Day 116 Seattle, WA

Thurs., Sept. 12

Seattle, WA

Another amazing day!  A short drive to the Boeing Factory in Mukilteo, 25 miles north of Seattle.  50 – 100 people are going on a tour every half hour.  Doesn’t anybody work anymore???  Kidding!!  The tour starts with a six minute video.  No cameras, cell phones or bags are allowed on the tour.  The factory is massive with 45,000 people working on all aspects of building these flying machines.  The building where the planes are assembled is the largest building in the world by volume at 13,385,378m3 and covers 399,480m2.  We saw the 777 Boeing and the 787 Dreamliner being assembled.  The Dreamlifters are modified 777 that carry the large components for 787 that are manufactured around the world. The first 787 was delivered Sept. 2011 and they have orders for 1500.  After planes are assembled they are painted to the customer specs.

787 is assembled in here

787 Dreamlifter 

Going out for test flight

Driving to Seattle, what a maze of interchanges!!  Traffic was slow going in almost stand still at times but the HOV lane was flying along so we changed lanes.  A few miles down I5 an accident therefore the slow downs.  Finally at the Space Needle and we’re heading up 520 feet to the Observation Deck.  Its claim to fame is that it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi at 605 feet built in 1962 for the World Fair.

Looking straight down, giant spiders on roof

We head back to Everett and it is rush hour.  The traffic is crazy and again the HOV lane moves us along nicely.  The manager at our campsite suggested a great seafood restaurant for supper so we headed for Front St in Mukilteo to Ivar’s.  The ferry terminal is right next to it.  The restaurant was very good and big, right on the bay.  We were seated near a window overlooking the bay.

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  95 km
Weather:  Sun; High: 26 degrees; Lo: 18 degrees
Wildlife: Squirrels
Campsite:  Maple Grove RV Resort $46 full service
Walking: 5 km walking

Day 115 Coeur d’Alene, ID to Seattle, WA

Wed., Sept. 11

Coeur d’Alene, ID to Seattle, WA

Sad to leave Coeur d’Alene, wanted to ride the Hiawatha trail but the shuttle service stopped Sep. 8 and now only running on weekends. I don’t think I could ride down the mountain and come back again so we’ll just have to come back. It was cool in the morning but by 9 am it was 16 degrees and within the hour it was 24 degrees and warming.  This place is shopping heaven, from Coeur d’Alene to Spokane, all kinds of shopping with lots of RV sales.  Then we’re into the fields that have been cut with stacks and stacks of hay covered with tarps or stored in huge sheds.  This area also known for its potatoes and corn.

Looking across the campsite

Leaving the lake

Past Moses Lake it starts getting hilly and very dry.  Puget Sound Energy’s Wild Horse Wind & Solar Facility is visible from the view point above the Columbia River.  The elevation at the river is about 1200 feet and at the Ryegrass Summit it is 2526 feet.  The truck’s exhaust is still not clean will have to get that checked in BC.  

Columbia River crossing

Marina & campsite on the Columbia River

In the distance we can see a huge snow covered mountain, we’re guessing its Mt. Rainier.  Pretty impressive!  Construction crews are working on the Snoqualmie Pass.  Two trucks pulled in front of us and slowed to 35 km/hour in both lanes so no one could pass for about 10 km. That’s one way to slow traffic and use of pilot cars in a different way.

Resevoir getting low

Following the GPS to get to the campsite, we were just about there when we realized we were in the wrong lane and couldn’t move over, 5 lanes of traffic.  No problem Garmin will take us back.  We got turned around and crossed the interstate and our exit was blocked, detour!!!!  Now we had to ignore Garmin since it wanted us to do a U turn and go back.  We got back to a previous exit and made it without further incident. 

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  495 km
Weather:  Sun; High: 35 degrees; Lo: 12 degrees in the RV at 7:30 am
Wildlife: Hawk, vultures
Campsite:  Maple Grove RV Resort $46 full service
Walking: 1 km walking

Washington Stats:
Nickname:  The Evergreen State
Flower:  Coast rhododendron
Bird:  Goldfinch

Day 114 Coeur d’Alene, ID

Tues., Sept. 10

Coeur d’Alene, ID

Headed into town for our 9:30 am appointment for the truck!  While the truck was being serviced we walked to the sports store and mall.  After the truck was done we went back to the campsite for lunch and check maps for bike trails.  We drove to the N Idaho Centennial Trail at marker 20.  From here we rode to the end of the trail, 3 miles east.  Around the corner was a ½ mile 6% grade hill.  What a way to warm up!  At the end is a beautiful park with views of the lake.

Veterans Memorial Centennial Bridge 1990

Statue along path, no explanation

Plaques along the path

Cormorant

Back to the truck but we decide to go another 2 miles and back.  This part of the path was fairly flat along the lake.  Along this path are exercise stop points, Vita Course 2000, an explanation and picture of the exercise at each site.   

 

No moose in the creek today, checking out another restaurant.  Walking by the creek in the campsite we noticed very small fish hiding in the grasses.  We met and talked to a couple from Illinois travelling to Everett to visit family. 

 

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  56 km
Weather:  Sun; High: 35 degrees; Lo: 14 degrees
Wildlife: Squirrel, Cormorant, Loon
Campsite:  Wolf Lodge Campground $30 full service (got Good Sam Membership)
Walking: 3 km walking & 16 km biking N Idaho Centennial Trail

Day 113 Coeur d’Alene, ID

Mon., Sept. 9

Coeur d’Alene, ID

We drove part way around the lake on the scenic route Hwy 97.  Very windy but very scenic route along the lake!  We passed by Beauty Bay and Gotham Bay.  Beauty Bay had a small park and trail to a lookout of the bay.  Just before Harrison we turned back and headed into Coeur d’Alene.  The entire circle route is about 70 miles following Hwy 97 and then onto Hwy 3 back to the I90.

Across Lake from Interstate 

Along Gotham Bay 

The Visitor’s Centre is located downtown across from the world’s longest floating boardwalk about 3,300 feet.  It runs from Independence Point in City Park around The Coeur d’Alene Resort.  The City Park has nice pathways and a public beach also the N Idaho Centennial bike trail runs through here.  Lunch at Scratch Restaurant was very good especially the Crab Chowder. 

Lake cruises

Floating boardwalk

City Park beach

Mudgy Moose & Millie Mouse & me

Boat pass from floating boardwalk

Back at the campsite after dinner there is a communal fire pit.  We talked to a couple heading to the 101 in Oregon from Wisconsin.  Beautiful evening!  No mosquitoes! 

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  86 km
Weather:  Sun/clouds; High: 28 degrees; Lo: 18 degrees
Wildlife: Squirrel
Campsite:  Wolf Lodge Campground $30 full service (got Good Sam Membership)
Walking: 5 km

Day 112 Glacier National Park to Coeur d’Alene, ID

Sun., Sept. 8

Glacier National Park to Coeur d’Alene, ID

The light rain was dancing on the RV.  Quickly we packed up and headed out, we timed that well.  Just a short distance down the road is Columbia Falls and Kalispell with lots of room for big rigs to fill up and lots of campsites.  Kalispell had some old buildings built in 1904 and an interesting old diner.  Salish referred to this area as “land between the mountains” until 1891 when the railroad moved in.

Just south is Flathead Lake, it is 28 miles long by 15 miles wide, huge lake.  This area reminded us of the Okanagan especially the brown rolling hills.  No wonder this area is such an attraction; lakes, mountains which leads to all kinds of recreation.  We did a quick stop to stretch our legs and the truck starting dinging!  It wants another oil and filter change plus the exhaust particulate filter was telling us it was dirty.  At least solving that was to drive for 20 minutes at 30 mph or 50 km/h and it would go away.  Thank goodness it did but Ross will have to take it in.  After all we’ve put over 23,000 km on this trip already.  At St. Regis we turned onto the I90, it feels like going over train tracks!! 

We drove into Coeur d’Alene to find a campsite and drove past two.  I didn’t like either one; Riverside RV in a parking lot @ $40, and Tamarack everyone cramped in, so we drove back to Wolf Lodge Campground.  We’ve stayed at so many Good Sam’s we should have bought our membership a long time ago.  So I got one now because we will stay in another Good Sam in Vancouver for sure. 

Coeur d'Alene Lake @ east end

Haven’t seen a Dutch Bros since 2010 trip

We drove back into Coeur d’Alene to find the bike path along the lake and found the downtown and visitors centre. Yay, we found a Bank of America!  Only had $20 left and started with $100 US 12 days ago.  We followed the path back to see where to get on the interstate.   I remembered Yellowhead Trail exit.  Well that took us around the north side of the lake through a park and houses with a view, nice drive but the road here isn’t well maintained.  This laundry room has a book exchange, Ross read everything, and got two Clive Custler’s.



Moose in marsh between I90 & road to campsite 

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  481Km Start:  73,793 Finish:  97,460 
Weather:  Overcast & light rain to sun/clouds; High: 22 degrees; Lo: 12 degrees
Wildlife: Squirrel, moose
Campsite:  Wolf Lodge Campground $30 full service (got Good Sam Membership)
Walking: 1 km

Idaho Stats:
Nickname:  The Gem State
Bird:  Mountain Bluebird
Flower:  Syringa

Day 111 Glacier National Park-Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake

Sat., Sept. 7

Glacier National Park Drive Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake

Another great day!  Any day is great when there are blue skies and the forecast was for rain.  We got out a little later but there were still cars lined up to get into the park.  The traffic was worse yesterday.  We even got parking at the Trail of the Cedars.  We started out on the boardwalk that was blocked off in June due to a tree crashing down on it.  The trail is through a cedar/hemlock forest.  Nice moderate hike and lots of people on the trail coming and going.  Arriving at Avalanche Lake there were people everywhere relaxing having lunch.  We walked half way around the lake and saw fish jumping, cutthroat.  There are three great waterfalls cascading a few hundred feet into the lake.  The lake is very shallow at one end with lots of deadwood.  Crystal clear and gets very deep going towards the waterfalls.

Enter park, Friday had twice as many vehicles

Avalanche creek

People on the beach

We headed back to Apgar Village for lunch and had some huckleberry/peach pie.  Very good!  After walking around the village we drove to Fishcreek just a few miles up the lake.  The campsite was already closed but the picnic site had people enjoying the beach and sunshine.  We drove up to Apgar Lookout but didn’t realize it was a 2 mile hike and we didn’t feel like it anymore today.  Well, back to the campsite to walk around and read. 

View McDonald Lake from the Village

Daily Stats: 
Today's distance:  89 km
Weather:  Blue skies, sun/clouds; High: 24 degrees; Lo: 17 degrees
Wildlife: Ground squirrels, chipmunks, grouse
Campsite:  Glacier Campground $27 w/e
Walking: 9 km