Across Idaho and Utah

After a great supper at Cracker Barrel Restaurant, our travel the next day continued across southern Utah on I-84. The altitude continued to climb as we traveled up the high plateu area that stretches across Idaho and Wyoming before starting a long descent in Nebraska.

Idaho was rolling hills and plateus with cultivated farm lands dotted through the area. Lots of horses, cattle, and sheep.

Remember to double click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Changes in air pressure at different altitudes really become apparent with thing you don't think of. For instance what happens to a bag of potato chips when it get to an altitude of 4,500 feet? It becomes hard as a rock from pressure inside the bag. Be careful when you open it. Also be careful when you open catsup or mustard, or you'll be cleaning it off the ceiling. Our sleep-number mattress bed was as hard as a rock. Pressure on the gauge said "100". Thats as high as it would go.

Elk was also abundant. But of course its not hunting season yet.

Just before leaving Idaho, we discovered the long-lost Lake Bonneville. Where we were standing was underwater by a 20,000 square mile lake that covered this area and down into Utah. The only part of the lake that is left is the Grat Salt Lake in Utah. On the surrounding hills, you can still see the shore lines of the lake that was here about 20,000 years ago.

After leaving Idaho, we drove into northern Utah. Scenery was different with snow capped montains on the left, and on the right the level plateu of the lake bed that has the Great Salt Lake.

In the picture of the large hill with the cattle at the bottom-right, you'll notice the lines going across the hill near the top. This is one level of the large lake (Lake Bonneville) that covered the area 20,000 years ago.

We didn't have time to drive to Salt Lake City to see the Mormon Tabernacle Temple, so we went to Brigham, Utah, and visited the historic Box Elder Tabernacle. Consturction started in 1865 and was completed in 1890. It is still in active use today. The downtown section of Brigham looks almost exactly as it did in the 1800's.

About 30 miles west of Brigham, UT, is Promotory Point. It was here where the Union Pacific Railroad, started from Omaha, NE ; and the Central Pacific Railroad, started from Sacramento, Ca. ; finally met at this point. After six million railroad spikes, and six years, the final golden spike was driven, and on May 10, 1869; the country had its first transcontinential railroad.

The plate between Barbara's feet reads: "The last tie laid on the completion of the Pacific Railroad, May, 1869". the plate is the exact spot where the last spike was driven. The original gold spike is now at the Stanford University in the art museum.

This is a painting of the original ceremony.

Utah was a beautiful place to visit.

Stay tuned for more

Finally on the road....

The time finally arrived for us to roll up the hoses, pull in the awnings, and head east.

Early on Sunday morning, May 3, we pulled out and headed on I-90 east from Seattle. There were heavy clouds as we crossed the Cascade Mountains. Ice was still on the lakes, ponds, and resevoirs. It was interesting to see the how much the landscape changed after getting east of the mountains.

Lucy, the cat, rode quietly in her "pet taxi" as we turned southeast onto I-82 to hit I-84 and travel across the NE part of Oregon down into Idaho. Our goal for the first day was to travel about 550 miles to Boise, ID, so we could eat supper at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. Yum Yum. These restaurants are not in the Pacific NW, so we hurry southeast to Idaho to eat there. We made it for supper. Barbara had chicken and dumplings and I had the fried catfish dinner with green beans, turnip greens, and sweet tea.

Our next day driving goal is to make it to the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Its a long way to go, but we're heading for our first big stopover at Mark and Amy's house in Hutchinson, KS. So we have a long way to go.

Also, we are in a hurry to get out of the Pacific NW before more snow storms come and block the passes. We went through Snoqualmie Pass (WA State) and made it OK, but we still have more passes to go through, especially when we cross the Rocky Mountains. Weather has been very unpredictable this spring.

There are no pictures of Oregon to post. It rained all the way through Oregon, and rain looks the same no matter what state you're in. So I decided no to post pictures of rain.

On the next blog page I will cover Idaho and Utah. Stay tuned.

Tulip Festival

The tulips (and daffodils) are in full bloom in Skagit Valley, WA. There are acres and acres of
tulips of all size, shapes, and colors. What beautiful color. Its hard to take a picture that shows
the beauty of the fields or of the flowers. And its harder to get them to line up on this page.

Double click on the picture to enlarge it.

Another fish tale......

We made another fishing trip to the Cowlitz River in Washington State. It was beautiful to watch the deer on the river bank, and the bald eagles swoop down on the water trying to catch some fish for dinner.

It was rumored that springers (salmon) were coming up the Cowlitz River early to spawn. Also, the steelhead trout were coming home also. So off we went with great expectations.

The first hit we got was a big fish. It partly rolled out of the water after being hooked and it was enormous. After a ten-minute battle, with me on the rod-n-reel, and Nolan skillfully maneuvering the boat against the strong current and then netting the big fish, we finally got it on the boat. What a battle!

The steelhead trout weighed in at 15 pounds. That's a lot of good eating.

We did hook in to some more great fish, but had no luck getting them in the boat. A couple of them spit the plug back at us within a few feet of the boat. Another large steelhead turned in to an aerial acrobatic and did several leaps completely out of the water before finally getting rid of the plug. The last fish rolled on the surface of the water when hooked, leaped out of the water, and when it splashed down, it was gone, hook(s) line and sinker. Or rather the plug. We believe it was a springer (salmon) because salmon have very sharp teeth, and if they get the line in their mouth they cut it with their sharp teeth. On examination we saw that the line was cut a smooth as if with a very sharp knife. Sure hated loosing that great plug. It had caught a lot of fish.

A Fish Tale....

Stacy's husband, Nolan, is not only a great husband and son-in-law; but he is also an outstanding fishing guide.

He took us fishing on the Cowlitz River in eastern WA State. It was a cold blustery day. but the scenery on the river was worth the trip.

Stacy and the "good luck" fish rock....

The Cowlitz River is a fast flowing river that even has some rapids. Nolan would do amazing manuevering of the boat against the current, while the fishing plugs tried to find the fish. He constantly worked a small trolling motor to hold the position of the boat where he wanted it so the plugs would fall where the fish (hopefully) would be.

And....... we DID catch some fish.

Some were small.....

....and were thrown back.

But others were DEFINATELY keepers....

The single fish on the left has already made it to the dinner table. Boy was it good. We made quite a team: Nolan would find the fish, Stacy would do the dance with the "good luck" fish rock, I would get them in the boat, and Barbara cooked them. What a team!

Almost time to head EAST!

In just a few weeks we will be heading home. We have been on the Pacific coast for a year now, and have really enjoyed our stay. While here, we have enjoyed many things:

Family - Stacy and Nolan

Lots and lots and lots of snow...........

Even floods.....................

But we have seen beautiful mountains......

And even have done some fishing....

But, now its time to roll up the hoses, pull in the awnings, and hit the road.

So, come and join us as we leave this beautiful part of the country and head home.