Little Family Vacation - Summer 2010

July 30th, 2010 – a Friday in Western Washington, Puget Sound to be exact. These entries cover the next three weeks of our family’s adventures are essentially the journal of our family vacation, summer of 2010. Making the trip are our two daughters, Audrey age 11, and Hannah age 13, along with Connie (my wife of 34+ years) and yours truly, Tony. Oh yes, I almost forgot, also making the trip is our 4-1/2 year old Chocolate Lab, Cocoa. Normally I write about these excursions as they happen. However, on this trip even though I remembered the portable computer, I was remiss in remembering to bring along the full size keyboard. You see, my fingers are fat and the dinky portable keyboard and I are more or less mortal enemies. So, I am writing about our 2010 Little Family Vacation after the fact. Bad, if you want details. Good, if you are like 99.99999% of folks and find reading this stuff to be excruciatingly boring, very boring, and too long. Way too long for anyone other than those spending time in solitary confinement. As it so worked out I happened to work on Thursday the 29th of July and my colleague Eric was kind enough to pick me up and then return me to the Seattle-Tacoma KOA which happens to be in the flatlands of Kent south of the Southcenter Mall. Upon returning me to the RV Eric came in to take a tour of our motorhome (lovingly referred to as LaFawnduh); our home during 2008 for four months and our home for this little sojourn of three weeks. After a few parting words and good wishes Eric was off for his duties of the day and we were off in the Jeep (Kip) to venture to Mt. Rainier National Park. The day was mostly clear, warm, and pleasant. The drive was uneventful as we climbed towards the Sunrise Visitor Center on the mountain’s northeast flank. Once there we enjoyed a hike along the climbing trail from the parking lot into mountain meadows abloom with flowers of mostly white, blue, and pink colorations. Against the rock and white snowfields/glaciers of the mountain the flowers were starkly beautiful. Glorious in fact. Spectacular views of the mountain and the North Cascades. A great start to the vacation. Bonus: During our drive back to the KOA we came upon a superb find. Old School Frozen Custard, at 21210 Highway 410 East in Bonney Lake. This ice-cream parlor was of a style familiar to the girls and I. Similar to Danville’s (Illinois) Custard Cup. We all agreed that we could park the RV in the parking lot for about three weeks and enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner enjoying the various offerings of the store. Double Bonus: Eating Sushi at Sushi Land near the Southcenter Mall (Tukwila), and last minute shopping at the REI store. Triple Bonus: Our wonderful friend Judy (AJ) made the trek to the KOA while I was away at work. She and the family visited, shared stories, laughed, and partook in Barbecue (without me, hence it is the last thing that I write about, and I do so regretfully). . . . . . . . . . . . . July 31st, Saturday: A Travel Day from Kent to Yakima, WA For those of you who don’t live in Washington State I’d like to clarify the geography and weather of our state. It’s simple. The west is wet, the east is dry. The difference between east and west is the Cascade Mountain Range. But, as most of the weather systems that bring rain to Western Washington approach from the south, another geographical factor that regulates the rainfall in Western Washington is the Olympic Mountains. These mountains essentially split the precipitation laden clouds as they approach from the south. Consequently, we live in Western Washington’s dry area, a triangular “blue hole” around Sequim; where there is even an area that qualifies as a desert with ten inches of annual rainfall. Our home roughly seven miles from this spot accrues about 17 inches of rain. Seattle by contrast gets 37. Additionally, temperatures on the west side are generally cooler than on the east side of the Cascade Mountain Range. So, our summer is not the quintessential summer that one imagines of when one conjures up visions of July in America. Our July had temperatures mostly in the mid-sixties. So by the end of the month we were longing for summer, so we headed east. We left the KOA and drove over Tiger Summit (Highway 18) to Interstate 90. There we made the climb up and over Snoqualmie Pass on what has to be one of the worst roads in the state. Vibrations from preparations for construction and repaving made a very bumpy, relatively uncomfortable ride in LaFawnduh. So much so, that when we finally arrived at Yakima’s Sportsmen State Park (where a very dry 97 degrees greeted us thank you very much) I began the process of leveling the RV with the jacks, but they didn’t budge, hum, or even nudge a bit. An examination of the compartment holding the hydraulic jack servo unit showed that the bumpy drive had resulted in an electrical plug becoming loose. An easy fix for this electrically challenged individual. All was well with LaFawnduh and her weary travelers. We were able to explore the park on our bicycles, exercise the dog, and then Con decided that it was a good time as any to do the laundry. Instead of using the RV’s combination washer/dryer she elected to go to a commercial Laundromat claiming that it would be faster and more efficient to do so. While Con and Hannah did the laundry Audrey and I explored Yakima. As it turned out, it was a town that reminded me of Danville (Con’s and my hometown). Audrey and I reconnoitered the local dining fare and selected Santiago’s for the family. When the laundry was completed we picked up Mom and Sis and drove the family to the restaurant. Folks, it was one of the very BEST Mexican restaurants that we have ever experienced. H had traditional chicken en mole’ while Con enjoyed a Yakima variety of the dish which included apples in the sauce and pork instead of chicken. Fantabulous. While in Yakima, eat at Santiago’s. August 1st-August 2nd At Charbonneau Park, near Ash, Washington On Lake Sacajawea, near Ice Harbor Dam and Locks along the Snake River I had been to this park during a motorcycle trip with my friend Oly back in 1998 and finally I had an opportunity to return. We left Yakima on State Route 24 and drove east through the Hanford Nuclear Reservation to the Tri-Cities of (Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco). From there it was a short drive on Highway 124 along the south side of the Snake River to our BLM Campground. The park was named after the husband of Sacajawea, the French Trapper Charbonneau. As we drove we passed farms growing mostly hops, grapes, and hay irrigated by the Columbia River Dam system. Weather was quintessential eastern Washington August. Hot (near 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and arid. Sunday at the park was busy. Vacationers and folks escaping the heat and relaxing a bit after a week of toiling in the heat. The vast majority of day users were migrant agricultural laborers who were at the swim beach with their families and dogs (there were no less than a dozen Chihuahuas of practically every hue). The aroma of barbecues filled the air and was very appropriate for a summer Sunday. As we had such a short drive between Yakima and the park we arrived before the check-in time for our campsite. So, we parked LaFawnduh and drove Kip to the dam. There we toured the fish ladder (Chinook were running) and took in the various Corps of Engineer film presentations and tour of the dam. The entire family found the tour interesting and informative. Without the Columbia system of dams Washington State and in fact, all of America would be very different. The water from the Columbia not only provides flood control and water for irrigation but it also allowed for the nuclear arms production and nuclear power production for our fission power plants. One can say that the dams greatly contributed to the end of WWII. Without the dams the world would be a different place today. On Monday we drove Kip through the Palouse as wheat and hay was being harvested along the rolling hillsides. Our destination was Walla Walla in southeastern Washington, a town that we had never been to before. There we drove through the old town district and around the campus of Whitman College and explored some of the galleries and parks in the city. Temperatures were above 100, hot and dry. Upon returning to the campground Hannah, Audrey, Cocoa and I enjoyed swimming in the lake. Audrey, surprised all of us as she leaped without hesitation off of a high dock. The water was well over her head and the absence of the bottom caused a bit of surprise for her. Hannah contemplated a rescue but was very relieved to see that it wasn’t necessary. Audrey is a strong swimmer regardless of the depth of the water. Her bravado shocking even her mother. August 3rd – Wilderness Gateway, Idaho Moving east from Charbonneau Park we drove along the Snake River to its confluence with the Clearwater River at the Washington/Idaho border (Clarkston, WA and Lewiston, ID). This happens to be the lowest point in the State of Idaho. As we did so we more or less left the Palouse for the mountains and forests of the Northern Rockies. The route we followed from Charbonneau for the entire day paralleled and in some places was the actual route of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Driving in the motor home was uneventful as Highway 12 had good shoulders and the road surface is well maintained. My only regret is that the family wasn’t traveling on motorcycles as it would be a wonderful motorcycle trip all the way from Clarkston to Missoula (and beyond). We camped at Wilderness Gateway, a USFS campground on the Clearwater NF. We didn’t realize it previous to planning the route but the area was very familiar to Con and me. Wilderness Gateway wasn’t always called such, for in the years when we lived in Missoula the area was known to us as the trailhead for the hike to Stanley Hot Springs (introduced to us by our friend Bill K.). At the campground we waded in the nearby creek and river and tossed the ball for Cocoa. The cool water was a welcome respite from the day’s warmth which according to our Jeep thermometer reached 106 degrees. The heat keeping the bugs away and we all enjoyed the greenery after our days in the Palouse (see the trip pictures on Flickr to gain some understanding regarding that comment). We played UNO at the picnic table beneath the shade of the canyon walls and the towering conifers. Unfortunately, during a foray to the river the Jeep was inadvertently backed into a steel gate. No damage to the gate, but Kip sustained an Owyhee to his left rear fender (fortunately, there wasn’t any sheet metal damage). August 4th – 5th Missoula Leaving Wilderness Gateway we intended to stop at the Powell Ranger Station, disconnect Kip from LaFawnduh and drive up to one of Con’s and my favorite haunts, Tom Beal Park (not actually a park, it just seems that way). The drive along the Lochsa was beautiful. At Powell I went in to okay parking LaFawnduh at their working Ranger Station. The receptionist said, “Not a problem. But, could you move the RV a little bit south.” “Sure” I said. As it turns out it was easier said than done. Turning the ignition on LaFawnduh didn’t roar into her normal ready to go state but instead made an unfamiliar. . . . . “click”. That’s it. Click. Over and over and over. Click. Nothing else. Just click. Our hearts sunk. I recalled a similar experience that my friend Eric L. had had on his motorcycle. He said that hitting the starter helped, so I figured, why not, I’ve even got a rubber mallet at hand. So, I beat on the starter and told Con to turn the key. Click. Click. Click. I decided that beating on starters only worked with Italian motorcycles. I decided to make sure that the two chassis batteries were firmly connected and free of oxidation. They were. But, since I had the mallet in hand. I thumped the connections just because I could. “Try the ignition again Con.” Click. Click. Va-Roooooooom. . . . . . The Cummins fired up just as always. What a great sound. The jury is still out as to whether beating on the thing brought about the good fortune, or whether it was simply coincidence. Con claims divine intervention. Cocoa is oblivious. Hannah was bummed by not being able to go hiking. Audrey was thankful to not be hiking because in her own words, “It’s too hot Dad.” Well, I evaluated my options. Turn off the engine, or leave it running. I opted for the latter and reconnected Kip to his familiar friend, LaFawnduh. We abandoned the planned trip to Tom Beal Park and instead turned our nose towards Missoula. The climb UP Lolo Pass was uneventful. A piece of cake for the old gal (Con, er, I mean LaFawnduh). Since this was such a pivotal, important spot for the original Corps of Discovery, I parked in the far corner of the Visitor Center and left the old gal idling with the air conditioner blaring and Cocoa contentedly and obliviously at peace on her couch. The Lolo Pass Visitor Center had been rebuilt since Con and I were last there (about a quarter of a century previous). The staff was informative and full of ideas for our time in Montana. The girls felt very much at ease now that we were in Montana. A place that has magical connotations for all of us in the family. Heaven? Montana? They are synonyms to me. After picking up souvenirs, books (Timothy Egan’s “The Big Burn”), and having engaged in good conversation with fellow travelers we continued our sojourn east towards Missoula. Very familiar territory. Lolo Hot Springs on our left. Lolo Creek on our right. Lolo Pass coming up ahead of us. Turn left and end up at Fish Creek and I-90 near Albertson Gorge on the Clark Fork. We continued on Highway 12 and came to Lolo (grown quite a bit since we last were here, darn it). Left along the Bitterroot River and we were soon in Missoula. Our first stop. Les Schwab. That’s where LaFawnduh’s tires are from and where I had purchased the batteries from just two years ago (right before the big trip of 2008). Not really having a good grasp as to what the problem was (I admit to being electrically more or less illiterate) I knew that the good people at Les Schwab would lend a hand, fix the problem, or give good advice as to where I might go to get it fixed. I was right. Even though the Broadway Les Schwab was busy, a young man with a great attitude walked the 200 yards or so to LaFawnduh, voltmeter in hand. The batteries were fine. The system was charging. A bad solenoid or starter was the diagnosis. More than the scope of service provided by Les Schwab but he provided directions to Interstate Truck Center, out by the Airport. There they took care of us in a heartbeat. A new starter resulted in a turn of the key instantly resulting in the growl of the diesel engine. Music to my ears. Back at the KOA we let the kiddies head off to the pool to escape the Montana heat (near 100). Con called Kelly C., our good friend and made arrangements to meet her after work at the Mustard Seed Restaurant (a fav of ours in Missoula (or Spokane as a matter of fact)). Laughter, heartfelt conversation, good food, time spent with a great friend. The trip could end right there and it would have been a rewarding, successful, time well spent venture. For all of us. After dinner we decided we needed dessert and went downtown to the ice-cream haunt on Higgins (south of the bridge a couple of blocks). The evening temp was very pleasant, the scenery was great, and the great conversation continued but had to come to an end as the sun dipped beneath the horizon. It is always sad to part a good friend, and it was again as Kelly went her way in her truck and we headed back to the KOA in Kip. Back at LaFawnduh the temp took a nose dive as a thunderstorm rolled in and the girls hooped and hollered with glee at the sound of thunder and the flash of the lightning. We awoke on the 6th to great weather, and a desire to explore Missoula and share it with the kids. Our old apartments. The schools where I worked. The hospital where Con worked and the University of Montana campus. We decided that Missoula had actually become two cities. East of Orange Street was “Old Missoula”. Old, picturesque neighborhoods, the University district, Ma and Pa stores with personality. Galleries. Great restaurants, etc. West of Orange Street was “New Missoula”. Casinos, box stores. Hastily constructed subdivisions. Large growth even in this troubled economy. Booming, but a bit institutional in appearance. Old Missoula with personality and a face that was unique to her. New Missoula much like a thousand other cities in America. We did however enjoy Cold Stone Ice-cream near the KOA, as well as shopping at the Northwest standard, REI (Audrey picked up some tee shirts and shorts). But, our dinner was at an old Missoula standard. The Double Front Fried Chicken. Delicious and probably the second best Fried Chicken (take out) in all of America. Strangely, the very best Fried Chicken (sit down) in the entire country is also in Missoula. At "The Shack" (we used to go there on Sunday nights with Ivy & Myra). The girls rode the Carousel at Caras Park (on the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula (Old Missoula). Sunsets in the Missoula valley (actually where five valleys converge) are always great. I secretly wished that Con could somehow recover from her bouts of arthritis and be able to tolerate the winters of Montana. I could easily live in Montana. There are times when I sincerely wish that I had never left. The people of that state are so hardy. I love them, always did, and always will. Sadly, it was time to move on. Thankfully, due to the work of the good mechanics at Interstate Truck Center, we were again very confident in getting back into LaFawnduh. I turned the key. She fired right up. Strong as ever. August 6th-8th, Camping at the KOA West Glacier, MT Friday, August 6th We reluctantly boarded LaFawnduh for the trip northward. The day’s ultimate destination being the KOA Campground at West Glacier, MT. This would be the furthest point traveled for LaFawnduh before turning her nose towards home. Such thoughts always bring a bit of sadness to us as even with the hiccups and obstacles of travel, the rewards always exceed our expectations. What would today hold? Still quintessential Montana summer. Hot. Dry. Cloudless skies throughout most of the day with afternoon thunderstorms forming over the Northern Rockies. My kind of an August. Con wanted the girls to experience the National Bison Range northwest of Missoula (near the town of Moiese). Since the day’s travels weren’t that extensive it seemed like a great addition to the itinerary and yes, it was Matilda. Once at the Range we parked LaFawnduh, turned on her airconditioner and let Cocoa recuperate from all of her recent activity. Her spot on the couch is familiar to her and she seemed grateful for the rest. The rest of us unhooked Kip took off his T-Top and began our explorations with a tour of the Visitor Center. We then began the drive around the refuge. The gravel road climbed gradually over the mountainside until obtaining a summit with great views of the Clark Fork River to the west and the Mission Mountains to the east. The Flathead Valley lying in between. The girls enjoyed the Safari style expedition and they took turns “standing” in the front seat of Kip. They held on to the roll bar as we creeped along the road at somewhere around 15 mph. The entire road was somewhere around 17 miles and was marked with mile markers. The girls changed positions every two miles and there were smiles all around. We saw deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, and bison (in addition to the great scenery). The largest gathering of bison was near milepost 15 as we came across a herd of more than a hundred animals. It was the “rut” for the bison and the aggressive behavior of the bulls accompanied by the grunting and vocalizations was impressive. A great stop for the family. We then re-attached the Kip-LaFawnduh team and continued our journey northward with a stop at the St. Ignatius Mission in the town of the same name. The church is open to the public and it was beautiful. Con and I have visited it since our Missoula days but this was the girl’s first time at the Mission. The most amazing fact is that the murals/frescoes were painted by the cook. He used available pigments found in egg yolks (yellow) and flowers such as the Indian Paintbrush (red). Driving northward we came to Polson where we were faced with the option of driving along the east shore or the Westside of Flathead Lake. We elected for the eastside since the cherries were in season (mostly Bings). The orchards are beautiful with their deep red dotted branches. When we arrived in Missoula all of those years ago Con and I made this drive at the recommendation of Lewis and Louise Roberts (who went to our church). This beautiful drive has special meaning to Con and I and it was easy to recount images, memories, and the wonderful people from those decades ago. I am reminded of all of the wonderful people who we have came across in our lives and how blessed we are to have been touched by them. Many of these good folk are Montanans and among them are the Roberts. Before long we were driving north from the Lake along the picturesque Flathead Valley, just a few miles from our destination. This road (Montana Highway 206) towards Glacier National Park is two lanes, has a narrow (at times non-existent) shoulder and experiences a relatively high traffic volume. We happened to be there at an especially high volume time as folks were driving towards Glacier NP for the weekend and locals were getting off work and moving towards home. On top of all of this is the fact that most of the commerce of the area is moved by Semis. Finally, the afternoon thunderstorms had started and it was raining hard and was windy. Gusty winds. Blow you off of the road winds. It was at one of these narrow spots along the road when we were approached by a long line of traffic. The lead semi was a “wide load” and he hugged the centerline and I HAD to move to the right to avoid a collision. My right wheels got off onto the soft shoulder and had we been unlucky we would have rolled. Fortunately, LaFawnduh was loyal and she corrected just the right amount to avoid going off of the road or into the on-coming line of traffic. Hannah and Audrey were more or less oblivious to the episode but Con wasn’t and it took a long while for her pulse to subside and the adrenalin to leave her. Thank you very much for travel mercies. The remainder of the day was more or less uneventful by comparison. Saturday, August 7th Spacious campsites, good neighbors, great location, and a good facility made this campground make it to our “favorites” list. A place that we’d come back to. The kids enjoyed the swimming pool and especially enjoyed the ice-cream stand. The Northern Rockies are experiencing an average number of wildfires this year; caused by the lightning strikes in the arid clime. So, we awoke to a light haze filling the valleys. Smoke from the distant forest fires. This smoke slightly diminished the views in Glacier National Park, but only slightly. With the T-top removed from Kip and Cocoa comfortable in her home known as LaFawnduh we entered through West Glacier (it was a weekend, and it was the tourist season (we being counted amongst the many tourists) but a free bus service and a ban on RV’s made for a relatively easy drive along the Going to the Sun Highway, a road which has to be the most scenic that we have ever encountered in the US (only Canada’s Icefield Parkway between Banff and Jasper being prettier in our humble experiences). Glacier is beautiful. Majestic peaks. Forests. And wildlife. Not to the extent of the Bison or elk of the Yellowstone herds (which at times is more like exploring a zoo instead of a natural habitat), but magnificent in its own right. Especially if one is like us and admires the pristine white of Mountain Goats. We weren’t at all disappointed when summer construction caused work delays along the road for these delays gave us an excuse to stop, get out of Kip, and take in the vistas. Without the construction turnouts are few and far in between and being a Saturday, would most likely have been occupied by a car from Michigan. We were grateful for the construction and the opportunity to stop and enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, after driving around and around in circles at the Logan Pass parking lot we abandoned the idea of hiking here and instead continued eastward along the roadway. After crossing the Continental Divide our destination became the Rising Sun Area at St. Mary’s Lake. Being flexible is a necessary trait for travelers and being flexible in Glacier doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll miss something beautiful, it simply means you’ll see a different beautiful scene. Such was our day. A day filled with beautiful vistas. The bonus and mostly unexpected treat for the day occurred as we were driving back to the campground from St. Mary’s. This essentially meant retracing our route on the Going to the Sun Highway which is rewarding in its own right. With the top off of the Jeep it allowed me an opportunity to douse Audrey in the front seat of Kip by driving close to the infamous “Weeping Wall”. This cliff face that is right next to the road is almost continuously a waterfall. Audrey laughed and appreciated her shower. A few miles downhill from the wall and just uphill from the switchback at the Granite Park Chalet trailhead we looked up through the topless Jeep just in time to spy a few months old Grizzly Bear Cub. The cub was between 20 and 30 feet above us on the roadway and without having the top off of Kip, we would have missed it (as numerous motorists had and did). The still un-weaned cub was gorging itself on ripe huckleberries (I can understand its desire to eat the wonderful berry). Con was in the back seat with the camera at the time and she clicked a few pictures in the general direction of the cub before handing the camera to me. Con had taken a few images of “streaks” of color and all I got was a picture of the cub with its head buried in the bushes. In my photos all you can make out is the tops of its ears (seen on Flickr). Due to our concern for running into Momma Bear and having her jump into Kip (this was Audrey’s concern, not mine) we reluctantly continued our descent to Lake McDonald. That evening back at the KOA there was a slideshow presentation by Tom Ulrich, a wildlife photographer from West Glacier (a Southern Illinois University Alum). We were entertained and amazed for an hour as he gave a presentation of animals from around the world with an emphasis of the Glacier Park Mountain Goats that frequent the Logan Pass Area. Audrey purchased one of his books and we were all motivated to make a return trip to the Pass. I surmised that the weekenders would be traveling towards home on Sunday afternoon allowing for a less crowded parking lot (and trails). We were all motivated by Mr. Ulrich’s photos to make the trek at the Pass and possibly, very possibly glimpse a distant goat. Sunday, August 8th, 2010 Off and on rain overnight and the sound of distant thunder made us question the rationale of going back to Logan Pass. So, we decided to be flexible. We went to the Hungry Horse Dam instead. The dam, is the highest in Montana and when it was completed in 1953 it was the world’s fifth highest. Containing a vast amount of concrete in its nearly 300 feet thick base. Connie and I had taken the self guided tour at the Dam during our Montana years. We always enjoyed riding the elevator down to the level of the control room and turbines. The tour was always impressive to us so much so that we even took Con’s dad to the dam during his 1985 visit. However, 9-11 changed things in America and one of those things was the ability to take the self guided tour. No longer can one explore the dam at your own pace for it is now a security concern, for the dam is potentially a terrorist target. Sorry kids. We now can only look at the dam from the outside. Trust me, it is an impressive structure. Take my word for it. I’m sorry that the Terrorists attacked us. After the disappointment of not being able to take the tour at the dam we discussed our possibilities for the day. We decided that we had came this far and it would be a sin not to make the hike at Logan Pass. So, we were off. We considered the free bus ride from Apgar but decided against it as we would be on their schedule and if we were driving up and the rains came in earnest, we would be committed on the bus while the Jeep would allow us to reconsider. So we drove to the pass during the mid-afternoon hours as there was a stream of cars headed in the opposite direction. Few cars were heading toward the pass and that was a good sign. The rain ended and the skies showed partial clearing. Plenty of parking at the Pass. Lots of room. Smiles all around even though the winds were steady at 20 mph with higher gusts. Temps were in the mid fifties at the Visitor Center. That’s alright as we were prepared with pile clothing and parkas. We hiked through the meadow, flowers that were in bloom, Columbian Ground Squirrels munching contentedly at the summer’s bounty. And, then an unexpected surprise. As we approached a small stand of trees a Mom, Dad, and a young Mountain Goat came walking our way, passing no more than ten feet from us. Audrey was jubilant. Con displayed a very satisfied smile. We continued our uphill trek towards the overlook of Hidden Lake, about a mile and a half distant from the Visitor Center. As we gained elevation the winds subsided and the sun came out making for very comfortable hiking conditions. The scenery changed as the clouds moved to and fro. Sunbreaks highlighting the flanks of the Continental Divide causing ever changing scenery. In total we saw TEN mountain goats all of which came to within thirty feet of us (including three kids); we saw a couple of Big Horn Sheep, a marmot, the ground squirrels and soaring eagles. We heard pikas chirping nearby but couldn’t spy the little cousin to rabbits. After the hike our jubilant family drove down to Lake McDonald. As we descended a black bear ran across the highway and we later saw one in the forest near Apgar. Including the grizzly bear cub from yesterday over a three day period we had seen every large mammal in the Northern Rockies except for moose (and wolves). A great thing to have made the return to Logan Pass. My recommendation is that if you go to Glacier National Park, you have to hike at the Pass. You simply must. Monday, August 9th – Thursday, August 12th, 2010 Time to leave Glacier and head back towards Port Angeles. But, along the way we’re stopping in a pretty neat place. . . . . . . . . . Driving on Highway 2 we stopped in Kalispell for groceries before continuing west through Libby and Troy (a fuel stop). We stopped at the Kootenai River RV Park (about two miles west of Troy on US Hwy 2) where we un-hooked Kip from LaFawnduh and loaded him up for a little adventure. Driving north on the East Side Highway we eventually came to FS Road 4407 where we drove the final five miles to the lookout, elevation 4,995 ft. The Yaak Mountain Lookout turned out to be a fantastic place to stay. Serene, super views 360 degrees around the lookout (45 feet above the ground) and smiles all around; from the get go for Dad, Hannah, and Audrey and after a couple trips up and down the stairs for Connie and Cocoa (but, eventually they even got the hang of it). We were close to the peak of the Perseids Meteor shower so Hannah and I spent quite a bit of time on the catwalk looking skyward. Fabulous sunsets, distant lightning storms (O-kay, maybe not that distant after all). Hours of tossing washers near the base of the lookout, playing Uno around the dining table in the lookout, and reading Patrick McMahon’s fantastic and funny short stories (all four of us took turns reading a chapter from his book). We gave the kids the option to go fishing, exploring, hiking, or bicycling, but both of them were very content to stay in or near the lookout and bask in the views and the comradely of the family. Smiles, laughter, pleasant conversation. No technology. In fact, no electricity. But, we did have a propane stove (four burners and an oven), a propane furnace (which we never used), a propane (RV) refrigerator (which we weren’t expecting but were very pleased to find), and a propane light (mounted on the lookout’s east wall). Plenty of amenities for our family. Audrey, Hannah and Dad slept on the floor as Mom somehow called dibs on the one and only twin sized bed. Remember my mentioning the lightning storms? Well, after watching the distant storms and hearing the rumble of thunder the first night we awoke to a smoke filled valley. Since the lookout was at the summit of a mountain we weren’t 100% sure as to whether what we were seeing was smoke or perhaps fog? Connie prepared a marvelous breakfast of huckleberry pancakes and as we were enjoying the delicacies Con remarked, “I hear a helicopter.” I was reluctant to allow my huckleberry pancakes to cool too much so I replied, “Probably a train down in the valley.” She was facing east (towards Troy) as I was facing west (towards Idaho) when she pointed vigorously and exclaimed, “Look! It’s a big one!” Well, we were definitely not seeing fog, but we were seeing smoke from a fire that was burning about a mile northwest of us. A Sikorsky CH-54 Skycrane passed less than a quarter mile from us and practically at eye level to us as it moved from the Troy airport to combat the fire. Con called the Troy Ranger Station (Kootenay NF) and gave them our cellular phone number. Fortunately, the helicopter, fire crews, and a mid-morning rain squaw doused the wildfire. We were relieved to not have to evacuate the lookout. All in all we had a great three nights at the Lookout. So much so, we were all sad as we walked down the stairs for the last time. P.S. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. How? I don't know. But, as we were discussing our time in the lookout last night Audrey reminded me, "Hey Dad, do you remember when Mom tried to kill you?" Well Audrey, actually I do recall that moment in time (one of many similar episodes in my life) when your Mother did try to kill me. The circumstances that led to Audrey making her acute observation occurred during our very first HOUR at the lookout and are as follows: We had discovered the hoist and were hauling our necessary items 45 feet into the air using this wonderful device (manufactured by Sears & Roebuck no less). If you look closely at the Flickr site photographs and read the website regarding the lookout, you will find one glaring omission. Yes, there were bathroom facilities, albeit a strategically placed outhouse (clean, bug free, and odorless BTW). And, yes there were the propane appliances (mentioned above), but there was no water. Knowing this in advance we came prepared. Among our water carriers was a blue/white thermos jug about a gallon in size. This device was strategically attached to the hoist cable as it was hauled upwards. Somehow, as it gained the summit, it miraculously and unexplicably became undone from it's secure attachment. It fell earthward at 32 feet per second/per second (yes, I do indeed recall my Physics 101 course). As it impacted the ground a mere one ft. from my head I heard my beloved Constance shout, "Look out!" Alright, do the math yourselves. Negating air resistance (which was nil) 32 feet of space was traversed in the first second, and the tower was 45 feet high, so there was just short of a second and a half before the darn thing impacted upon the ground. Let's do a little experiment: Yell, "Look Out." Ready, Go. . . . . . Did that take you a second and a half? Hmmm. Funny how things like that happen, don't you think so? Hmmmm. Yes indeed. Hmmmmm. Let me remind you again of Audrey's comment, "Hey Dad, do you remember when Mom tried to kill you?" Funny thing is she came up with that observation and subsequent comment all on her own. For I never once said, "Mom tried to kill me." Little ol' Audrey is an astute and gifted observer. Yes, indeed. August 12th-15th A Carrot for the Kiddies During our Big trip of 2008 we recognized the importance of dangling carrots for the kiddies. That is, it isn't the easiest of tasks to sit for all of those hours in an RV as the landscape moves by. Changes in scenery, environment, routines, bumps in the road both actual and figurative, etc. all have an impact on the morale of the travelers. I am quite pleased to report that H & A are MARVELOUS travelers. Never once complaining and rarely inquiring, "Are we there yet?" They fill the interior of LaFawnduh with conversation, insights, songs, poems, and most importantly. . . . . .laughter. Lots of laughter. Traveling with the kids is not a chore, but is an absolute blessing. Then there is our other traveling companion (not Cocoa, she is a PERFECT traveler). But, the other traveling companion that occupies the front passenger compartment. Well, we'll leave that for your own imagination. But, in order to reward the children for their spelendid attitude and contributions to the family, Con and I pick out age appropriate carrots with which to dangle before their starry eyes. This trip included many, but a special one was a day spent at Silverwood Amusement Park. The park happens to be the largest in the Pacific Northwest and one that Con and I even enjoyed before the kiddies were in our lives (Dang, I let the cat out of the bag). Since this trip was a bit late in the planning it turns out that our two favorite camping destinations for Silverwood (Silverwood RV Park and Farragut State Park) were already full. So, we researched the options and decided on staying at the Little Diamond (lake) KOA, a new KOA campground that turned out to be a good choice. The kids love the water and the pool at the campground was pretty good. They had a clean and well maintained "large" hot tub (indoors), the campsites were spacious, and it wasn't terribly inconvenient of a location. Slightly more than a half hour from Silverwood and essentially a half hour closer to PA for us. The drive from the lookout to Newport, WA (crossing the entire state of Idaho in the process) was a breeze (yes, Northern Idaho is narrow, and we started the journey about four miles from the Idaho border in Montana. Newport is right across the border in Washington state so it was a breeze. A proverbial piece of cake. The night of the 12th (morning of the 13th (0200 hrs)) H and I got up to gaze outside. To our delight the sky was clear and moonless. Meaning, great sky viewing. The Perseids Meteor shower lit up the sky, but in a way that we weren't accustom to seeing. In all our meteor viewing of the past, the streaks of the meteors flashing across the sky had always been in a single direction (usually east to west) but on this night we watched seemingly random trails that essentially covered all points on the compass. The meteors were seen at a rate of probably 3 or 4 per minute. Sometimes evenly spaced. Sometimes occurring at a rate of 4 in five seconds followed by a 45 second interval of quiet. H and I were lying in the road in front of LaFawnduh as to have the best, non-tree blocked view of the sky. We both witnessed an event that I don't recall EVER having seen in my life. Lasting for perhaps two seconds was a brilliant white burst. A flash of white light that occupied a single point in the sky, much like placing a period in the heavens. It wasn't a streak, but was instead a single burst of brilliant white light. H and I both saw the event and I speculated that it was a meteor that entered the atmosphere almost vertically. Hannah, drawing upon her extensive science education stated that last year (as a seventh grader) she learned of "Gamma Ray Bursts". She stated that there were approximately three occurring in any 24 hour period in the Milky Way Galaxy but since that included hours of daylight the gamma ray bursts go largely unnoticed. She thought we had just seen a Gamma Ray Burst. Friday was our day spent at Silverwood. We let the girls choose whatever they wanted to ride and I accompanied them (most of the time as they have a greater tolerance to spinning than I have). They rode the roller coasters over and over and over again. As it was a typical Northern Rockies hot/dry August day we escaped the heat in the afternoon by escaping to the Ice Show. An entertaining and talented group of athletes at any venue (but especially for Northern Idaho). Saturday we awoke and again allowed the girls to choose the itinerary for the day (flexibility is a great thing while traveling or while simply moving through life in our fast pace society). They chose Riverfront Park in Spokane. We drove into the "big city" and parked along the north side of the River. Walking around the scenic park is always relaxing and rewarding for the kids. They road the rides at the "ice rink" pavillion and did the quintessential Carousel (grasping for the golden ring while whizzing by at break neck speed (the seat belt is necessary on this poarticular carousel)). Lunch was at a Spokane (and Missoula) favorite. The Mustard Seed. Sunday morning I had walked to the new, clean, spacious campground restroom for my start of the day shower. Returning the short distance to LaFawnduh I was VERY surprised to come upon a bobcat licking its paws and warming up in the early morning sunshine. The creature looked my way with barely a concern as I quietly backtracked along the trail to make a broad loop back to LaFawnduh. Everyone was up and I implored them to come with me to see the Bobcat. Audrey hung onto her Mother who refused to leave the "safety" of the road (you had to be on the trail to see the bobcat). Hannah accompanied me with great anticipation and the two of us were rewarded by a view of the small wildcat. It finally bolted as our predatory numbers had increased greeatly. H and I ran through the woods in hot pursuit. We think we know the fallen log where it probably ducked out of view. So, for Hannah and I our stay in Newport was highlighted by two natural events. One, the Perseids Meteor shower, and two, spying the bobcat (I'm certain that I have only seen one other bobcat in the wild. About three decades ago along Lolo Creek east of Lolo Pass but west of Lolo Hot Springs. Con and I were driving back to Missoula after an afternoon of x-c skiing when we both glimpsed the cat which was sunninng itself on the frozen creek. Nature continues to reward us with glimpses of her majesty. Sunday, August 15th - Tuesday, August 17th The End Approaches It's too short. Again. The trip nears its end and even though we are all richer for the experience, we are also saddened by its conclusion. Like finishing a good book. You don't want it to end. To be over. You'd rather it went on and on and on. But, alas. . . . . So, Sunday we woke up somewhere around 500 miles from Port Angeles, but with Connie having to return to work on Wednesday (and me on Thursday). Between us and the end of the trip were mid-August temperatures (around 90) and a couple nights in Leavenworth. So, we fired LaFawnduh up (the starter continued to work great) and we were off on our journey along Highway 2. Retracing our route to Spokane we continued our journey across the Palouse where this trip began almost three weeks earlier. This time traveling on a Sunday we saw most tractors and combines sitting idle as the farmers attended church with their families. The day was mostly quiet with traffic picking up finally as we neared Banks Lake and Grand Coulee. Here many Seattleites were returning home after their family vacations so the number of trucks pulling trailers or boats increased in number and the traffic volume steadily increased as we made our way westward. Central Washington is on a raised plateau that has been cut out by the Columbia River. Highway 2 descended into the River Valley at Waterville Hill, a 6-1/2% grade that lasted for miles (about the same as many of the mountain passes). Hannah read her book as Audrey napped while snuggling with Cocoa. Con was her attentive self as LaFawnduh continued her superb ways of descending without the use of brakes but with the Engine Brake (Jake brake) engaged. A controlled and steady descent ensued with a few motorists in their swift cars beginning to back up behind us. I always take the conservative route which leads to safety. Even this time which was a bit more challenging than usual. As we crossed a bridge over a creek valley I watched a "beater" car approach in the on-coming lane. The beater was being driven by a young (early twenties) Hispanic male with his girl friend (or wife) as a front seat passenger. Since he had a long climb ahead of him he was trying to maintain as much momentum as he possibly could for the steep ascent. Well, rounding a curve with a bit too much momentum resulted in his going off the roadway into a soft shoulder. Had he not corrected this situation he most likely would have rolled his car. Less than a hundred yards from us (I was doing about 50, he was doing possibly 60 so the 100 yards was not all that far away) he over-corrected and veered into our lane - heading straight for the front end of LaFawnduh. I braked and so did he. Eventually, we stopped less than 20 feet apart as the occupants of the other car looked upwards at the imposing mass of LaFawnduh. The kids were oblivious to the ordeal. Con gasped for breath. The girlfriend/wife in the other car started beating on the guy's shoulders/head so I surmised that she was doing far better than I could of. I eased LaFawnduh pass him and continued on down the road. Good ol' girl Lawfawnduh is. She stopped straight as an arrow. It took somewhere around a half hour for Connie to be calm enough to breathe calmly and talk about the ordeal. Fortunately, H & A didn't perceive the gravity of our situation. (I doubt if we would have suffered much injury, the front end of LaFawnduh would have been pulverized but her mass would have saved us. But, the little old car would have suffered greatly, as would have the occupants. I'm thankful that the kiddies didn't have to experience a crash). We remain grateful for travel mercies. Leavenworth's KOA is located on the bank of the Wenatchee River a short distance from the new SAFEWAY grocery store. Although not as scenic or as spacious of sites as some of the upper echelon KOA campgrounds that we've been to, Leavenworth is nevertheless a good spot. The location on the river makes it that way. It is convenient to all of the Leavenworth destinations and if you are so inclined they have a good tubing service. They'll let you take an innertube, put in the river next to the campground and after you make the leisurely float of about an hour and a half downstream they'll come and pick you up in one of their vans. Not a bad way to spend a hot summer afternoon. There is plenty to do while in Leavenworth. Not so much my cup of tea, but shopping in the Bavarian style retail stores was enjoyed by all (especially in the Christmas and Nutcracker Specialty stores). Obviously, there are great German restaurants to get brats or Con's fav, Schnitzel. Surpisingly, one of the better Mexican restaurants that we've ever been to is in Leavenworth, South Restaurant located at 913 Front Street. But, our favorite dining spot is a few miles east of Leavenworth in the town of Cashmere. Country Boy's BBQ located at 400 Aplets Way. Speaking of the street, we toured the Aplets and Cotlets store (Liberty Orchards) in Cashmere. One of the kids favorite TV shows is "How it's Made" and it was very interesting to tour this candy factory and learn the history of the company and see how they make such delights as Aplets & Cotlets, Fruit Delights, Turkish Delights, Chocolates, etc. Yes, during the tour they provide SAMPLES. It was a good marketing ploy, at least for our family, since we made a sizeable purchase. . . . . . . . . Our return trip to Port Angeles was over Blewett Pass to I-90, to Highway 18, across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and then through Bremerton towards PA. All to familiar. As we got nearer to home we had the urge for the trip to continue so we stopped on the east side of the Hood Canal bridge at the Kitsap County Park located there. We had one last lunch prepared by Connie in LaFawnduh and tossed the proverbial ball for Cocoa. Now, the fun thing was that after days of above 90 (and sometimes above 100) heat we opened LaFawnduh's door to step outside and were hit by a blast of. . . . . cool, 65 degree air. We're back! Weather during 2010 west of the Cascade Mountains has been strange indeed. A near record warm winter (recall the Vanouver, BC Olympics where they had to helicopter in snow?) and a near record cool summer. Unfortunately, for us our world is back to normal, being topsy turvy upside down. Yep, our vacation is over. What's next? The discussion begins.