Friday, May 31, 2013

May 31

We started for San Jose, CA today.  Drove through a mountain pass to Seattle, WA then turned south.  We stopped at Mt. St. Helen's- a volcano that erupted in 1980. It is snow capped now so we did not go  up it.
Blewett Pass 

Mt St Helens in the background

A nature trail

A tree-hugger?


We turned west again where Washington and Oregon meet and drove to the coast.  We saw our first view of the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, Oregon.  We then drove along the Oregon coast.  It has changed- there are many large houses built right on the beaches.  There are condos and hotels and golf courses along the way where there used to be sand and trees.
Astria, Oregon

Seaside 

A cave on the beach

The mountains go right to the water's
edge at times

A drawing of what this view
used to look like

Condos have filled in the view



Thursday, May 30, 2013

May 30

Ron, Mary's husband is retired so he gave us a very nice tour of the area around Tonasket, WA.  First we went to Oroville to the Visitor's Center.  They had a little museum about the area and Arnie who worked there was very good about answering questions and telling us stories.
Kelly and Arnie

The Canada border
Looks the same as Washington!


Old Molson School

the town  is a museum

Mary and Joan
 This is Kelly playing an old square grand in the school museum.  They gave her permission! It is a Mathushek from 1895.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

May 29

Today we drove to Omak, WA.  Joan's friend Mary is a teacher at an Indian school there.  We toured the school then went to her house. These are scenes along the Columbia River.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

May 28

We followed the Oregon Trail through Oregon today.  We went to an interpretive center that explained the trip and all the hardships the people suffered.  It is so easy today to travel! We traveled along the blue mountain ridge, went a ways into Hell's Canyon (saw the actual wagon tracks) and crossed the Powder River.





Now we are in Washington in apple and grape country.



Monday, May 27, 2013

May 27

We stayed in Idaho to see some more interesting sights.  First stop was Balanced Rock.  As you drive along the corn fields and cow pastures a turn to the left brings you into a rocky canyon. In the center is Balanced Rock.


 In a nearby town we saw the remains of a WW2 Japanese internment camp called Minidoka.  Then we headed to Oregon.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

May 26

We headed west once more stopping at Craters of the Moon NP in  Idaho.  The landscape here is eerie. This is all from an ancient volcanic eruption.





Some of the spring flowers we saw in the cinder.


Then we drove to Twin Falls, Idaho where the Snake river creates stunning vistas.



Saturday, May 25, 2013

May 25

We drove past Devil's Slide on the way to Yellowstone.  We were in Yellowstone all day and drove over 180 miles inside the park.

northwest entrance
bison






elk
the church in Yellowstone has
services every week