Columbia River Gorge

We get introduced to the Oregon State Park system in the gorge at Ainsworth State Park. Full hookups. Just $18 per night. It's "discovery" season. That means it's off season and we get to "discover" why most people are not here now! The reason is the weather, of course. It's rainy. Not all the time, but enough to keep most folks home. The old highway through the gorge has long since been replaced by a modern interstate. The design principles of the two highways are drastically different. The old highway draped itself across the land, while the new interstate blasted, dug and filled it's way straight. Pictured here is a section of the old road.

At Bonneville Dam, we met Herman the Sturgeon. Really. He's several hundred pounds and still growing. These prehistoric things live in the river. They've a major fish hatchery at the Dam. Details of a salmon hatchery are rather gory. It's working, though, and the spawning salmon continue to return. Pictured here as well is one of the props from one of the generator turbines. This thing turned about 1 rev per second and the generator it's attached to is rated in the megawatts. That's a lot of torque!

The falls in the gorge are numerous, tall and spectacular. Joanie and I liked Multnomath Falls in particular. When coming back to our camp one night after dark, we passed, Horse Tail falls and noticed it was brightly lit. We stopped and walked down. I hesitated as I came around a turn. This women in black and chains stood in the light against a rock wall. Kinda spooky. I figure we walked right into a photo shoot for some local musician!

Kennewick, Washington

We left Coeur D'Alene lake early on October 2nd, planning to spend the night in Kennewick, then head down the Columbia River Gorge to the coast. It was just too late in the season to spend any more time north of the Columbia. Site unseen, I picked a spot for the night over the net, called 'em up, they had a spot, price was right. We pulled in. Came in the back way evidently. Drove past many permanent sites. I felt sorry for the kids growing up here. On the porch of a trailer, which served as the after hours office, a Hispanic woman told me to take one of the pull through sites "down there", then return and pay. We pulled into one and decided it was best not to unhook, just plan on making our escape early in the morning. My wife noticed a well rounded long legged brunette walking by, checking out our trailer, wondered if she was the camp hooker ... Honestly. Fellow came over, asked me if I was having any trouble. I told him no, not yet, I've not been here long enough to get into any. He told me I "had one of the best pull through sites at the the park". I could see that. Met his brother when I went back to pay - together, they run the place. When I asked him what I owed, he asked me how long I'd stay. I told him we'd pull out in the morning, he told me it's on the house, just remember them when I come back through town. I told him I sure would. This place was my definition of a nightmare.

South End of Coeur D'Alene Lake

When we pulled in to a great little resort (Sun Meadow) on the south end of Coeur D'Alene (CDA) lake, I had a feeling we were in the right place when I saw this sign - their way of saying, gently, "Look after your kids!". We were there after peak season so we darn near had it to ourselves. Pool, hot tub, even an indoor heated pool. Joan picked up a CD and saw that one of the artists was married to someone she knew from Boulder. And Rob Quist's band (who we saw in Kalispell) was on the CD as well. His song explains why the Bad Medicine area at Bull Lake is so named. We camped there on the way down from Glacier. Way back, one winter, a band of Kootenai Indians was trapped there by an earth quake. Many people died. Turns out that Rob played at the resort owner's wedding ... Small world. We spent one week here relaxing.



There's a great paved bike trail that follows an old railroad grade across the Idaho Pan Handle. It's the Coeur D'Alene Trail. We rode a section of it that crossed the south end of the lake on an old rail road bridge. Further down the trail a preying mantis attacked Joanie (well, not really!). Finally, I noticed that we were not out of bear country just yet - the trail was lined with ripe berries and apple trees. I observed several piles of bear scat chock full of berry seeds. On our return trip in the afternoon, I observed more piles than on the way out. Not a trail I'd like to ride at dusk!

The Route so far - Erie, CO to Post Falls, ID

View Larger Map

Glacier and Pole Bridge

Avalanche Lake in Glacier is well worth the hike. Several water falls cascade off the rock walls and feed into the lake. We hiked in and had lunch at the lake. On the way out, not 30 yards from where we had lunch, I stepped over a grizzly bear print where we joined the main trail around the lake. I might have missed it on the way in ...

There's a little town named Pole Bridge adjacent to the park's west edge on a gravel road darn near into Canada. Not much more than a mercantile (great baked goods!), a 40 kw diesel generator, several log houses and the Northern Lights Saloon. On the last day of summer they host the Pole Bridge Prom. Dresses are provided to ladies that have none. Corsage mandatory.

Glacier National Park

Ok. I'm a Colorado guy and I figure that Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park is pretty spectacular. Well, the Going to the Sun Road is Glacier is just as good, in some parts it's even more spectacular.

At the top we hiked for quite a ways. Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Goats grazed near the trail. The sheep were a little edgy. The goats were calm and peacefull.

In Glacier we begin to get into some big tree country, beginning with Western Red Cedars. Fall begins to catch up with us here. The leaves are beginning to turn more golden each day. We do get to spend one last afternoon swimming in a sheltered cove on MacDonald Lake.

Flathead Lake

Flathead Lake is beautiful. It's the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi. Gorgeous valley. We spent several days camped on the lake at Wayfarer State Park. Joanie was fascinated by the way the light played off the dripping sap and berry water droplets. We both enjoyed swimming near the shore where small schools of fish hid from the much larger Mackinaw just 20 or so yards away. Perfect sailing weather!