Oak Harbor to Port Townsend, Washington

Price Ford, Port Angeles, WA

 

    Deception Pass Bridge. Note that the pass is not a mountain pass but rather a passage between two islands in the Puget Sound. One of those islands is Whidbey Island, the largest of the 9 islands in Island County.

 

 

    [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]The bridge was completed in 1935 at a cost of $490,000; today it costs more than that just to paint it. Original guard rails were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

 

 

 

    The mouth of Deception Pass[age] into a more open stretch of Puget Sound.

 

 

 

 

 

    My late father liked to identify many plants and animals by their Latin names. However, since this plant is prevalent in the logged-over areas near the former Caspar Lumber Company Camps, he called it Scotch Bloom.

 

 

 

 

    A look from the Oak Harbor Library parking lot across the harbor to the snow-capped mountains of the Olympic Peninnsula.

 

 

 

 

 

    Zooming in....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning left for more of the Oak Harbor harbor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Some of the yachts in their slips at the harbor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A Boater's Guide to Puget Sound on the wharf at Oak Harbor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A first shot from the Coupeville to Port Townsend ferry.

 

 

 

 

    Panning right during the 35-minute crossing, the snow on the mountains in the Olympic Peninnsula is now much more visible.

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning further right one can now make out Port Townsend. [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]

 

 

 

 

 

    The wake of the ferry looking back toward Whidby Island and the Coupeville terminal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Mount Rainier in the distance?

 

 

 

 

    Two large, older brick buildings stood out as we approached Port Townsend. One was this building: the post office, which, with lights on inside, still appears to be in use.

 

 

 

 

    The larger of the two buildings was the Jefferson County Court House. Not only is it still in use, but the clock and associated bells still work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A view of the clock tower. In fact, as I walked around the court house, the bell sounded 6 times just as I finished my circumnavigation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Here's a ferry returning to the Coupeville terminal from Port Townsend, part of whose harbor is visible. [See link below for a link to all WDOT ferry schedules.]

 

 

 

 

    The Port Townsend ferry terminal with a ferry parked to the right of the three loading lanes on the left. [You can find information on ferrying costs on the WDOT site below.]
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Links:

• Wikipedia article on Oak Harbor, WA
• Wikipedia article on Whidbey Island
• Ferry schedules for all WDOT ferries
• PTGuide.Com History of Port Townsend
• Wikipedia article on Port Townsend
• Jefferson County Transit, which offers Park & Ride service

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W 30 May Actual Route: Mt Vernon RV Pk - Oak Harbor - Coupeville/Port Townsend Ferry - Port Townsend bd

Th 31 May Route: Port Townsend bd - Sequim - Sequim Bay State Park

F 1 Jun Actual Route: Sequim Bay State Park - Sequim - Port Angeles - Heart O' the Hills NPS CG

Sa 2 Jun Actual Route: Heart O' the Hills NPS CG - Port Angeles Walmart

Su 3 Jun Actual Route: Port Angeles Walmart - Salt River Rec Area

M 4 Jun Actual Route: Salt River Rec Area - Camp Hayden Bunker - Sappho - Clearwater Road bd

T 5 Jun Actual Route: Clearwater Road bd - Queets - Lake Quinalt - Hoquiam - Aberdeen Walmart

W 6 Jun Actual Route: Aberdeen Walmart - Elma - Oakville - Eagle RV Pk

Th 7 Jun Route: Eagle RV Pk - Rochester - Centralia - Tenino - Yelm Walmart

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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Post Falls to Old Mission State Park, Idaho

Nason Creek USFS Campground, WA

Idaho Veneer Company
    Though I visited Idaho Veneer Company on Monday 14 May and drove to Old Mission State Park the next day, I waited for correct information from Rick Palmiter on Idaho Veneer, his former employer, before writing this post.
    During the last ten years, essentially the 1990s, of my career as a commodity broker, Idaho Veneer was one of my two hedge clients. [That is, in order to offset losses to their inventories if lumber prices fell, they sold lumber futures short. If lumber prices rose, they lost money on their short position(s), but their inventories were worth more.]
    Here's Rick's description and answer to my question as to whether Idaho Veneer was a wholesaler, retailer, or both, of plywood. "IVC is neither a retailer nor wholesaler of plywood. They are manufacturers. They actually quit making plywood in '86. They currently sell 'face' veneers to other companies that manufacture hardwood plywood. Their customers also include window, door and furniture manufacturers."
    When I showed up Monday at Idaho Veneer Co. just before lunch and asked the receptionist if the same family which owned the company in the 1990s still owned the company, she told me yes. As I was asking her about some of those I remembered a tall fellow came out of his office just as I was asking about Tom Martinek. It was John Martinek, the most tech-savy person in the company back in the 90s when I maintained a BBS [Bulletin Board System] with commodity price data for some graphics programs I had written.
    "I thought you were heavier," John said, but after shaking his hand I replied, "No, I'm like you -- scrawny."
    Two others appears from their offices: John Malloy, son of Leonard Malloy, 83, who founded the company in 1953, and Bob Lackey, who, along with Rick, was a salesman.
    Since they usually went out for lunch, Bob had the presence of mind to phone Rick, who was already on his way elsewhere; but he made a U-turn & headed for the Post Falls restaurant the IVC fellows liked.
    When Rick arrived I not only asked him why he decided to move from San Jose, CA, to Post Falls, ID, but also how many kids he had. [His wife Colleen's favorite book was Cheaper by the Dozen.]
    Since both he and his wife are Catholic, they were attracted to the Idaho Panhandle by good Catholic schools, outdoor activities, and the nearness of a large city (Spokane, c30 miles to the west).
    Finally, Rick admitted that they had reached Colleen's objective: 12 children. As far as I know, they didn't "brand them" #1, #2, etc., but managed to come up with 12 names -- which are presumably either Irish or Biblical -- or both.
....
    After we returned to the Idaho Veneer Company office I told everyone except Rick that it was great to have faces now to go with the voices I heard back in the 90s. As for Rick, he could probably get away with Jack Benny's 39-routine for several more years.
--

 

    Old Mission State Park     After I parked near the Visitor Center I took this photo of a replica of Sacred Heart Mission. (As you can see, there was a group of students ahead of me.)

 

    While one is not allowed to take photos of the 5-6 minute film created by the Coeur d'Alene Indian tribe, the $5 admission fee is well worth the price.
    Another shot of the Catholic Mission just after the school bus left. The construction of the original mission was supervised by Father Jean Pierre DeSmet, a Belgian who ran away from his home country to train to become a priest in he middle of the 19th Century in Missouri, if memory serves.

 

 

 

 

    Why wood and not adobe? While mud is available in the Coeur d'Alen River, ponderosa pines and Douglas fir trees are much more abundant.

 

 

 

 

 

    While not of stone or adobe, this Catholic Mission seems almost as ornate as those I've visited in California and Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The main altar of Old Mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The entrance of the mission as viewed from the front. Note the confessional booth as well as what appear to be two organs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A look at the floor, which was clearly crafted by hand and not cut in a sawmill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    As the plaque states, Father DeSmet and those who succeeded him were Jesuits.

 

 

 

 

 

    [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Da Bell!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    For $1 residents of Coeur d'Alene could take a steamer across Lake Coeur d'Alene and up the Coeur d'Alene River to a landing near the mission.

 

 

 

    From Mission Landing, which has a boat ramp, a look to the east at the snow-capped mountains of Montana.
--

 

 

 

Links:

• Idaho Veneer Company website
• Wikipedia article on Sacred Heart Mission
• Old Mission State Park on Idaho's Park & Rec website

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F 25 May Actual Route: Wenatchee Walmart - Leavenworth - Nason Crk USFS CG

Sa 26 May Actual Route: Nason Crk USFS CG

Su 27 May Actual Route: Nason Crk USFS CG - Stevens Pass - Sultan - Monroe Safeway

M 28 May Actual Route: Monroe Safeway - Snohomish - Lake Stevens - Arlington bd

T 29 May Actual Route: Arlington bd - Mount Vernon - Mt Vernon RV Pk

W 30 May Actual Route: Mt Vernon RV Pk - Oak Harbor - Coupeville/Port Townsend Ferry - Port Townsend bd

Th 31 May Route: Port Townsend bd - Sequim - Sequim Bay State Park

F 1 Jun Actual Route: Sequim Bay State Park - Sequim - Port Angeles - Heart O' the Hills NPS CG

Sa 2 Jun Route: Heart O' the Hills NPS CG - Port Angeles

--

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Fort Spokane to Grand Coulee Dam

Grand Coulee Library, WA

 

 

    The WA25 bridge over the Spokane River arm of Lake Roosevelt, which was created in 1942 when Grand Coulee dam was completed.

 

 

 

 

 

    A look up the Spokane River arm

 

 

 

 

 

    From the Miles Creston Road a view of the confluence of the two arms of Lake Roosevelt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The first glimpse of Grand Coulee Dam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Zooming in....

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A photo from the west side of the dam showing it great length: 5223 feet (as compared with Hoover Dam's 1244 feet).

 

 

 

 

 

    The first of three shots showing part of the left (as one look downstream) powerhouse.

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning left, the west power house and the west side of the dam.

 

 

 

 

 

    Most of the dam, the right/east powerhouse, and the Third Powerhouse, which was completed in 1974.

 

 

 

    Grand Coulee Dam as seen from near the Spring Canyon Cemetery under cloudy skies.
--

 

 

Links:

• Wikipedia article on Grand Coulee Dam
• HistoryLink.Org history of Grand Coulee Dam
• Columbia River History and Purpose of Grand Coulee Dam

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T 22 May Actual Route: Fort Spokane NPS CG - Creston - Wilbur - Grand Coulee Dam - Spring Canyon CG

W 23 May Actual Route: Spring Canyon CG - Grand Coulee - Steamboat Rock State Park - Sun Lakes State Park - Ephrata Walmart

Th 24 May Actual Route: Ephrata Walmart - Quincy - Wenatchee Walmart

F 25 May Actual Route: Wenatchee Walmart - Leavenworth - Nason Crk USFS CG

Sa 26 May Actual Route: Nason Crk USFS CG

Su 27 May Actual Route: Nason Crk USFS CG - Stevens Pass - Sultan - Monroe Safeway

M 28 May Actual Route: Monroe Safeway - Snohomish - Lake Stevens - Arlington bd

T 29 May Actual Route: Arlington bd - Mount Vernon - Mt Vernon RV Pk

W 30 May Route: Mt Vernon RV Pk - Oak Harbor - Ft Casey State Park

--

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Albeni Falls Dam to Fort Spokane

Ft Spokane US Park Service Campground

 

    A photo of the dam and powerhouse on the Pend Oreille River, the large outlet of Lake Pend Oreille. Eventually the river turns north and joins the Columbia -- but not until it crosses into Canada.

 

    While the falls should have been called Poirier Falls, this plaque not only explains why it was called Albeni Falls but gives a "bird's-eye view" in a drawing of the falls as they looked in 1887. If there was a spot from which all three falls could be viewed simultaneouly, then Albeni Falls rivaled Shoshone Falls on the Snake River at Twin Falls.

 

 

    Since the dam and powerplant are a U.S. Corps of Engineer project here's another plaque with facts about the operation. [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]

 

 

 

    The Union Pacific Railroad bridge above Albeni Falls. While eating lunch yesterday along Lake Pend Oreille a long train of empty ore carriers headed east towards Montana -- and it wasn't obeying the 65mph speed limit!

 

 

 

 

    A closer look at the dam itself. I'm guessing that all 10 gates are all closed at the same time.

 

 

 

 

    A sunflower-like wildflower similar to mule's ear flowers in the Sierra Nevade of California.

 

 

 

 

    A photo of an arm of Lake Franklin Rossevelt on the Spokane River, which is the outlet of Lake Coeur d'Alene at Post Falls Idaho. (While this and all which follow were taking in Washington, the six photos above were taken just east of the Idaho border.)

 

 

 

 

    A look down Washington SR25 at Lake Roosevelt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    A wheat field on the plain of the Spokane River just upstream from Fort Spokane.

 

 

 

    Where there's water, the trees grow -- which is just the opposite of California where most of the forests are in the mountains. And with less water than the Idaho panhandle, the mix is the same, ponderosa pines and Douglas firs, but the percentages are probably 90% pine and 10% fir whereas the wetter parts of the forests around Coeur d'Alene are probably 70% firs and 30% pines.

 

    [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here] A brief history of Fort Spokane, established in 1880 in Washington Territory.

 

 

 

 

 

    The Fort Spokane Guard House, now a Visitor Center for Fort Spokane, which is part of the National Park Service's Lake Roosevelt National Recreational Area.

 

 

 

 

    The fort's quartermaster building, one of the three remaining structures which is still standing.

 

 

 

 

    [Click each of the four photos of plaques once to enlarge; press ESC to return here]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Links:

• Brief Wikipedia article and photo of Albeni Falls Dam
• HistoryLink.Org article on Fort Spokane
• Lake Roosevelt National Recreational Area

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Su 20 May Actual Route: Newport, WA, bd - Milan - Chattaroy - Colbert - Spokane - Airway Hts Walmart

M 21 May Actual Route: Airway Hts Walmart - Reardan - Davenport - Fort Spokane NPS Campground

T 22 May Actual Route: Fort Spokane NPS CG - Creston - Wilbur - Grand Coulee Dam - Spring Canyon CG

W 23 May Route: Spring Canyon CG - Grand Coulee - Steamboat Rock State Park - Sun Lakes State Park

--

Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.