Mount Rainer

As we watched the evening news Sunday the local weatherman was quite excited about a couple of crystal clear fall days he expected mid week. He went on to say that Mount Rainier was expected to be particularly clear. We looked at each other and realized we had not seen the mountain and had recently commented we should go since it is only a few hours away. Being retired we quickly decided there were no reasons for not going. The next morning we checked the internet to be sure the park was open and campsites were available, and we set to packing the van. Our drive north was uneventful and before we entered Rainier National Park we found this unique little church with a history connected to the early settlers to the area who were lumbermen. We arrived in the national park about noon. We went straight to Paradise Point and enjoyed time walking trails and exploring the information center before heading down the mountain part way to Cougar Rocks where the campground was located. The few people that were camped there must have been entertained as we drove around the large campground looking for the perfect site; most sites were empty and we just couldn't make up our minds. After a while we realized we were only spending one night so made a quick decision on a site and prepared dinner as we saw the evening alpine glow on the spectacular mountain. Our plan was to spend some time at the lodge during the evening but learned it is a very tiny lodge near the campsite and few facilities were available as they were closing the coming weekend for the season. Luckily we had brought campfire materials so spent a pleasant evening talking around the campfire. The next morning we had breakfast and headed for Sunrise Point which views the mountain from the north. We discovered Box Canyon which is a very narrow gorge, maybe 10 feet wide and 180 feet deep with a turbulent creek working to gouge out the narrow passage. As we went down one canyon and up another we were reminded of the Going to the Sun highway in Glacier National Park. The parking lot was nearly empty but the views were spectacular. Crews were working to close up the facilities for the winter but it was so warm that winter seemed a long way off. We enjoyed a picnic and then started heading back home. We were not sure how long it would take but figured could drive into the night if needed. We drove out of the park and headed for Randall where we found a local restaurant for dinner while it was still quite light. It was pretty dark by the time we reached the freeway but were surprised to be home about 8 PM. Now we know that Mount Rainier is only about 3 hours away and well worth the time going to see.

Ridgefield Events

We couldn't let a birthday go by without some sort of celebration so Nancy cooked up an angel food cake for Brett with 3 candles, one for each decade. Celia was excited and wanted to help blow out the candles. When Brett asked her how many candles, she responded “3” and Brett stated he must be 3, but she was not so sure. When asked how old she was, the response was quick that she was also 3. After that we all enjoyed cake and ice cream which were big hits, making it a special evening. Once in a while we get to have Cecilia spend time with us. She has claimed one room which she proudly announces is her room when she spends the night. We enjoy having her visit and she seems to enjoy helping us feed the birds and squirrels. Recently we were all pleased to see extra raccoon eyes looking back at us from a tree snag just off our deck. It appears a mama has about 3 babies but they are hard to count and we have not been lucky enough to catch the little ones going up or down the tree for an accurate count.

Court of Honor

We were glad that it worked out we could cross over the river to Portland for the Court of Honor for Patrick, our nephew. It was a family event which we were pleased to be a part of. We had not been to the area before but Roy helped guide us to the site. As you can see from the family picture all were proud of Patrick's accomplishments. We had to snap a picture of Patrick with his proud parents as well as one with his Dad and uncles. We hope to attend more awards ceremonies and then maybe we can see Patrick receive his Eagle Scout award sometime next year.

Idaho / Washington

The next morning we packed up and headed west but not until after we stopped for breakfast and to clear up the tip for the waitress the night before. The waitress was not on in the morning but the management knew who she was and assured us they would give her the tip. Shortly we were leaving Montana and into Idaho. We stopped at a historical roadside rest and learned about the huge ice dams formed by glaciers in the Ice Age that created a huge lake in Montana (Lake Missoula). When the ice dam would break it would send a wall of water up to 1000 feet high rushing down the Columbia River which was instrumental in forming the Columbia Gorge. This ice dam apparently formed several times, causing the huge wall of water to rush down the Columbia Gorge several times. Passing through eastern Washington we camped at a campsite not far from a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). It reminded us that Ray's father was in the CCC during the great depression. The historical markers provided some interesting history of how the corps helped provide jobs and training to those 18-26 years old, reminding us how difficult that economic depression was on the young of that time. On our trip through eastern Washington we enjoyed seeing the area around Lake Chelan and then on over the Cascades, stopping at the community of Leavenworth which has patterned itself after a German village and has become a very popular place for tourists. The wide streets are a dead give away you are not in Bavaria. We had intended to stay at a place along the Stevens pass but we did not find suitable lodging and the weather started to deteriorate. We found a place in Monroe and had a fine Italian dinner which was recommended. The surprise came when we went to pay the bill and learned they only take cash, no credit or checks. That is the way they have done business for over 30 years. Luckily we had enough cash or who knows what our story would have been. The next morning we planned our day to end up at Ivar's Salmon House for a surprise birthday celebration for Arna Lewis, a long-time friend from our Roseburg years. What fun it was to see Arna and Dick Lewis as well as their grown children with their families. We enjoyed a special evening on Lake Union looking over at the Space Needle before we headed home in nasty weather. Luckily it was all freeway driving and we arrived home about 1 AM, ending our fall road trip. We were sure fortunate with the weather and enjoyed being able to sleep in the next morning before starting to unpack and adjust to life at home again.

Glacier NP - going west

What a lucky break that we saw sunny skies traveling over the Going to the Sun highway both ways. Stopping at the visitor's center near the summit we observed a small pica that was upset with people passing so close to his den. One visitor thought it was animated with a sound track until it scurried across the ground to a new location. You can see him verbalizing in the picture. The pica was probably the largest animal we saw in the park. We are not sure where the other animals were hiding; maybe they had headed to the lower valleys for the coming winter. We took our time going over the pass and down into the valley looking for a lunch spot along the way. It was not until we were down to Lake MacDonald that we found a nice site. The log along the shore was not very soft to sit on but it had a wonderful view where we spotted a bald eagle fishing, as well as a loon and other small birds. Again we did not see any of the big animals like elk, deer or bear. After leaving Glacier National Park we started our way on west. Our travel took us down the west side of Flathead Lake before we headed west along the Lewis river and found a nice motel at Thompson Falls to spend the night. Of course a nice shower after a couple of nights camping is a real reward. After cleaning up we went to dinner at a local establishment with lots of pictures of local history. We learned that Thompson Falls no longer exist as it was covered over when they built hydroelectric facilities on the river. Later when checking our receipts we realized we had not left the waitress a tip as we were distracted at the cash register so we decided we needed to go there for breakfast to right the wrong. Of course we slept well in a nice warm room after a fine dinner and good shower.

Glacier NP - going east

As we ate our lunch by Lake MacDonald we were reminded of our trip a year before when we just missed being able to drive over the Going to the Sun highway because it was closed for the season. This year we were just a few days ahead of the closure that is usually about the middle of September. The park visitor's center warned us that there would be construction delays but there should be no problem getting over the pass that afternoon and both campgrounds should have openings. The fall colors were evident and we enjoyed driving up the pass hanging on the side of the majestic mountains. We were delayed a couple of times but with the breathtaking views we were not anxious to get going anyway. Actually it was nice to be stopped as sometimes you want to stop but there are no places to pull over on the narrow road. After crossing over the summit we dropped down and traveled along Lake St Mary going to the town. As we soaked in the views we decided to go to the campground at Many Glacier which was a bit further but more remote and up a different canyon. The views to the campground were worth the extra miles and we found a very nice campsite. With daylight still with us we decided to take a hike that had been recommended by the ranger to Red Rock Falls. We would have liked to hike to Iceberg Lake which we had done many years ago with Kari and Brett but the trail was closed because the bears were eating berries in the area. On the trail to Red Rock Falls we passed the trail head to Iceberg Lake and could see the weather was deteriorating. We had been told that afternoon and evening thunderstorms were possible. We reached our van just as few sprinkles were starting to fall. At our campsite we sat in the van as the skies opened up and heavy rains pounded the area. The rains stopped as quickly as they started and we quickly cooked our dinner and had almost completed the dishes when the next rains hit. With everything put away and it starting to getting dark we headed to the park lodge to spend some time at the gift shop and enjoy the huge fireplace at the lodge. While there another storm hit and rained so hard that the pounding on the roof made it hard to hear anything else. It rained so hard the roof leaked some and staff were quick to move some couches and put out buckets to catch the leaks. We learned they are putting on a new roof as soon as the hotel closes for the season next week. We met a couple from near Atlanta that we enjoyed visiting with and sharing information. Later that evening we returned to our camp and were glad to be in the van in case any more storms hit. The next morning as we emerged from our van we saw the many tent campers working to dry out items. Our neighbor campers thought we had left for the night and when we told them where we spent the evening they wished they had been with us as it was pretty wet in the campground. With the skies clearing we finished our breakfast, packed up and headed out of the valley for our drive back over the highway headed west.

Montana

With our map in hand we formalized our route to lead us to Glacier. We were pleased that our weather seemed to be holding with blue skies above. We had experience wonderful fall weather through The Tetons and Yellowstone and hoped to be lucky enough to have favorable weather for Glacier National Parks. Our route was to take us further west along the edge of wilderness areas often in national forest lands. It was recommended as this route is more scenic than the route that goes through Great Falls and on to he east entrance to Glacier. One of the first recommendations was to stop in Helena, Montana to see the Catholic church which was said to resemble European cathedrals with a long history. It was not hard to find with the tall spires and we found the inside and outside really did resemble European Gothic cathedrals. It had been designed by an architect from Europe and completed in the late 1800's. After topping our fuel and groceries we moved on towards the roads less traveled and totally enjoyed the scenery along the Bob Marshall wilderness area. Along the way there were many historical pull outs which helped us refresh our knowledge. The area was sparsely populated but we did pass many lakes with campgrounds and vacation homes. We enjoyed going through the forests with many trees showing their fall colors. As the afternoon slipped away we noticed a campground along a lake and decided to check it out. We were surprised to find only 6 huge sites and only a couple occupied. We went to the registration board to check into the one on a point which we estimated to be at least 2 acres in size. With the half-price Golden Age pass the camping fee was $3. You can see from the pictures we had wonderful views and our neighbors were not even within earshot, making it a real bargain. We sure enjoyed the site and sat enjoying the fire much of the evening after the sun went down. As the registration board warned of a problem bear in the area we were glad we were sleeping in the van. The next morning we noticed that all but one of our camping neighbors had already left when we finished our breakfast. We headed north toward the west entrance to Glacier, passing through lots of scenic countryside, and the further north we traveled we noticed more farms as the land opened up. In Kalispell we insured we had fuel and groceries for our trip into Glacier National Park. We arrived in the park about lunch time and found a nice picnic area overlooking Lake MacDonald. We checked out the visitor's center and decided to go over the Going to the Sun highway that afternoon as there were two campgrounds on the east side of the park that were open and had not been filling up.