West
Outing to Flathead Lake…
SEPTEMBER 15, 2014. FLATHEAD LAKE, MONTANA is one of dozens of lakes in the immediate area of our campground near Glacier National Park. It is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River in the contiguous United States. It is slightly larger than Lake Tahoe. The maximum depth is 370 feet, compared to … Continue reading
Whitefish, Montana…
SEPTEMBER 14, 2014. Just a few miles from our campground is the quaint town of Whitefish, where Florence and I spent the afternoon poking around, learning some local history and generally just being tourists. Located on the shore of beautiful Whitefish Lake, the town boasts its own Amtrak station, a busy switching yard where freight … Continue reading
Kalispell, Montana: Gateway to Glacier National Park…
SEPTEMBER 13, 2014 KALISPELL, MONTANA is a quiet town of about 20,000 people, located in the heart of the magnificent Rocky Mountains, poised in the northwest corner of Montana and about an hour south of the Canadian border. As Montana’s seventh largest city and the seat of Flathead County, it’s a progressive, thriving community; the … Continue reading
Glacier National Park, Montana…
SEPTEMBER 13, 2014. LEAVING SANDPOINT. Today we put Sandpoint in our rear-view mirror and drove about 200 miles northeast to Kalispell, a small town just outside the west entrance to Glacier National Park. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sandpoint and in fact we stayed a full three weeks, rather than the three days we’d … Continue reading
Picking blueberries at Fred and Patty’s Farm…
SEPTEMBER 7, 2014. FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN BERRIES. We took a drive in the country today and had what turned out to be one of the most interesting excursions so far on our Great American Adventure. At the side of the road on the north shore of beautiful Lake Pend Oreille, we saw a makeshift sign: … Continue reading
Mennonites in Idaho…
SEPTEMBER 6, 2014. WHO ARE THE MENNONITES? Having seen quite a few Mennonite women in the area…everywhere from the check-out line at Walmart to walking in the woods, I realized I knew next to nothing about them or their religion. Here’s what I’ve learned. They are Christians, believing in the Trinity of Father, Son and … Continue reading
Sandpoint after dark…we love this town!
AUGUST 29, 2014. SANDPOINT AFTER DARK: While we were walking around the village the other day, we came across the little Panida Theater…steeped in history and the cornerstone of cultural activities for the entire Sandpoint community. Whether hosting a film, local performers, recording stars like Bonnie Raitt or the San Francisco Opera, the theater is … Continue reading
Sandpoint’s Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center…
AUGUST 28, 2014. NEAR SANDPOINT, IDAHO. THIS IS NO ORDINARY MUSEUM. And it has nothing to do with flying animals or aviaries. Rather, the museum memorializes the life, times and accomplishments of Dr. Forrest Bird, currently 93 years of age, who personally welcomed us to the large hanger where many of the collections are displayed. … Continue reading
Sandpoint, Idaho and Lake Pend Oreille…
AUGUST 22, 2014. Sandpoint, Idaho, an easy drive from Spokane, is a town on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest lake. It’s pronounced “Ponderay,” and that’s what the locals call it: Lake Ponderay. Rand McNally and USA Today have each given Sandpoint the distinction of being named the nation’s “Most Beautiful Small Town.” … Continue reading
Donna’s Diner in Spokane Valley…
AUGUST 11, 2014. IT WOULDN’T BE RIGHT not to mention this little place. I’ve avoided making this blog more about breakfast, lunch and dinner than anything else. Too many people, when writing about their travels, make that mistake…”Today we made tuna sandwiches for lunch. We used dill rye toast and Best Foods mayonnaise with shredded … Continue reading
Spokane, Washington…
AUGUST 9, 2014. We said goodbye to our buddy Therese yesterday and she made the long drive home to Portland. We had a great time while she visited us in Coeur d’Alene. We cooked some good food, had lots of interesting conversations, did lots of “catching up,” dined at a few good restaurants and enjoyed … Continue reading
The Old European Restaurant, Post Falls, Idaho…
AUGUST 5, 2014. A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. Post Falls is a town just a few miles from Coeur d’Alene. We happened on a restaurant there today that is very special. Without a doubt, this is the most noteworthy eatery we’ve found so far on our Adventure. Second place isn’t even close! All the soups and … Continue reading
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho…
AUGUST 4, 2014: Coeur d’Alene is 30 miles east of Spokane, and is the largest city in the northern Idaho panhandle. It’s located on the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene and is often referred to as the “Lake City” or simply by its initials: “CDL” Barbara Walters called the city “a little slice of Heaven” … Continue reading
We had a real scare last night…
AUGUST 3, 2014. WE’RE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE! We’re lucky to be alive with our motorhome intact. No kidding! I’ve written about some tight spots and stressful situations we’ve encountered earlier on this Journey, but nothing like this! Right now, we’re safely parked in the lot at Northern Quest Casino, about 20 miles from our … Continue reading
Palouse Scenic Byway and Top Notch Cafe…
JULY 29, 2014. A PATCHWORK OF ROLLING FARMLAND. The drive from Lewiston, Idaho to Newport, Washington via Spokane turned out to be a memorable one. State Route 195. True rural America. It took us almost 100 miles along the Palouse Scenic Byway, which is a spectacular drive through a patchwork quilt of rolling hills, celebrated … Continue reading
Lewiston, Idaho…
JULY 24, 2014. HELLS GATE STATE PARK: About 125 miles north of Riggins we arrive at Hells Gate State Park, in Lewiston, Idaho. The Park is a gateway to both Idaho’s Lewis and Clark country and to another section of Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America. We have a shady campsite along … Continue reading
Rapid River Fish Hatchery in Riggins, Idaho…
JULY 23, 2014. OUR VISIT TO THE HATCHERY: Several times in the last few days we’ve driven past a road sign for the Rapid River Fish Hatchery and today we decided to take the short drive there and learn a bit about breeding Chinook Salmon. It’s a very interesting operation. Here’s how the process works. … Continue reading
