Trip Report
Day 1. Twenty-two Obsidians ad two guests left Eugene, destination Wallace, Idaho. We traveled I-5, I-205 and I-84 to Biggs, crossing the river for a picnic lunch on the grounds of the Mary Hill Museum. While we were in the museum a boy outside flying a kite hit a power line, which caught fire and ignited the grass. Relief came shortly as two volunteer firemen put out the blaze. After all that excitement we traveled on to Ritzville for the night.
Day 2. Traveling 1-90 to Spokane for a view of the falls, then east on Hwy. 53 to Rathdrum (Kentucky grass seed capital), then north on Hwy. 41 to Newport (Old Town), where Mary Lee and Margaret told of olden times there. While in Sandpoint we spent an hour shopping especially at Coldwater Creek. We had some marvelous views of Lake Pend Oreille. By this time we were all aware of the beautiful wildflowers in bloom. Our next stop was "Wolf People" in Cocolalla, which is an educational organization for wolves: They had three babies we were able to hold; I especially enjoyed seeing the pups. You might be surprised at who else was in there with the pups. At Farragut State Park we visited a military museum and found Ray’s picture among those who had spent their boot camp days there.
Day 3. We took the Lake Coeur d’Alene scenic route south to Harrison (a shipping port), St. Maries and Plummer, and had lunch at Heyburn State Park. This area had lots of logging, mining and railroad history. After lunch we took the White Pine Scenic Hwy. back to Coeur d’Alene, and dropped everyone off at the clock tower on the lake front for some browsing, hiking, museum looking, sitting on the beach, or walking the floating boardwalk.
Day 4. Our first stop was the Cataldo Mission (oldest standing building in Idaho). Then to Kellogg for a tour of the Crystal Gold Mine, and a picnic lunch before going into Wallace. We were met by our host for the next day and a half - Richard Shaffer. We toured the Sierra Silver Mine, the Wallace District Mining Museum, the Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum, and toured the town before returning to the motel. We had a reception before going to the Jameson Hotel & Saloon for dinner.
Day 5. Sunday we had a late start. We had a guided tour to Burke, Enaville, Prichard, Eagle, Maurray and the Sprag Pole Inn Museum - all the mining area north of Wallace. We lunched at the Snake Pit and watched "Dante’s Peak", a video filmed in Wallace.
Day 6. Heading west on I-90 to Lost Falls, we stopped to see the falls and Treaty Rock (petroglyphs, too). Then back past Spokane, Hwy. 2 to Wilber, and Hwy. 174 to Grand Coulee Dam. We lunched at the base of the spillway, then on to the visitor center and viewpoint for some wonderful pictures of the area. Leaving the dam we traveled on the east side of the coulee and Banks Lake to Dry Falls, then to Ephrata, Vantage (stopping at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest) and on to Ellensburg.
Day 7. We started our day checking out the college, then took the Old Canyon Road Hwy 821 to Yakima, where we found a fruit stand. Then on Hwy. 97 to Biggs, crossed the Columbia River and came into Oregon. First stop was Shaniko to tour around. Then to the Crooked River Gorge and Peter Skene Ogden State Park before getting on Hwy. 128 and heading for home. Last stop was Sahallie Falls, and we were back in Eugene before 6:00.
Riders were: Ethel Allen, Mabel Armstrong, Ewart Baldwin, Louise Behnke, John & Marian Borchardt, Glendora Burbank. Mary Lee Cheadle, Margaret Fea Jeanette Forsman, Bette Hack, Dora Harris, Dodie Leppmann, Cleora Mersdorf, Grace Miller, Joyce Mixer, Frances Newsom, Virginia Prouty, Bobbye Sorrels, Betty & Harvey Speck, Christy White and leaders Liz Reanier & Ray Jensen.
