Family, friends, and sightseeing

This part of our trip was so different for us.  It was fast-paced, active, a lot of sight-seeing, and full of spending time with family and friends.

Wild Horses Overlook, in the Columbia River gorge, near Vantage, Washington

The  beginning of the month, we picked up Jerome’s younger sister, Eileen, in Spokane, Washington and took her back to our campsite at the Kahnderosa Campground in Cataldo, Idaho.   This campground was a great place for us, close to the interstate, next to a beautiful river, and next to a bike trail that ran the length of the state of Idaho from Couer D’Alene to the Montana border.  It was also a half-way point between the airport and the Route of the Hiawatha trail that we were looking forward to ride.   Lucky for us, we met our camping neighbor, Todd, who told us more about the trail and gave us a heads-up to wear warm clothes and take a jacket because it gets to 39 degrees in the tunnels, especially, the 1.7 mile tunnel that we would be riding through not once, but twice!   The Route of the Hiawatha bike trail follows the path of the old Milwaukee railroad, the most expensive section of railroad ever built in the US, due to the steep canyons, requiring many tunnels and trestles.  It starts in Montana and traverses 15 miles at a slight downhill grade into Idaho.  We rode it to the Pearson trailhead exit, where we caught a shuttle that took us and our bikes back to the east portal at Taft tunnel – a 17 mile total ride.    It was a fabulous experience with incredible scenery.  We all agreed that it was the best bike ride ever and now know why it is considered the scenic bike trail in the country.    

Jerome, Jean, and Eileen at the East Portal trailhead for the Route of the Hiawatha

it's pitch black and cold in there!

we can see the light at the end of this tunnel!

ahhhhh....daylight again!

Jerome crossing one of the many trestles

2 more trestles in the distance

loading our bikes on the shuttle to return to our truck

While at the Kahnderosa, we also learned about the Old Mission (built in 1853 by the Jesuits and the Couer d’Alene Indians) just a couple of miles down the road at the Old Mission State Park.  It is the oldest building still standing in Idaho and has a incredibly interesting history.

inside the Old Mission

   We met a long distance biker when we were eating lunch at the Old Mission Inn restaurant in Cataldo (yes, he was asking about our kayaks!) and when he seemed interested in our plans to see the restored mission, we invited him along.   He left his bike at the restaurant and went with us to see it and we all had a great time.    He told us about the Snake Pit Restaurant, just up the road a bit, which is the second oldest building in Idaho.   The next day, we went there to eat and we were really glad that he had told us about this place.We have met some wonderful people and have such a good feeling about our country and fellow Americans that we often easily miss in our everyday life.    If you are ever in this area, don’t miss these three great places.  Todd also told us about the book “The Big Burn” by Timothy Egan, which Jerome read and highly recommends, especially to anyone planning on visiting this area.

the Snake Pit restaurant in Kingston, Idaho

 

On the way to Seattle, we stopped one night in the Grant County Fairgrounds campground in Moses Lake, Washington.  This was a great spot with lush green grass and only one other couple camping here that night.   We learned that this was the town that took the brunt of the ash fall-out after Mt. Saint Helens blew up.   The next stop for us was at Trailer Inns RV Park in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb in the eastern part of Seattle.   Land is prime here and boy what an eye-opener this “campground” was!  It was just a parking lot that was cram-packed with RV’s and campers.   They must have paid an architect to draw up a schematic of every inch of the space to make sure they could pack in the most campers possible.   They even rented out the parking spaces in front of the office building at night to people who slept in their vans or had pickup truck campers!   We still are in awe of how some of the rv’ers got themselves into and out of their spots.   Luckily, they gave us a pull-through spot in front of the office.  It was very clean, safe, and near Seattle, so worth the expensive price of being there. 

Trailer Inn RV Park at Bellevue, Washington

  The night we got there, Eileen’s friend, Hope, drove down from Bellingham (about 2 hours north of Seattle) to visit and have dinner with us.   We spent Saturday in Seattle with family friends that we hadn’t seen in a long time, Nancy and Mark.    They were so gracious in taking us all around the Seattle area, showing us the sights and sharing with us such interesting, insightful information and history.  We even were able to meet up with our nephew, Kurt, and his fiancé, Katie when we stopped at Chinook’s at the Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch.  Jerome was thrilled to buy some dried morel mushrooms while we were at Pike’s Market and Eileen got to see the famous fish market where the staff toss the fish to each other while shouting and joking.  

Nancy, Mark, Jerome, & Eileen at Pike's Market in Seattle

Heading south from Seattle to Portland, it was a must to take Eileen to see Mt. Saint Helens.   We stayed in the Harry Gardner Park, a small city park, in Toutle, Washington just 27 miles from the Johnston Observatory.   It was overcast and rained while we were there and we were very lucky to get a brief  reprieve of the weather, just long enough for Eileen to be able to get a good, clear view of the magnitude and beauty of the crater.

Mt. Saint Helens,   Washington

We finally made it to one of our main trip destinations…. Portland, Oregon, to see our oldest son, Joe.  We stayed for 15 days in Reeder Beach Campground on Sauvie Island, overlooking the beautiful Columbia River, with views of Mt. Rainer, Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood.   Reeder Beach campground is attached to an old, working farm with free-ranging ducks, geese, and chickens, farm equipment in sheds, apple, pear, and walnut trees, and an office with a small grocery store.   Here we were able to buy the fresh eggs, fruit, and vegetables.  We learned about yellow cucumbers that look like little apples and purple pole beans that turn bright green when cooked... YUM!   We sat on the bluff overlooking the water or went down to the beach where we read our books, visited, and watched the humongous ocean-going ships passing by. 

sunset view of Mt. Saint Helens, from our campsite at Reeder Beach RV Park, Sauvie Island, Oregon

view of the Columbia River from our campsite

one of the many freighters that passed by our campsite

and yet another one!

Joe, Jerome, and Reza

Eileen stayed with us here for six incredible days filled with sightseeing, hiking, and visiting with Joe and friends who we consider family – Heather, Nur, and Reza.   We had a long list of things to show and do with Eileen and we were surprised that we did it all and more.   Of course, when you go non-stop from morning until 10 at night every day, it makes it possible!   We were able to take her to the coast to see Cannon Beach and Indian Rocks Beach, Fort Stevens, and have lunch at Camp 18.   We took her to Multnomah Falls and ended up hiking to the top  – something that we had said we said we would never do again! 

Ecola State Park, Oregon coast

Multnomah Falls, near Portland

can you see the elk?  - Ft. Stevens State Park, Oregon coast

  We made it to the Rose Garden, Powell’s Book Store, and even to Silverton Falls where she and Jean hiked to see 9 of the 10 falls.  Jerome and I were even able to spend some time at Cullen Beach, something that has been on our bucket list!     It was wonderful to be able to spend time with Joe again and it was bittersweet when we actually left Portland yesterday.   It was sad to be leaving and yet nice to know that we are now on our “homeward bound” stretch.   We’re now in a beautiful Army Corps of Engineers campground, Pine Meadows, on a reservoir on Cottage Grove Lake and will be heading out tomorrow further south to see the Oregon Caves National Monument before crossing into California.

at Pine Meadows campground

Until later,  we hope you are all well and having a wonderful summer!