MONTANA FALL HABITAT WORK
Baker City to Wallace, ID
356 miles
We are out of Baker City around 7:20am, leaving Luke to close up the place and depart tomorrow morning (he has an appointment with Les Schwab today to fix some bearings!) I drive the first section of the day on the freeway portion from BC up to Milton Freewater. Smooth sailing.
We stop in Milton Freewater for gas and to switch drivers. It’s important to gas up before leaving Oregon and then making it last until you reach Idaho! Gas is more expensive in Washington!
Beautiful drive through the Palouse of Eastern Washington….wheat fields have been mostly harvested, some straw baled in a variety of manners, and the colors golden. Occasional wind turbines and old barns scattered throughout. We cut off the main road north of Colfax and veer east toward Tekoa and the Idaho border. We hit US 95 near Plummer where we grab gas again. Rick says he is good to drive the rest of the way to Wallace, so I just admire the vistas! (And make a crochet scrubby!)
We pull into Wallace around 2:30 pm – a smooth and fairly easy day! Prices at the Wallace RV park have gone up, and the internet is still only available right in front of the pub, no radio or TV service, and no cell phone service. BUT….I do enjoy the music of the babbling brook right under my back window as I sleep!
We wander around town briefly trying to get cell service and perhaps find a place to grab a little take out. No such luck on either! So upon our return I sit down near the pub for abit and send emails to Sharon and Luke basically saying...”I can’t call!” Tell Luke I’ll check back again around 9pm to see if he has any questions about the house.
Around 8:45, Rick walks me down to the bathroom and to check the emails. Nothing (which I find out the next day I was just a bit too early to catch Luke’s reply!) Into bed with clear starry skies and music.
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| One of the many beautiful barns along the way. |
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| Golden fields of the Palouse |
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| Classic old building in Tekoa, WA |
Wallace, ID to Kalispell, MT
165 miles
We spend a relatively lazy morning since we only have three hours of driving ahead of us. I don’t think we get out of Wallace until nearly 10am! Felt good!
Up over Lookout Pass and into Montana and Mountain time zone! Push the clocks ahead an hour! Stop in St. Regis for gas and then on up the beautiful river valley to Plains and the cutoff over to the Flathead basin. The trees all along the way are beautiful with golds and reds.
We drive past Lakeside, wondering just where the build site is, only knowing it is west of town! Will find out tomorrow! Up the Alternate 93 to Walmart and a few quick purchases of food and battery for the fridge thermometer. Then over to Rocky Mt Hi RV and check in. We are in site 73 (been here before!) and across the road from Tom. Apple tree behind the trailer – which is always a good thing (even though there appears to be lots of worm holes!) We get set up and then relax while waiting for Tom to arrive!
I spend over an hour walking around the park in circles talking with Margaret, then Sharon, and a quick call to Patty Bogart (she was busy, so I’ll try again another time). Then over an hour of good conversation with Tom, who had been down at Steve’s helping with siding and other projects!
Clear skies and a multitude of stars. If feels good to be back on the back row of RMHRV with the open field and Mission Mountains in the distance.
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| Beautiful reflections in the RV park pond |
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| View from the back of our trailer toward the Mission Mts. |
Habitat Work
Creekside Development, Lakeside, MT
Up at 6:15 to be ready to leave with Tom around 7:20. Tom is graciously driving down (he has more tools in his truck than we do!) We are able to discover where the backroad cutoff is to take us to 93 and then where to turn in Lakeside! The development is in a very nice section up in the pine trees. No views of the lake, but a forested setting. Three single homes on one side of the road and a duplex on the other. Volunteers that we recognize are Steve Maneras and Pete Pemberton (his first day back after breaking his wrist earlier this summer!) Homeowner Dawn and then later Johanna worked today as well. Two other locals came and worked with Pete and Speedy Steve on setting up scaffolding at the duplex.
Basically Rick, Tom and I worked all day on the one house that still doesn’t have the stem wall foundation poured. We oiled boards, installed boards, cut pieces. Steve T worked with us much of the day as well. Not the funnest job in the world, but we are ready to put up the ‘whalers’ tomorrow that will secure it all together. A few more jobs on Friday morning and Steve hopes to get the concrete poured on Friday afternoon (before the predicted rain on Saturday!)
Habitat is being careful as Flathead County is ballooning with Covid cases, especially among the student populations. We are wearing masks most of the time, altho I dropped mine when just working closely with Rick – my glasses were fogging up so much. We did mask up in the truck driving down with Tom. A little upsetting to have one of the local volunteers leave at lunch after hearing that his cousin had tested positive. He had been in somewhat contact with cousin. Volunteers are scarce right now and the jobs are many. Steve just keeps doing what he can with whoever shows up! The loss of the Americorp group was a blow (they left to do relief work from the fires in Oregon), but two other groups are scheduled for later this winter. But they need to get the homes closed in before the snows fly!
Back to the campground to clean up and then sit and visit with Tom for another two hours. It will be early to bed again tonight,. Altho I only logged 10,300 steps today, they were up and down and hard earned!
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| Sunrise over the Mission Mts. in Lakeside |
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| A look at the subdivision - duplex in blue |
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| The three single houses on are this side of the road |
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| Getting started on the form boards for stem walls |
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| Our handiwork - 2x4's and whalers in place |
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| Tom works on some specialty board for stem walls |
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| Steve talking with Homeowner Dawn |
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| Rick and Tom slide another form boards into place |
Thursday, October 8
Habitat Build – 6 hours
Logan Pass Adventure – 120 miles
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| Hammering in the whalers! |
We get a smooth moving crew going as Rick cuts boards and Tom and I install them and pound the whalers in place. It is very much like putting together a puzzle – three rows of 2x4’s, one on each side of the ‘pins’ that go between the foundation concrete, and then pound the whalers in place. BUT….you have to make sure the 2x4’s don’t break in the same place on each row AND they don’t break at one of the panel joints! We worked solid until 2 and have just two walls left to go for Friday morning!
During the day the wind picked up and smoke blew into the valley, obscuring the Mission Mountains on the other side of the lake. But Rick and I decided to forge on and make the drive anyway, hoping we might get up above the smoke layer.
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| One wall all done and ready for concrete pour! |
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| Tom and I work together to put up the 2x4's |
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| It's a slow 60 miles to Logan Pass |
We hike up to the Hidden Lake Overlook, about 1.5 miles uphill (later check says 1300’!!), much of it on wooden boardwalk over the meadowlands of Logan Pass. Awkward height of the boardwalk steps which I find challenging! (And tiring!) We see a Big Horn Sheep and a Mountain Goat. Rick was disappointed that he didn’t see a bear – and the trail was closed beyond the overlook due to bear activity!
We got to the overlook in time for the sunset, but the sun was playing hide and seek behind some clouds and the smoke, and I have to say I enjoyed the shadows and colors of the mountain layers just as much as the clouds and sky! Hidden Lake is tucked between BearHat Mountain and Mt. Reynolds, and is filled with islan
Back to the truck by 7pm as the sky was definitely darkening! The drive back down from the pass was a little nerve racking due to narrow road and the possibility of deer and wildlife. We actually didn’t see any deer until after West Glacier and the main road down to Columbia Falls again!
Back to trailer by 8:45 and beat! A long day! And tomorrow will be long as well!
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| Aspen trees changing along road |
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| Starting to come out of the smoke! |
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| Nearing the Loop |
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| Between Loop and Logan Pass |
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| Autumn colors are glorious! |
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| Road to the Sun nearing Weeping Wall |
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| This is how many of my pictures are taken! Out the truck window! |
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| Logan Pass area - view across to Bishops Cap |
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| Smokey haze is evident....down toward St. Mary Lake |
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| Hidden Lake and ridge shadows |
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| Mountain goat |
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| Goat and Hidden Lake |
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| Almost got a reflection of sunset in lake! |
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| Sun through trees |
Habitat Work
Creekside Development, Lakeside
Oh, we are dragging abit this morning, and have a long day ahead of us! But….we are off once again at 7:15 in Tom’s truck, heading south to Lakeside! We have ‘whaling’ left to do!
Some of the regular volunteers are present again today – I counted at least 3 of them and they all worked over in the duplex getting things ready for beams to be placed.
While Tom and I basically worked alone, Rick went around this morning and screwed all the corners togethers and then took the measurements necessary for us to wrap up and secure the outer corners of the foundation. Tedious measurements and cutting for him to get the boards to slide down into place and fit right. Once Tom and I finished our two walls (which took us nearly two hours), Tom started screwing the corner boards in place while Rick cut and I oiled and delivered. We got it all done by lunch time.
Steve had a few more jobs for us before the cement truck was due to arrive at 2:30! Rick and Tom made some frames for foundation pillars, while I went around the stem wall foundation and chinked any gaps with some leftover insulation. I also cut 8 pieces of rebar which served to remind me how hard it is to cut by oneself! Thank goodness Tom said the same things and attached an ‘extender’ for better leverage!
We started the cement pour at 3 and just as Steve predicted it was hectic and chaos for 1.5 hours, but we were done by 4:30! I leveled and installed a few j-bars, and then scrapped excess cement off. Rick got to use the stinger again and follow Steve around ‘encouraging’ the cement to settle and be rid of air bubbles.
We had thought of going to Tamarack Bar in Lakeside for drinks and maybe dinner, but we were so tired and dirty we just headed back to the campground, showered, and enjoyed a little ‘Happy Hour’ time afterwards. Early to bed tonight!!
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| Sunrise over Mission driving to Lakeside |
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| Rick cuts boards for us to 'whale' |
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| Setting in the trees of the house |
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| Cutting corner boards |
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| Chinking the gaps! |
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| Our finished work |
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| Tom and Rick brace the walls |
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| Concrete truck and pump/hose truck have arrived! |
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| Three person job...Rick on the 'stinger' |
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| End of day back at trailer....Rick said I was 'filthy'!! It was hard leaning OVER the form boards to clear the excess cement! |
Creekside Habitat Work
We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to work today, but the forecasted rain isn’t supposed to arrive until later this afternoon, so…..off we go again! There is a good crowd of volunteers on site and we finally meet the new Volunteer Coordinator Rebecca as she enthusiastically welcomes folks, hands out safety glasses and gloves and plenty of hand sanitizer! On hand today are three of the homeowners – Betty, Richard, and Johanna, the latter who brought a family crew of 6 to help out! A few other local volunteers, but not the regulars in terms of Steve M or Pete.
After orientation (an official one this time with safety talk!) Steve splits the crowd up into three groups – all the young ‘bucks’ over to the stem wall foundation to remove the whalers and form boards. That is a job for young backs! Richard was glad to work on his own house for that. Johanna and her group all worked on installing the insulation on the floor of her house, taping it all together so it would be ready for the concrete slab to be poured.
Rick, Tom, and I were sent across the street to work in the duplex. We had three jobs – install some forms in the bottom of the pits to be ready for the concrete base for porch pillars; finish installing ledgers at the base of the exterior walls (to hold exterior foam insulation); and build a mini wall to bring the header over both garages up to ceiling height in preparation for the eventual arrival of trusses. While Rick and Tom worked in the pits, I cut all the blocks to form the mini studs for the walls. I marked the header for the studs. Then cut all the ledgers to size for the exterior walls. All this cutting meant I brought the miter saw across from the tool trailer and set up a cutting station! Tom then installed the ledgers, and the three of us had the wall built and installed by lunch time. Everything put away! We were feeling pretty smug when Steve came over and asked, “You got both garages done, right?” All three of us had forgotten we were working on a duplex and there was another side! So….after a bite to eat, we pulled back out the miter saw, plugged back in all the extension cords and got to work on the other side. Knowing what we were doing, though, it went quickly!!
A few raindrops fell but nothing major. We were done and leaving the site by 2:30pm!
I took the afternoon ‘off’ to run down to JoAnn’s Fabrics and pick up some needed items! Also visited the bakery next door and picked up a few treats. Back to make pesto pasta with lots of garden veggies for dinner!
Quiet evening as we listened to the wind pick up and rustle the walls of the trailer! Heard a few drop fall during the night.
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| The sun rises through the forest just as we gather. |
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| Hosanna (on left) and her family TEAM for the day. |
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| Steve gives his safety talk. Richard, homeowner, on left. |
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| Tom and Rick setting pillar foundation boards in place....in the pits! |
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| Getting our header wall in place! |
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| Tom screws it down! |
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| Forms coming off the stem walls! |
Sunday, October 11
Lunch rendezvous with Rusty
St. Ignatius – 171 miles
Ah paradise! A morning to relax! Cooler!
We called Rusty because we couldn’t find the restaurant in Charlo that he mentioned. Got the name and then Anne texted me to say the Bison Range was worth the drive through. So we talked to Tom and we left a little earlier to allow time to check it out. Drove down the east side of Flathead Lake for variety, past all the cherry orchards and expensive houses! The lake was choppy with winds. A few drops of rain on occasion.
We drive through Charlo, past the rendezvous restaurant and find it closed. The website is not up to Covid date. Do a little research and find the Old Timers Cafe in St. Ignatius has outdoor seating (important to Rusty and prolly a good idea considering the burst of Covid cases in Montana). Calls to Anne (who we discover isn’t coming) and Rusty who is just south of Rivalli on his drive north. Agree to meet at Old Timers!
Which proves to be a great choice! Cute little place, immaculate with a little courtyard in back with a few picnic tables. We moved one of them half under a porch, but the sun came out and we never had any raindrops while we ate! Perfect!
Burgers were great and very filling. I tried soup with mine and their tomato soup was creamy but also had giant chunks of tomato in it! A couple photos after an hour and a half of conversation and catchup, and we are enroute back north. With the change in locations we never did make it to the bison range!
Drive back up the west side of the lake was beautiful with the sun shining on the fresh patches of snow on the Mission Mountains.
Back at campground I realized I had SAT all day, so with phone in hand I set off walking loops around the campground. Talked with Jed on the phone for nearly an hour! But I got my FitBit up to 10,000 steps!
Quiet evening in the trailer.
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| Fun table legs in the women's bathroom! |
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| This was a good pick in St. Ignatius! |
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| Tom and Rusty |
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| Flathead Lake near Wild Horse Island (south end) |
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| Quick selfie of the four of us outside cafe....good thing Rick has long arms! |
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| Lakeside, MT shoreline |
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| Lutheran church south of Somers has 50+ Minions out front! |
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| View of Mission Mts as we drop down off hill between Somers and Kalispell. |
Day of Rest: Costco & Visits
Rain Off and On!
The next two days are supposed to be wet and rainy! The odds of any work on the Habitat site nil! So…..we spend a VERY lazy morning before receiving a text from Tom around noon inquiring, “A good day for the Costco run?” Agreed!
We drive separate trucks over to the west side of Kalispell and ‘mall strip’! Two hundred dollars lighter we leave Costco with a hearty few boxes to take home. Rick gets free haircut at Sports Clips (compliments of the Red Cross blood drive along with a healthy tip!) while I pick up a few groceries at Walmart and Dollar Tree. Then we visit Lowes and Home Depot browsing possibilities for a Band Saw.
The next two plus hours are spent visiting the Habitat families out in Spring Creek Subdivision – Ashleys, Davidsons, and Schultzes. What fun and what a warm reception from all. We were careful and wore our masks, but I have to confess there were a few hugs exchanged! Fun to meet Cassie Davidson (ok, we saw her for 10 minutes the day she came home from the hospital on her birthday) and Isaiah Schultz who was born while we’ve been gone. All seem to be doing well and surviving the variances of school attendance and home schooling. Sadly enough I was back at the trailer when I realize I hadn’t take ANY pictures of the families!
Monday night I had a Session meeting, which I attended via Google Meets sitting in the front seat of the truck for two hours with my laptop!! I didn’t want to interrupt Rick’s football and baseball watching!!
TUESDAY, October 13
Laundry & Rainfall
Another relaxing morning, but we finally load up an overflowing laundry cupboard and head down to the campground laundry. We can’t put it off any longer!
Spend about 2 hours in the afternoon visiting with Tom over in his 5th wheel. Watch and listen to the clouds burst forth with a downpour and then the sun shine briefly before the rain comes again. So glad we didn’t work today!
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| View from our campsite of fresh snow on the Mission Mts! |
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| Our campsite at Rocky Mountain Hi RV Park |
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| Apples ripe and ready to eat just behind our campsite |
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| Another view from campsite |
Creekside Habitat Build
Rebar Ready Hosanna’s Home!
Brrr! A chilly morning with threatening skies! In fact, we drive through an absolute downpour as we approach Somers that makes us wonder! But…..it never rains the whole work day in Lakeside! (The wind is another matter!)
A small but mighty crew – Tom, Rick, and I, plus Dawn the homeowner, Pete from Whitehorse, and another couple Kat and Anthony, new volunteers who live in Kalispell. While everyone else continues to take the form boards off the stem walls on the east house, Rick Tom and I work on setting the rebar on the insulated floor of the middle house (Hosanna and Jonathon’s) and finishing gluing the edging foam in place – the house is now ready for the cement floor to be poured! I was thankful for Tom’s offer of kneepads – although the foam was soft to kneel on, it was nice to have the extra cushion as we spent considerable time on our knees twisting the rebar ties into place!
Rick left at one point to help Steve unload sheetrock over in the duplex and a few other chores. Then he worked mostly on the foam while Tom and I cut rebar and tied it together.
After lunch many of us worked together to begin the process of insulating the stem walls with 2” foam, beginning with the inside of the walls. We got about half way around before the 3pm ‘bell’ sounded! I expect finishing inside and outside will be Rick, Tom, and my job tomorrow! I had to chase after several 4x8 sheets of foam when the wind kept picking up parts of our stack! We just kept loading more and more buckets of whalers on top to hold them down. It was a challenge working with large pieces of foam board in the wind!
Back to the campground to warm up with hot showers and turn the heaters on! I read a book for three hours in the course of the evening (now I can return the two I borrowed from the laundry room!)
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| We found the insulation had alot of puddles to work around! |
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| Rick figures and cuts the foam edges. |
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| Tools of the rebar tie twisting trade! |
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| The wind was blowing cool and cold so we found shelter in the lee of the duplex for lunch. |
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| Rick and Tom in their lunch 'cubbies' |
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| Our finished efforts for the day - all ready for concrete to be poured. |
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| Hay rolls in the field below the snowy Missions as we drive home. |
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| Another mountain view from campsite |
Creekside Habitat
Installing Stemwall Insulation
It was a cold dark morning as we leave the campground but we were greeted to a beautiful sunrise over the Mission Mountains as we wind down the road to Lakeside. Tom had the key to the tool trailer and we have a job ahead of us to finish in the interior stem wall insulation, do all the outside, and then chalk the lines in the garage and insulate the common walls.
All would have gone quicker if the foam glue applicator hadn’t continually balked. We thought it was the cold weather, but Steve later said the guns had some issues. While Tom and Rick fought with the glue, I cut. And cut. And cut. I cut foam all day with a handsaw and a large 4’ T-square. (By day’s end at 4:30 my shoulder blades and back had had it! It’s an ibuprofen night!)
Tom made a couple trips down to the local hardware store to pick up caulk and some glue adhesive (forget the foam!) and eventually we got the ball rolling in terms of applying the panels. Shortly after lunch break, Steve arrived and cleaned/fixed both foam applicators. Wow. What a difference. I could hardly keep up with the guys cutting then! We stayed late wanting to get the job done which we did!
Around 3 pm with my stomach grumbling I announced I thought I had earned ice cream! Tom agreed, so on the way home Tom treated us all to Sweet Peaks (the local specialty ice cream vendor!) Rick and I both had huckleberry and Tom tried a blackberry oat milk!
Evening spent tossing around ideas for the weekend as snow is predicted and the current forecast is for 18 degrees Saturday night. Ouch! We may be leaving a little earlier than planned.
We are driving tomorrow so Tom can help Steve move wall panels from the Re-Store. Spend a few moments shifting our gear from Tom’s truck to ours (and clearing the Costco purchases aside for the day!)
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| Heading up over the Somers hill and sunrise clouds |
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| Lakeside docks and sunrise |
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| Rick and Tom struggle with the foam gun |
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| While I cut panels and set them in place. |
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| Finally getting a few up.... |
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| ...but Tom goes back to attempting a fix! |
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| Liquid nail caulk in use now to clean up a few of the panels put up yesterday. |
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| I admired Tom's creative use of scrap foam to lock the panels in place. |
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| All finished for the day! |
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| Rick took the camera and got a series of me cutting the foam! |
Creekside Habitat – Final Day
Plumbing and Insulation!
It is a dark ominous morning as we set out for Lakeside – the first time the Honda has made the trip. Tom has a day set aside for him to ferry a group of young folks from a halfway house who are to help move the walls from the Restore down to the job site (part of their community service). We told Steve of our discussion enroute down as to leave tomorrow morning with the impending snow and sub 20 degree temperature forecast for Saturday night and Sunday.
We meet up as the volunteers slowly arrive – homeowners Robert, Richard and Angela are on site today. First time we have met Angela. She is as hard a worker as her husband. Steve outlines jobs and then he and Tom are off to the ReStore.
Rick and I have two ‘plumbing’ jobs – getting the water line and the sewer lines in Richard and Angela’s house aligned and fixed so that they will stick straight up above the foundation when the infill is done around the stem walls. With a little figuring and maneuvering, we manage to get the jobs done! While Rick roamed the tool sheds looking for the battery saws-all, I joined the form loading crew bringing boards up to the trailer (just the small ones!) Not a job I particularly relish!
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| We had to pull a huge coil of water line over to this spot along the stem wall and then anchor it in place, cutting off the excess, and then sealing off the top. |
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| Sewer line needed an extension added, plus another joint to direct it straight up. |
Then Steve sent Rick and I over to the duplex to install an initial
layer of 1” exterior foam in a horizontal pattern around the
houses. (The foam is donated so Steve takes what he is given – he
will eventually put two layers of 1” foam in different directions
around the exterior, rather than the usual 2” foam.) So...while
Rick handled the pneumatic stapler with its 1.5” staples, I cut out
windows and laid out the 4x8’ sheets of foam for him. Of course,
for much of the time he was working in the 16” between scaffolding
and wall! We had to move some of the scaffolding as well.
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| Sample of the installed insulation in the entry way of the west duplex. |
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| The garage walls weren't insulated, so this picture doesn't really show what we did! The ill fated wall is behind the trees! |
After a break for lunch in which we visited at length with Bob
Helder, the director of the Kalispell affiliate, we were on a roll to
finish all the walls of both sides of the duplex. Until….we ran
into problems with the lack of level on the west side. Four sheets
of foam up which had to be removed...carefully...and then the staples
pulled back out of the wall. By the time we were nearing the end of
the that, we found the cleanup crew had put away our stapler and
compressor cord and it was 3pm done time. RATS. This is our last
day on the job and you want to finish knowing you GOT THE JOB DONE!
But Steve came up and said, just hold off because there is something
awry with the stringing on the wall and he wanted to check it out.
Needless to say I did NOT take pictures of our staple and foam wall
which was a mess! (And in the middle of it all, I got something major
in my eye and had to take time out to go to the truck and drown it
with my eye drops...which fortunately worked!)
We have to pick Tom up at Steve’s place in Somers, which is great since we then get the chance to see Steve’s new wife Lisa and all the changes he has been making on the house. It looks very much like a New England beach house (at least the side that is finished!) Lisa had the firepit going and handed Rick and I a glass of wine! Welcome! We stayed for about an hour before saying our goodbyes and up to campground to pack up. But….rain is falling and we decide all that can wait until tomorrow morning! We are tired!
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| New sidewalk was just poured at 5am this morning! Entry totally changed! |
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| Tom relaxing at the fire. |
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| Rick, Tom, Steve. Lisa moved out of the picture just as I clicked! |
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| A rainbow wrapped up the day for us in Somers. |
SATURDAY, October 17
518 miles
We said we would make the decision as to stopping at Tucannon River RV near Starbucks or going all the way after Colfax, and obviously the decision ended up…..let’s go home!!! It makes for a long 10.5 hour driving day, but the time change backwards helps.
We have a somewhat slow morning, but begin packing up at 8 and are ready to pull out shortly before 9am. Goodbyes to Tom who is almost ready to leave himself, and a stop at the market for coffees and we are on the road south by 9:10.
Skies are cloudy and overcast, and especially along the lake there is another layer of clouds drifting and layered below the peaks. The forecast dusting of snow for Kalispell didn’t materialize as anything more than some rain during the night, so roads are clear.
It is a beautiful drive down to St. Regis. In the Hot Springs valley the peaks of the upper Bitteroots are covered in snow. Skies are filled with big clouds but not threatening. During the course of the day we see a huge herd of elk (down near Paradise), a bald eagle (northern Idaho), and deer. Also some road kill raccoon and rabbit!
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| Bitteroot Mts near Hot Springs, MT |
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| Clark Fork as we wind down into St. Regis |
A stop in St. Regis for gas and a sandwich and I drive the freeway up
and over Lookout Pass and into Idaho, then across on I-90 to Couer
d’Alene. I stop along the road heading down 95 to Plummer for Rick
to start driving – got a kink in my leg!
We gas up in Plummer and then retrace our route up over the Palouse of Washington. What an interesting time of year to travel the palouse – the wheat fields are a mix now of green and gold. Some winter wheat is already poking up and casting a green sheen to the fields, but the patchwork patterns of harvest also mark many more fields with brown and gold.
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| Golden fields of the Palouse Washington |
As we pass Starbuck around 3pm decision is verified – all the way! I take a little cat nap which really helps in resting my eyes such that at Milton Freewater and a gas up, I am ready to drive again and take us over the Blue Mts through LaGrande and to the rest stop at the base of Ladd Canyon. There Rick drives us home and I am glad he did, as the sunset over the Elkhorns and the Baker Valley was stunning and I took pictures all the way!! What a welcome home!
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| Elkhorn sunset from the other side of the valley |
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| This picture of mountain sunset off my phone. |
TOTALS:
Total miles: 1399
Trailer miles: 1039
Nights in trailer: 12
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