KALISPELL QUICK TRIP
May 1 – May 4
WEDNESDAY May 1
High Country Lane to 340 Cloud Creek, Somers, MT
528 miles
back. We are on the road shortly after 6am, surrounded by the beauty of fresh snow with temps hovering right around the freezing mark. Should warm up and melt soon!
Rick drives up and over the passes, through Tri-Cities and on to Ritzville. We opted to take freeway the whole way, hoping for a faster and quicker drive. At least it’s easier without the trailer as we can use the cruise control! We hit some snow up on Meacham, but the interstate itself was clear – snowplows clearing the berms as we passed. But the skies were clearing and we found clear blue skies as we descended down Cabbage Hill toward Pendleton!
Traffic not bad through Tri-Cities as we take 395 north through some pretty barren and stark landscapes this time of year. In places fields were greening up. Stopped in Ritzville just to coffee up and bathroom up AND to switch drivers. I was feeling good as I had ALMOST finished the fronts to two Josephs in Needlepoint while Rick drove!
I took us from Ritzville clear across the rest of Washington, through Idaho, and down to St. Regis, MT. But… in the middle of that, we had nearly an hour long break in Post Falls, ID. First difficulty getting our credit cards to work in the gas terminal (Banner Bank finally worked) and then a VERY slow process at the Subway to grab a couple of discount footlong subs for lunch and dinner. The poor guy was short-handed and out of many items because they were SLOW in defrosting from last night’s shipment!
No problem going over Lookout Pass at 4700’. There was snow at the side of the road, but since we weren’t pulling the trailer I was able to say NEW HIGHWAY because we have never been able to drive it the whole way in the left hand lane!! We said hello to Wallace and sorry – no stop this trip in your quaint little town. We did pause...momentarily...at the exit to Thompson Pass as we had hoped to take that alternate route this trip, especially with no trailer. But the weather wasn’t exactly cooperating.
Rick drives us from St. Regis up the familiar road through Plains, Hot Springs, and down to Dayton and Elmo. Even with the time change we arrive at the VRBO Tiny House around 4:45 pm. Find it easily and we quite relieved when we found an email earlier that explained how to get in...(not locked) and where the key was to lock while in use.
Our little baby blue cabin is small (bigger than the trailer!), but well stocked with most everything we might need, including a puzzle, books, and about 20 DVDs of movies. The bathroom is TINY – The sink hides behind the door which barely clears the toilet. However, the shower is roomy and beautifully tiled with a river rock base. A queen bed, a small table and two folding chairs, a medium sized mini fridge, sink, microwave and electric fry pan. Basic utensils and dishes, including coffee maker and hot water pot. There is a ladder up to the loft which has two twin beds. The room was cold when we arrived, even though the heater was already running. The accommodations will suffice quite well.
We unpack, get settled, and call Tom up at the campground where they are having Happy Hour. We decided we had driven enough today and didn’t need to add another 45 minutes of drive time on to our day! So we called to check in, discover that Gayle was there as well as Clint and Kathy, Gary and Karen Neighbors, Tom and Al, plus a new couple. A full team!
We eat the second half of our footlong subs and in general spend a relaxing evening on computer, doing puzzles, reading, etc. And early to bed!!
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| We woke up to an inch plus of snow on the ground! Glad we aren't taking the trailer! |
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| Heading over Meacham...still snowy.... |
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| ...ah! Much better as we leave the mountains! |
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| Our tiny house lodgings for next three nights. |
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| I really liked the chandelier! |
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| Bed and kitchen unit. Ladder to loft has towels on it. |
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| TIGHT bathroom layout. I had to close the door to take the picture! |
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| Setting for tiny house was nice... |
THURSDAY May 2
Somers Build Site Work
285 School Addition Road 9 mi RT
ReStore RV Park 22 mi RT
It’s a cold, damp, and sometimes outright rainy day, at the build site! We gather around 7:45 and give hugs all ‘round to friends we haven’t seen in awhile. The new couple (she didn’t work today – fighting cancer and it wasn’t a ‘good’ day) are long time friends of Gary and Karen Neighbors: Chet and Jeannie. I had a good visit with Chet during lunch as he worked at McClellan Air Force base for 20 years!
Most everyone was outside working on siding the 3bdrm house. The trailer that will house the new bathroom/showerhouse at the campground is parked in between the houses. Rick and I were to help Tom, Al, and Steve Maneras on it. I helped with door trim and siding outside, while Rick worked with Maneras to install ceiling panels inside. They eventually started working on the walls as well.
Garrett spoke for awhile on Land Trust involvement with Habitat and how that is working to obtain land for development. Pretty interesting. Al had me read his devotion this morning which was fun (he said it was because his glasses are too old to read clearly!)
I took a number of pictures during my breaks of everyone. Will get a few more tomorrow and send them out to everyone!
Around 4:15 we head up to the ReStore campground and Happy Hour/dinner with our friends. Al has cooked up pots of ham & bean soup and cornbread. I brought my choc zuke scones, others brought hors d'oeuvres and salads. We started outside, but quickly moved indoors when the sun went behind the clouds.
Two hours of fine food, good conversation, and sharing. Chet's wife Jeannie was able to join us so we got to meet her.
Back to the tiny for the evening.
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| Gathering time - Neighbours and Chet |
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| Garrett |
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| One of the two houses |
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| Our bathhouse on wheels we work to put up the siding - in and out. |
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| Al hangs some siding/trimboards. |
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| Tom at work! |
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| Gayle LOVES her miter saw! |
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| Kathy putting up siding on house. |
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| Happy Hour treats! |
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| Gayle, Kathy and Clint at HH |
FRIDAY May 3
Somers Build – Campground Dedication/Retirement Party for Steve
31 miles both trips
What a full crowd this morning that assembled on the build site. There were 12 of us associated with the CAVs (Tom now has both kids with him) and about 10 local volunteers plus Steve, Garrett, and Isabelle, the Americorp trainee. This was OFFICIALLY Steve’s last day on the job! For real this time. He spoke a little at the beginning and then we got to work!
So much activity – siding going up all over on one house while crews were trimming out the corners and windows on the second in prep for siding. Chuck was instructing the two trainees in drywall, Rick and Steve Maneras still working on the inside of the showerhouse that Al, Tom, Adam, and I were working to side the outside, Before lunch, Garrett brought out some caulk guns and asked if we could caulk as we go. Well, that ended up Ginger caulking for the rest of the day!! Parts of the shower trailer weren’t level which drove Tom and Adam crazy, but eventually we have three of the four sides done! Whew!
PS. The caulk was the stickiest I have ever used and I made a mess of my gloves and hands. Ultimately, I threw my gloves away!! Time to replace them anyway – they had served for nearly 4 years.
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| View of Flathead Lake as we head down from tiny house. |
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| Hey look! Steve T is here for opening! |
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| Gayle back at it with the miter saw. |
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| Tom's kids both arrived for Friday. |
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| Gary N and Chet |
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| My 'retired' pink gloves...a little caulky! |
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| Rick worked on the interior of the bathhouse. |
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| Look at the progress we made in two days! |
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| It was a full Friday crew with CAVs and locals. |
We head back to tiny house to shower and get cleaned up and then up to the ReStore by 3:40 for the PARTY!! Food first – some burgers, dogs, and cookies. I threw my biscotti out to add to the mix. Plus plenty of wine, beer, and sodas.
A few tears shed on my part as Steve speaks after introductory comments by MaryBeth and the board chair. I was sitting next to Lisa his wife and she kept comforting me! A typical moving Steve speech.
Then it is Rick’s turn to talk about Katy B and the bench being dedicated to her. He did a great job, and was followed by Tom who talked about the CAVs and why we do what we do. That led into Tom inviting his kids up to join him by the bench in memory of Diane. Diane’s bench had been finished (made by local volunteer Anthony from WhiteFish). We had the plaque for Katy which Anthony took with him to get her bench done, Tom, Adam, and Kimberly all had difficulty getting through the tribute to Diane, but it was beautiful. And then Tom talked about the bench also being made for Genia. The plaque isn’t done yet because they wanted Steve and the kids to write what went on it.
Then MaryBeth began to wrap things up by talking about what we will call this campground….And Garrett and ? Brought out the new sign...The Steve Tartaglino CAV RV Park. Steve did NOT expect this – he knew about the bench for Genia.
We then had a retirement cake for Steve as well! A VERY NICE CELEBRATION!!
Rick and I stuck around until 7 visiting with folks. Most except for Hilary and the CAVs and MaryBeth had left by then. We said our goodbyes with hugs. Home tomorrow!! We stopped at the gas station near the ReStore and gassed up the truck at $3.51 a gallon! Yay!!
Worth driving 1000 miles in four days and working hard? You bet! I think it meant a lot to Steve for us to be here, plus we got to see many good friends – boths CAVs and locals!
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| View across the lake as we head to the dedication. |
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| They brought the 'almost finished' bathhouse to show off! |
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| Quick view of the new RV park behind the Restore. |
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| Rick giving the speech about Katy Branston. |
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| Steve talking about Habitat impact |
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| A tearful Tom is flanked by his kids Adam and Kimberly |
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| MaryBeth presents the sign designating the Steve Tartaglino RV Park |
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| And a cake to celebrate! |
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| Mountains as we head back to tiny house. |
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| But first a drive past the build site for one last photo. |
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| Gotta love those Montana mountains! |
SATURDAY May 4
Cloud Creek Tiny House to High Country Lane
via Thompson Pass!
523 miles
Lakeside to grab coffees and then head south. A beautiful morning as we watch the sun silhouette the Swan Mts.
Somewhere in the middle of the Hot Springs valley, we decide the weather is good, we got an early start, and we might as well give Thompson Pass a ride! (No St. Regis gift shop this trip – ah well! But I get to mark off new highway in the atlas!)
So, instead of heading left (east) on Hwy 200 toward St. Regis, we turn right! Another quick bathroom stop and coffee in Plains, then up to Thompson Falls and the turn on to Rt 731 to go over the pass. This route is NOT maintained for winter travel, but other than a few snow drifts in the shade at the side of the road near the top, we didn’t see any white stuff except high on peaks above!
A forested route that on the east side is very gradual until the last 2-3 miles. The west side is a little steeper for a longer distance. A few rough road sections near Murray, but overall good running road. For the most part we saw VERY FEW other vehicles until near Pritchard as we neared I-90.
Rick drove us into Post Falls where we gassed up on the last of cheap gas ($3.74) I took the wheel then to drive most of the way through Washington – I90 to US 395. Down in Kennewick we stopped at a DQ to switch drivers and grab a treat/drink. Home by 2:01 Pacific Time!! We made the trip in under 9 hours with a few stops! Cruise control sure makes a difference and we don’t usually use it pulling the trailer! Plus the fewer gas stops helped!
Spring is a beautiful time to make the drive. Balsam root beginning to blossom, lupine fields near Spokane, and every shade of green trees and fields imaginable!
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| Early departure sunrise pictures! |
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| Nearing Thompson Falls |
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| Pull off atop Thompson Pass |
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| Look for the road below as the highway drops quickly from the pass. |
TOTAL MILES: 1113 miles
VOLUNTEER HOURS: 13 X 2 =26 hours
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