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entry 4: coeur d'alene idaho to port angeles, washington 10/02/05

The Coeur d’Alene resort was quite a nice place to hold up during a rainy weekend. We pampered ourselves in the hot tubs and pool and then had some great chow at the restaurants. We had been doing pretty good staying within our budget and agreed this was our once-a-month splurge. The area and town of Coeur d’Alene was recommended by our nephew Ray and he was right. The combination of lakes and mountains made for some great views while riding, although low clouds and some fog made some views hard to see. The town seems to be either appreciating in value or some plague is about to breakout as one out of three houses (no kidding) along the main streets were up for sale.

The beautiful marina at the Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Having refreshed ourselves for two days in Idaho, we set out for the heart of Washington State and after passing through the orchards around Spokane we rode a hundred miles through slow rolling hills. I learned later that this stretch is considered the desert of Washington. We spent the night at the Ala Cozy Hotel, just outside of Coulee City. This was by far the best hotel in town as it was the only hotel for miles. The hotel is positioned right beside a gas station and when we rode in we didn’t see a restaurant, so were resigned to eating gas station cuisine. What a surprise when we walked into the “Food Store” and found what must serve as the areas social scene. A regular grill served up some burgers and the soda fountain supplied chocolate shakes. This place also was the video store, liquor store and community trading post.

The next day took us through some higher hills and we actually saw snow at the tops of mountains. Riding in from the Cascades to Everett, WA, we dropped from 4,000’ to sea level. The weather was warmer, now in the low 60’s, and we smelled the Pacific Ocean for the first time. After having the road pretty much to ourselves for the past few days, the Washington coast seemed packed with cars. Two-thirds of this state must live on the coast.

Checking out the beginning of the fermentation process at Olympic Cellars Winery.

We toured around Puget Sound the next day and stopped by the Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island. I was stationed there, when not at sea, for my four years in the Navy. The base looked the same except the gates were now fortified with more steel and concrete. We tooled around Oak Harbor and then took our bikes on their very first ferry ride. I was expecting to have to tie them down or the like but one of the crew told us the crossing had been calm that day and to park the bikes in the center of the ferry and use the side-stand. Pretty easy and no problems! We decided we liked the area and have spent the last four days in an inexpensive Port Angeles motel, down by the port and downtown area. Lynne has worked on the website, I got a haircut and we have toured part of the Olympic peninsula. This area was cut off from the mainland during the ice age and later by remaining waters so that about half a dozen plants and a dozen species of animals evolved here that are not found anywhere else. Today, Saturday, we attended the areas Crab Festival. WOW! The best Dungeness crab in the world and it should be considering this is where they come from. Well, tomorrow we are off to Victoria, British Columbia – this time on an early, longer ferry ride. And for the first time since our trip began WE HAVE TO SET AN ALARM CLOCK! Life is good.

Notes from Lynne:

Really nice to stay in one place for several days - and it doesn't hurt that it is a crab mecca! We've had yummy crab in about every way they fix it now - hard to say what was best, but I'd vote for the crab cakes - or just getting down and dirty with the whole things at the festival. Quite lip-smacking.