The Ray Adventures: Off to Texas September 4, 2019

Wednesday September 4th, off to Texas the long way, we left about 9:45 for our 240 mile drive to the Elks Club in Yakima. So sad to leave family and friends in Salem but looking forward to our new adventure. It was a beautiful drive through the Columbia River Gorge, no wind and a cloudless blue sky. Very unusual for us, we drove straight through to Yakima, the Elks actually located on a golf course in Selah. We visited our Grandson Nick, wife Sam and their two girls Lyla 2 3/4 and Kallie 4 months. Nick is in his second year at Pacific NW Health Sciences, a private medical school. The girls are so sweet, Lyla is so fun to be around and play with, she gave a fashion show of her dresses. Baby Kallie is smiling and laughing, she has the cutest dimples. Nick took us on a tour of the medical school. he offered to take us to the cadaver room-we passed.

Thursday the 5th we drove 35 miles north to Ellensburg to visit with Gary's Aunt Anna, 95, cousin Lars and his wife, Elzelien. Aunt Anna lives in a tiny house built on their original farm property. She is very sharp (I'm jealous) and walks without a cane. We heard some "thumping" on the front deck, a doe was "picking apples", they prefer fresh picked, Aunt Anna said they don't like eating them off the ground. A doe and fawn were enjoying grapes off the arbor. We had taken Luci to Doggie Day Care in Ellensberg, she was pooped, must have played hard.

Friday, the 6th we drove 90 miles to Kennewick to spend the night in Kennewick with Gerry and Mary who moved from Salem over 30 years ago. It's always fun to catch up with them.

Off to Stacy and Barbara's Saturday morning, about 3 1/2 hours away. We'd planned to stay only 2 nights but stayed 4, the weather in Wallace, Id. our next stop, was forecast to be rainy until Thursday. We plan to ride the Hiawatha Trail. Our 41 st anniversary was the 9th, we went into Spokane to run some errands and to have "linner" at Twigs Martini Bar on the 3rd floor of the Riverfront Mall downtown. We didn't have martini's but enjoyed a couple of appetizers, a Blood Mary for me and a craft beer for Gary.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 (happy 102nd birthday Mom) Gary worked on the water pump, it still needs another part (on back order) but we'll manage without it. In the evening we played Mexican Train, Barbara won three games and I managed to win one. We skunked the guys.

Wednesday the 11th we left about 10 for our 115 mile drive to Osburn, Id. the exit before Wallace, Id. The region claims several of the world's largest and deepest silver mines found in the late 1880's with 200 miles of tunnels. Locals claim that Wallace is the Center of the Universe, okay if they say so, there is a medallion in the middle of a downtown intersection stating the fact. The Northern Pacific Depot RR museum, a restored station was built in 1901, operating until 1986 when it was moved across the river to make room for I-90. Exhibits include the history of the railroading in Coeur d'Alene Mining district and the depot itself. Across the street is the Bordello Museum, we didn't take the time to visit, instead we walked around the town looking at the architecture and the unique stores, then along came a hornet and stung my ring finger. Dang! Thank goodness I'm not allergic.

Friday morning we took our bikes up to the Hiawatha Trailhead, the all downhill 14 mile ride has 10 tunnels and 7 trestles. Starting atop the Bitteroot Mtns on the Idaho, Montana border, the first tunnel is the Taft tunnel, 1.7 miles long, lights are required - you can't see your hand in front of your face. Seeping water drips and makes the ground wet and sloppy. Not so much fun, I was glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When we emerged we followed the trail through 9 more tunnels of varying length and crossed over the 7 sky high trestles. The trail bed was very rough, I think I jarred some fillings loose. I actually looked forward to the tunnels and the trestles because it was a smoother ride. The only wildlife we saw were chipmunks, all along the trail are signs with historic facts, the chipmunks hang out there and look for handouts. One little guy walked up to me and stepped on my foot. I say we saw no wildlife, how would I know, I had my eyes glued on the trail to avoid bumps. It took us about 3 hours to reach the bottom, then you and your bike are shuttled up to the end of the Taft tunnel, YUP! We had to back through the 1.7 mile wet, sloppy tunnel again! A great experience but I think once is enough. The bikes are mess of mud, so glad we had fenders. Back in Osburn we showered and threw the muddy clothes and shoes in the washer. Later we went back to Wallace for dinner at the 1313 Club - a historic restaurant downtown close to the Center of the Universe.

Friday morning we drove to Kellogg, the closest jeweler. My finger was so swollen I had no choice but to have my wedding ring cut off. Ahhhhh, it felt so much better. I whiled away the afternoon icing my finger
while Gary took the Couer d'Alene trail, which runs from Mullan west 72 miles, on his bike back toward Wallace to the Mining Museum along I-90 at the rest area and information center. The museum was closed but he was able to see mining equipment on display on the grounds.

Saturday Sept. 14th we left for Great Falls,Mt. and Malmstrom AFB 295 miles, a beautiful drive across the Rockies and Plains. Great Falls, elevation 3,312 Population 60,000.

Sunday morning we went to Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center overlooking the Missouri River. The exhibits detail the 1804-06 expedition in what is now Montana. a 25 minute movie depicted the tough journey portaging around the 5 falls which took 3 weeks. A really nice center, walking trails, scenic overlooks and grounds landscaped with plants described in the explorers journals. We drove to 4 of the falls, the 5th is now submerged underwater in the dam's reservoir. After lunch in one of Great Falls "kajillion" casinos (so we could watch the end of the Seahawks game, they beat Pittsburgh YAY!) we went to the Western Artist Museum, a Great Falls resident, CM Russell 1864-1926) who created more than 2,000 paintings of cowboys, Indians, landscapes, wildlife and bronze sculptures. The complex includes their home and log studio. There must be cameras everywhere in the home and studio, you could walk freely through the rooms.

Monday, Sept.16, our last day in Great Falls Gary went to the Malmstrom AFB Museum, the base which is the home of the 341st Missile Wing of the Air Force Global Strike Command. The base opened in 1942, it's mission at that time was to establish an air route between Great Falls and Fairbanks, Alaska as part of the United States Lend Lease program that supplied the Soviet Union with aircraft and supplies needed to fight the German Army. After the war Malmstrom had several missions and since 1961 is home to the Minute Man Missile IIIsite. Presently there are 15 sites, which each have 10 nuclear missiles in each pod, scattered around the base 2 - 3 km apart.

That's it for this week, enjoy the pic's.

TTFN,

Gary and Pam