I work in Cascade Locks, and there is a zip line in place right now from the Bridge of the Gods to Thunder Island. I don't know when they put it up, but it sure wasn't there yesterday!
I got there in time to see the camera crews packing up and loading equipment into vans, but a fellow teacher saw two couples ride the zip line down to the island. This was between 2:30-3:30 this afternoon. There were helicopters circling the site, three camera crews at and around the bridge, and they apparently paid the owners of the Charburger restaurant to close for the day so they could secure the parking lot which overlooks the river and the zip line. There were six yellow cabs at the parking lot where the access to the island is, along with more camera crews, and the officer that I talked to said they always stage it so that people don't know for sure how many couples are left. Does that sound reasonable?
The other teacher talked to one of the cab drivers, who said he picked up two people at the airport from an overseas flight, took them to Newberg where they "ran around and looked for a clue", then drove them to Cascade Locks. For some reason someone asked him if this was Fear Factor, but he said it was more like a scavenger hunt. Apparently he has not actually seen Amazing Race himself, so didn't know anything about the usual process.
My speculation is Timberline Lodge for the finish?
