6 hours a day for you and another 6 hours a day for the wife?

For how many days a week? Any pay involved?

Rambeau · 01-21-2019, 10:02 AM

Terry,
6hr shifts, 3 days on and 3 days off. No, they lets us work for free, we did not have to pay them. (insert smile emoji)

Mr_D · 01-21-2019, 10:07 AM

Beautiful area, I could do that!

rgvtexan · 01-21-2019, 10:55 AM

Have a workamping friend, who did the Dam a few years ago. They said they had a ball and enjoyed it very much.

oatmeal · 01-21-2019, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry L T

Was that 6 hours a day for you and another 6 hours a day for the wife?

For how many days a week?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambeau

Terry,
6hr shifts, 3 days on and 3 days off.

To clarify--do both of you have to work six hour shifts for three days, and then you both have three days off?

Bob_C · 01-21-2019, 06:33 PM

What type of work?

Rambeau · 01-22-2019, 09:33 AM

yes, both work 3 6 hr. shifts (3 days) at the same time and then both get 3 days off. "Work" can be manning the entry desk answering questions, running the bookstore, manning the visitors deck next to the ship lock and acting as roving interpeters in the fish viewing room. The fish ladders over the dam for thousands of migrating salmon have windows in the side. a few volenteers are assigned to give powerhouse tours, if they want too.

RRR · 01-26-2019, 06:41 PM

I thought powerhouse tours went out with the dodo bird.

Got to take my kids through Bonneville some 30 years ago. Between the powerhouse and and watching those massive gates at the locks open and close. WOW.

Oh for the simpler times.

rgvtexan · 01-27-2019, 10:36 AM

A little off topic, but! The Columbia Gorge is a Great Area. We boated out of Richland WA for years and have been through all of the Locks on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Approximately 100 foot lifts, gravity operated. million gals. of water. For years they were on demand, now on a time schedule for pleasure craft. Great fishing. The windsurfing capital is in Hood River, just down the road from B. Dam. If you are a Workamper go for it!

Rambeau · 01-27-2019, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRR

I thought powerhouse tours went out with the dodo bird.

Got to take my kids through Bonneville some 30 years ago. Between the powerhouse and and watching those massive gates at the locks open and close. WOW.

Oh for the simpler times.

Still doing 3 or 4 tours a day. The tour thru the Washington side powerhouse is especially good. This powerhouse was designed to accommodate tours so visitors are allowed to get up close to, over and under a generator & turbine.
Tours, both the Washington side and Oregon side are free. Entering the dam site your vehicle may be searched for wepons and explosives.

Rambeau · 01-27-2019, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgvtexan

A little off topic, but! The Columbia Gorge is a Great Area. We boated out of Richland WA for years and have been through all of the Locks on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Approximately 100 foot lifts, gravity operated. million gals. of water. For years they were on demand, now on a time schedule for pleasure craft. Great fishing. The windsurfing capital is in Hood River, just down the road from B. Dam. If you are a Workamper go for it!

Lock passage is still on demand and free to all traffic fall winter and spring. During the summer daylight commercial traffic is on demand. At night? I do not know. I would not want to run a pleasure boat on the river during darkness.