Northward Bound

April 20th
Pulled out of Pasco by 8:00AM and headed north on 395. A pretty routine day.
Little to report as the route only encompassed 166 miles to Coeur d' Alene, where we were booked in at the Black Island RV Resort. The route was up highway 395 until it joined with I 90,and the east through Skokane and to Idaho at Stateline and then to Coeur d' Alene. Black Island RV Park is located right on the Spokane River where it starts at the outlet of Coeur d' Alene Lake. Seems like a very nice park. We are at site 55 in the outer circle of sites facing the pond out front. The layout of the site is in a big pin wheel with two circles, an inner and an outer, and all the RV's face out. These are the premium sites. There are many more ordinary sites, farther from the river, but we chose the more expensive site. With registration we were given two drink tickets at the Floating Cedars Restaurant on the Lake, if we had dinner there. We accepted and went over at 5:00PM. Food was great! Denice had her steak and Lobster dinner that I had promised her for her birthday last month. (She was unable to go out at that time due to that Gout attack of hers) I had prime rib, and it was excellent. We both suffered later in the evening for over eating!!
April 19th
Left Bend by about 9:00AM and headed north on highway 97. Route was much more scenic than I had remembered from prior trips. Several of the volcanic Mountains are easily visible from this route. Adams, Jefferson, Hood, St. Helens, to name a few. All were shrouded in a heavy coating of snow. I had remembered the route as being rather blah and desert type, but on this trip found that to only be the case for about 50 miles, before starting down into the Columbia Gorge. The majority is rather lush farmland, vineyards, vegetable crops, and hay land. Near the Columbia Gorge winds from the Pacific are common sweeping up the valley, so this becomes a likely place for wind turbines. Past trips, they were non existent, but this trip, WOW, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands lining both sides of the river, extending back for many miles on each side. Today was a poor power day though as only a very few were turning. Poor power day, but great traveling day!! Once in the Gorge we joined I 90 and headed east along the john Day Dam. The concrete dam itself is not all that high. I was about to say that it was probably less than 50 ft. high, but then I checked in Google and found a different story. I guess a drive by shooting is not always the best rule of thumb! Here are the actual dimensions:
Specifications
Altitude: 266 feet (81 m) above sea level
Height: 183 feet (56 m)
Length: 7,365 feet (2,327 m)
Navigation lock:
Single-lift
86 feet (26 m) wide
675 feet (206 m) long
Powerhouse
Sixteen 135,000 kW units
Total capacity: 2,160 MW
Overload capacity: 2,485 MW
Spillway
Gates: 20
Length: 1,228 feet (374 m)
We left I 90 at the upper end of Lake Umatilla (That is the name of the lake formed by the dam) and crossed the Columbia River just below the McNarry Dam. Very little of the Columbia River is free flowing anymore. One dam just ends and another begins all the way from Canada to the Pacific. After leaving the river it is only about 50 miles to the Tri-Cities, Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. They are also on the Columbia, but it makes a lonng loop, whereas I 84 cuts across overland. We had reserved at a KOA Sandy Heights RV Resort in Pasco. Checked in for one more night
April 18th
Nice slow drive through GREAT forested lands today. In California they have speed limits that allow 65MPH for vehicles of 3 axles or less, 55MPH for over 3 axles, and 55MPH for any vehicle towing anything. That was us! It actually was quite nice just cruising along at 55!! We stayed on highway 89 from the park this morning until we got to I 5 at Shasta. Took some great shots of Mount Shasta buried in snow. Followed it a short distance (8 miles) and then turned off onto highway 97 and headed north on the other side of the mountain and on into Bend, Oregon. Just past Mount Shasta we pulled over at a point of interest. It was " The Living Memorial Sculpture Garden." Here sculpterer, Dennis Smith made metal sculptures of what his views of the wars that he was part of. Mor can be found on the web at
http://www.weedlmsg.org/01garden01intro.html







It was about a half mile walk to vie all of them but worth it. Then continued on north through Klamath Falls and up to Bend. We had reserved at the Crown Villa RV Resort. We had stayed here a couple of years ago in the premium area at $65/night, but this time chose the regular option at $42/night. It is pricey, but we believe it is the best park we have ever stayed at, bar none! Checked in for one night.