clikrf8
Senior Member
We just returned from 9 days in Washington's drier half. It has more open space, more backroads, more wildlife and has its own varied landscape. Many abandoned farms, the Channeled Scablands, the Palouse, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, Dry Falls, Palouse Falls, Sun Lakes, etc.
We began in Bellingham, WA taking the very scenic North Cascades Highway 20 over to Winthrop where we stayed at the highly rated Pearrygin Lake State Park campground. From there we ambled over to Republic, chased by trucks carrying quartz and timber staying overnight in the Curlew Lake area where we saw a pair of Sand Hill Cranes. South to Wilbur and Odessa following Hwy 21 to check out an abandoned schoolhouse near Wilbur. We stayed at Keller NRA park on the Columbia River. We then hauled over to near Sprague where we camped at Williams Lake. Too many people as it was close to Spokane but battery still not working properly (will update in a post I started) so had to have 110. Beautiful lake, lots of brown trout caught. We then went on over to visit hubby's cousin in St Maries, ID for the day and night first checking out Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge where we saw a Great Horned Owl, a young moose and several osprey. After our visit, we turned south and west for the Palouse region, topped off by fabulous light atop Steptoe Butte. We stayed overnight at Lyons Landing KOA on the Snake River after checking out Palouse Falls afternoon and the next mornng. The next day we headed towards Sun Lakes and Dry Falls area to camp at the state park there. On the way we found some interesting abandoned farms and yay, puffy clouds. The clouds were gone so lousy photos at the state park so aimed for reflections at Vic Meyer Lake. Our last stop was at Pearrygin Lake State Park at our usual spot number 55. This lake is special to me as my grandparents used to spend a week here camping while fishing for trout. They would smoke them and can them for Christmas presents.
One thing we learned is that we need a bigger, more powerful truck and a bigger camper. So, the hunt is on for a Ford F250 diesel extended cab 4x4. And, a FWC Grandby. We met a couple who had this set up ('09 Ford, 1999 Grandby). With our dog and camera gear, we are loaded down. The 4 cylinders really strained on Hwy 20 and we felt cramped with the dog in bed with us (standard poodle mix). So, the hunt is on. I will post a thread later asking questions about which model year from those of you who have Fords. Or Chevys or Dodge Rams or GMC trucks.
Later, time to get groceries.
We began in Bellingham, WA taking the very scenic North Cascades Highway 20 over to Winthrop where we stayed at the highly rated Pearrygin Lake State Park campground. From there we ambled over to Republic, chased by trucks carrying quartz and timber staying overnight in the Curlew Lake area where we saw a pair of Sand Hill Cranes. South to Wilbur and Odessa following Hwy 21 to check out an abandoned schoolhouse near Wilbur. We stayed at Keller NRA park on the Columbia River. We then hauled over to near Sprague where we camped at Williams Lake. Too many people as it was close to Spokane but battery still not working properly (will update in a post I started) so had to have 110. Beautiful lake, lots of brown trout caught. We then went on over to visit hubby's cousin in St Maries, ID for the day and night first checking out Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge where we saw a Great Horned Owl, a young moose and several osprey. After our visit, we turned south and west for the Palouse region, topped off by fabulous light atop Steptoe Butte. We stayed overnight at Lyons Landing KOA on the Snake River after checking out Palouse Falls afternoon and the next mornng. The next day we headed towards Sun Lakes and Dry Falls area to camp at the state park there. On the way we found some interesting abandoned farms and yay, puffy clouds. The clouds were gone so lousy photos at the state park so aimed for reflections at Vic Meyer Lake. Our last stop was at Pearrygin Lake State Park at our usual spot number 55. This lake is special to me as my grandparents used to spend a week here camping while fishing for trout. They would smoke them and can them for Christmas presents.
One thing we learned is that we need a bigger, more powerful truck and a bigger camper. So, the hunt is on for a Ford F250 diesel extended cab 4x4. And, a FWC Grandby. We met a couple who had this set up ('09 Ford, 1999 Grandby). With our dog and camera gear, we are loaded down. The 4 cylinders really strained on Hwy 20 and we felt cramped with the dog in bed with us (standard poodle mix). So, the hunt is on. I will post a thread later asking questions about which model year from those of you who have Fords. Or Chevys or Dodge Rams or GMC trucks.
Later, time to get groceries.
