What a year it’s been, I’ll try and catch up and add pictures. We left Montana for Idaho the middle of July and were constantly surprised with good weather and beautiful scenery. Around Stanley and in the Sawtooth Mountains, we dry camped for the next 4 weeks on forestry and BLM land. We made our way through Idaho along the Salmon River to see John and Rae Proctor in Meridian. Id, and spent a week with them seeing the Nampa Stampede and playing golf.
By the first of August Don and Jill caught up with us and we headed to Coeur ‘de Alene to visit with Dale and Gerrie Schoenhard. We rested for a week, did chores and took time for a “factory tour” at Buck Knife Works. It was great to visit with Dale and Gerrie, and stay at their “shop” just outside Coeur ‘de Alene (free).
We left Idaho, traveling with Don and Jill, for Washington making our way to Omak in time for the rodeo and world famous Omak Suicide Race, then Skagit, Wa. and dirt track racing, and Anacortes for the Seabear Salmon packing factory tour. South along Puget Sound to Seattle and the Microsoft visitors center and a tedious I-5 trip (50 miles in 2 hours) over to the Olympic peninsula. A couple of days in an SKP park for housekeeping and laundry, then up to Port Angeles and a day trip to Victoria Island, lunch, and sightseeing. A beautiful day, taking the ferry over and using public trams and busses to explore the island.
We were very impressed with the Pelindaba Lavender Works outside Friday Harbor. The flower and end products, oil to ice cream are all grown and produced onsite. Creams, soap, chap sticks, and many, many more fragrant items seem to reduce stress and provide therapy.
West again out onto the Olympic peninsula. Along the Juan de Fuca Strait, all the way to the very tip of Washington State which happens to be an Indian Reservation. The Makah people have protected their tribal culture by continuing their native way of life, a strong sense community with schools on the reservation and their history maintained in a modern museum.
South now to a portion of the Olympic National Park on the Pacific coast 35 miles below Forks, Wa. A beautiful spot on the ocean called South Beach, used as an overflow campground when the developed parks have filled. Primitive camping (no hookups) and plenty of sunshine. $2.50 a night with the Senior Pass. We stayed 8 days and had a ball.
Walks on the beach, cool nights, mostly sunny days and WHALES!!! Grey whales migrating from Alaska to the Baja in Mexico. It’s just good luck that we happened on this spot that week when their annual migration brings them close to shore to “clean” their bellies and fins and flukes along the surf. They played in the breakers so close we could have swam with them had the water not been sooo cooldd!
At this time last year we had to say good bye to our friends, make a brief stop in Oregon, and work our way east to close on the sale of our house on October 1st. We drove 3400 miles, cut our summer short for a closing that never happened! But, it was good to be home with family and friends.
Next…2011 already 6 months into the year and flying by. Grey
love
c
