Washington to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

I have learned something about internet and cellphone connectivity:  Never Take it For Granted!  We have been without coverage for a high percentage of the last week.  SRD is not nearly as frustrated by this as I am!  Because of this, I am covering a lot of miles in this update.

 

 

 

Leaving Washington

 

The Columbia River Highway follows the river from the hilly green coastal cities past dams and power plants into the dryer, flatter interior.  All the way there are barges, grain elevators and bridges taking advantge of a liquid highway.  We left the river at Umatilla, Washington and headed North to Spokane. 

 

John Day Dam

 

 

Irrigation creating crop circles

 

Anyone who has flown over the Western United States has seen what looks like crop circles from the air.  They are caused by central pivot irrigation.  A central supply of water is attached to a series of pipes, wheels and sprinkler heads which rotate and irrigate huge circles of crops.  It is evidently more efficient and ecologically sensitive to water crops this way as instead of the irrigation ditch method.

 

 

 

Spokane has a river running through it and is famous for the series of falls in the center of the city.  The day we were there a craft show was in the park around the falls -- but Divas were not welcome. 

 

I've heard  Spokane mentioned as a retirement destination and after seeing the beautiful setting, delightful downtown and the opportunities for outdoor activities nearby I can understand why!   There is also a very good Deli Co-op in the downtown center.

 

 

Riverfront Park was built in the 1970s

and is in the center of downtown along the riverfront.

 

 

Two views of the falls

Since we have these falls we might as well grab a little power!

 

 

Down the road a little...this is for Big Eddy!  We saw this and thought of you!

 

 

 

 

Into Montana

 

I love these roads that look like they are going to drop you right in the lake!

Montana Lake Pend Oreille

 

 

Montana

 

Love those old barns!

 

This barn is the landmark to watch for when turning to SRD's cousin's house

 

 

 

In Ronan Montana we stopped for a visit with a delightful dog, Zack, his cat Misha, and his people (who are SRD's cousin and his wife.)  When family lives so far away you rarely get to visit and two days were filled with re-living old memories and making new ones.  If you are retiring and want to find a place with grand vistas, vast spaces to ride your horses and raise cattle, and second-to-none in physical beauty you couldn't find a better place.

 

The Diva and Zack discussing how to share the little squeaky toy.  She pushed it toward him, pretended she wasn't watching and when he tried to get it she grabbed it and squeaked like crazy.

 

 

Misha only had to tell her a couple of times to watch from a distance!

 

 

There's something about a dam.

We took a drive with the cousins and saw this one.  You must take a little walk away from the parking lot, down a hill into a valley and behind some trees to see it.

 

This dam was built on tribal land of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and they are in final stages of buying it outright after years of receiving lease payments from the federal government.

 

Kerr Dam on the Flathead River

Flathead River downstream from the dam

 

Sunset from the porch of their house (if you need another illustration of "second-to-none.")

 

 

Goodbye Zack!  The Diva loved running and chasing with you!

 

 

 

It is unlikely you could get one more hay bale on this truck!

 

 

When we talked about this trip with people who had been in the Western United States they always suggested strongly that we NOT miss Glacier National Park, so we didn't.

 

Lake McDonald

 

 

The main road in the park is called "Going to the Sun Road" which goes between the West and East entrances about 50 miles through the center of the park.  Beginning on the West you see Lake McDonald.  

 

The road is 75 years old, narrow in spots, being rehabilitated in other spots, and unsuitable for large vehicles or the faint of heart.

 

We ate lunch right here!

 

 

Along Avalanche Creek

 

At the visitor's center we listened to a ranger talk about the black and grizzly bears in the park.  We all learned about how to identify black vs. grizzly bears, how to hike safely, why you carry bear spray, and that a young ranger feels completely comfortable using this knowledge, going hiking in the back country by herself.

 

As you progress it begins to dawn that the road is on the side of that mountain ahead

Can you see it now?

A National Park touring car

...and look at that view (not you, SRD!  You just drive please!)

 

 

 

 

 

At Logan Pass, Elevation 6,646 ft., we saw these Rocky Mountain sheep

They are very calm around people unless you approach too close.  If you do, they walk away and disappear.  There is always someone with a big camera who needs a better photo and is willing to  illustrate that fact.

 

We exited the East side of the park just as the sun was lighting the mountains.

 

 

 

 

Morning on the central plains of Montana

 

Hay

 

This is a snow fence. 

It starkly illustrates what winter is like out here. 

The purpose is to direct the blowing snow so it drifts away from the highway.

 

As we were driving this lonely road we passed a bicyclist laden with as much gear as we'd ever seen on a bike.  He was laboring up a long grade and we commented on his stoic efforts.  Later that evening after we had set up camp in the last vacant spot at the Lewis and Clark National Forest Campground this very cyclist pedaled by our campsite looking for a place for the night.  We offered to share and spent a delightful evening and morning making the acquaintance of Yuta from Nagoya, Japan.  He began his ride in Anchorage on July 1 and will end in Phoenix!  When we asked him "WHY" he laughed, said everyone asks that, and that he wants to see Sedona! 

 

As we compared paths and schedules it seemed very likely that we passed him in July when we were going North on the Alaskan Highway.  He just may be one of the riders in my unposted photos of "intrepid cyclists!"

 

Safe travels, Yuta!

 

I am adding this note from home to celebrate finding a photo we took of Uta as he peddled through British Columbia on July 27, heading South.  I took the photo as we passed him going North to Alaska!  We commented then about the fact that he was carrying a heavy load and was alone.  What an amazing coincidence to cross paths again on September 3!

 

Yuta in BC on July 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Montana Barn

 

 

 

 

The North Entrance to Yellowstone Park

 

We planned to do a "quick tour" of Yellowstone Park.  We've seen so many rivers, mountains, bears and bison that we thought a couple of days would give us a flavor of the park and we would be finished.  There is a good reason why this park has been one of the most visited in the world since it was designated the country's first national park, on March 1, 1872!  We spent three whole days and were in awe.  This park is not just about wildlife and hot springs.  It is an active volcano with a destructive potential orders of magnitude greater than Mount St. Helens. 

 

 

 

Each of these little pools of boiling water or mud is unique

 

Some are not little!

 

Guess what has drawn this crowd to stand right here, looking at a steaming hole, for nearly an hour...

 

Old Faithful

 

 

 

These Basalt layers are formed by volcanic eruption and cooling

Towers of volcanic rock near Tower Falls

 

 

 

There are great herds of bison in the valleys.  They are a source of some very impressive traffic/photographer jams when they decide to go from one side of the road to the other.

 

 

 

Turkeys take dust baths in my flower beds but we had never seen a buffalo dust bath!  This big guy rolled around grunting and creating a dust cloud for several minutes.

 

 

 

 

It's hard to choose a favorite part of the park, but the drive through the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone" would have to be on the short list.  The Yellowstone River has carved a deep gorge through the volcanic rock and created some spectacular falls, colors and vistas.

 

Upper Falls of Yellowstone River

 

Lower Falls from Artist's Point

Down the canyon from Lower Falls

Lower Falls

 

 

 

 

This sign is a hoot!  Just beyond it is a drop off that would be quick and fatal.

 

 

Wildfires have been allowed to burn over many acres of the park.  There are new forests in many stages of development.  This fire was recent and left scars on the Eastern side of the park.

...but look what is growing and covering the forest floor nearly everywhere there has been a recent burn -- fireweed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving the park on the Eastern side leads through the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway along the Shoshone River through the Wapiti Valley and by the Buffalo Bill Dam. 

 

Down the dam face from the top of the dam

Looking downstream from the top of the dam

Cody Lake from the dam's rim

 

 

 

We are spending a couple of nights in Cody, Wyoming to launder nearly every piece of clothing we brought and eat a little Southwestern food before heading East.  The Diva has a new "Chuck-it" and will spend some quality time "bringing it back!"