Hell's Canyon, Idaho

Tuesday morning we awoke to overcast skies and threats of rain, but walked about 100 feet to the dock to catch our Snake Charmer jet-boat tour for the day.  After an engine problem and a quick change of boats we were off traveling 60 miles up the river.  We stopped for a catered lunch at the National Park Service site at Cache Creek staffed in 30-day increments by volunteers.  All travel past this location must be logged and approved for safety reasons, I guess.

The sun came out around noon offering an unparalleled view of the rocky slopes surrounding the river on both sides.  At a historical site where Nez Perce Indians crossed the river to evade Union cavalry troops we turned around and headed back to Clarkson.  This site on the Snake River at Clarkston is where the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1805-1806 camped for some time with the help of the Nez Perce.

We get an early start

Joy looking forward to the day's outing

We spot a Coyote

Basalt rock formation thrust up during volcanic activity

We see many Osprey today

Don chillin'out

Snake River Canyon is wilderness beauty all around

We take a break at NPS site

Quiet pools amidst rapids

Whitewater ahead!

Lone Mountain Goat appears

Ready now to run the rapids ahead

Another coyote appears to be part mountain goat climbing away

Indescribable beauty

Headed for more white water

A few hard turns in the jet-boat

Joy finishes the day happy

Spokane, WA to Lewiston, ID

09/01/13

Up bright and early on Monday morning we headed east along I-90 through Spokane into Idaho.  A quick look at Coeur d’Alene Lake was all we got as rain moved in on us.  After wandering the back roads (to find a campground that didn’t exist) we drove on to Lewiston, Idaho for the night.  We checked in at the Hells Canyon RV Resort in Clarkston, WA on the Snake River in site 2.

Couldn’t believe our good fortune to happen on this wonderful RV park, we ate leftovers and enjoyed one of the few sunsets since our trip began back in May.  Joy made reservations for Tuesday to take a river jet-boat excursion into Hell’s Canyon.

I-90 eastbound

Passing through downtown Spokane

Idaho wheat fields already harvested

We wondered why 4 of these ramps was needed over a four-mile stretch on Highway 95 until we saw.....

This sign at the top of the mountain

The Snake River heading south through Lewiston, ID

We see a beautiful sunset (one of the view we saw on the Alaska trip)

Hell's Canyon RV Resort offices

Joy contemplates our next day's activity

Yakima River Valley

This morning we headed south along I-28 to see Yakima with its apple orchards, other fruit and vegetable production along with numerous wineries in the Columbia and Yakima valleys.  Packing a picnic lunch we departed for sightseeing and some shopping for fruit (and a few veggies) before returning home.  (I guess we have been traveling long enough in the motor home that it has now become “home”).

We stop at a number of locations today enjoying fresh produce, some tapas plates at a winery, lingered at the Chucker Cherries factory store where everything we tasted was wonderful, and stopped at Jones Farm’s location in Zillah, WA.  Our last stop was at J-Bell Wineries that has a major production of lavender in its first year.

Zillah, WA winery

Chardonnay grapes nearing harvest time

Another winery in Prosser, WA

Our favorite stop of the day

A true country farm near Zillah, WA loaded with produce

One of many irrigation waterways we observed today

Ellensburg, WA down in the green Yakima River valley

Leavenworth, Washington

8/31/13

Another beautiful day dawns here with virtually clear skies and a promise of temperatures in the low 80’s today.  Our friends, Fred and Jeannie McMachan told us about a town named Leavenworth, WA. About 45 miles north of us.  It turns out that Leavenworth was a mining and railroad town in the late 1800’s.  Once the mines played out, the town residents decided to create a German town as might be found in the Alps today.  The Leavenworth family was prominent in development of the city, with one brother leaving to travel east to establish – guess where? Leavenworth, Kansas.

At any rate, we had a wonderful day here having lunch at Andreas Keller German restaurant, sightseeing, and doing a little shopping before we returned home for the day.  On the way home we decided to drive the Yakima Canyon Drive that rolls about 40 miles through desert-like sand hills deeply surrounding the Yakima River Valley.  We observer pristine-blue waters drifting south with hundreds of families floating the river.  It must have been a grand holiday weekend way to spend it lazily floating along through this scenery with you family in tow.

Highway 97 northbound from Ellensburg

We arrive in a beautiful German alpine village

Joy soaks up the sun and flowers

Lunch at Andreas Keller restaurant downstairs

Flower baskets everywhere

Hundreds of thousands of bales of hay await shipment to Japan
Japan has little productive acreage it can allocate to such mundane things as growing hay 

Just south of Ellensburg we find a gem of a scenic byway

Blue waters of Yakima River are enjoyed by many this Labor Day

Rolling arid hills provide a great contrast from the valley below

We saw many folks with rafts tied together enjoying a warm day

Almost down to Yakima

Ellensburg, Washington

8/30/13

This morning we decide that the road ahead may not be the best for a motor home knowing Highway 20 had been closed due to a landslide on August 11^th (now re-opened).  So we decided we would both feel better if we took the long way around back down to Mt. Vernon, down I-5 to Seattle, and the I-90 east even though a few extra hours were required.

The weather was beautiful as we headed through the Seattle area.  On I-90 east of Seattle we encountered a major traffic jam due to an accident.  One thing we have learned is that slow or stopped traffic while you are traveling in a motor home is no problem!  Sit back, have lunch, use the restroom – all right at your fingertips.  Joy found a great campsite at the Ellensburg, WA KOA facing directly on to the Yakima River now about 12 feet from our windshield.  We will stay a few days as this is Labor Day weekend.

Southbound on I-5 near Seattle

Eastbound on I=90 southeast of Seattle

Snowqualimie Pass area on I-90

Settled in at the Ellensburg, WA KOA with a great view out the windshield

Joy enjoys the afternoon in the shade with a book (iPad)