Red Lion Yakima Center

... so I'll have to get over it.

Last night we hit up the local Elkhorn Tavern in Weippe with Shaner and his parents. We played free pool and drank endless amounts of beer and clam. Shoot Dang it was fun. Eventually we went home after ringing up a $70 tab in 2 dollar beers. FAIL. Then we went home and conintued to poison ourselves around the kitchen table to ...

to the tune of "Leaving on Jet Plane" -My bags aren't packed, not ready to go. I'm sitting here, inside my room, not ready to face the mount-ain of laundry!

Bill and I both feel we're coming down with something which could kill out trip. Hope not. I can't wait to see the family, my sister-in-law's new place, and the greater Atlanta area ...

We planned to take care of some coach maintenance on the way out of Seattle. This seemed easier than moving the coach multiple times. Jim had noticed some excessive tire wear on the front tires, so our first stop was Foster's Frame and Axle for a front end alignment. They found the problem – too much toe-in. We also got a chassis and steering lubrication while we were there. While the work was ...

... sure you bring someone you really like otherwise you will leave them on the side of the road...and even if you really like them bring things to do in the car....like scrapbooking....yes....it IS a car activity for Carolynn and I!

I hope that you're all doing well....we're headed for Seattle tomorrow...only 2 hours away!!! Write more from there!


Sorry about the lack of pictures....we forgot/packed away the camera cords....oops!

After leaving Richland we decided to dawdle a bit and pick up fruit along the way for our next few days in Leavenworth. The heart of the Yakima Valley is known for it's fruit, so we stopped in the small town of Prosser where we bought two quarts of fresh-picked blueberries for $5 from the back of a farmer's pickup, then crossed the street to the Chukar Cherry plant and ...

... to meet Bill and it was special for him to connect with the few remaining family members. Then ... back to Seattle, over the gorgeous Cascade mountains that form the climatic dividing line between Western Washington and Eastern. It was a wonderful drive and back in Seattle, we tucked into a delightful B&B in Queen Anne - the area B went to school in. Bill was set loose as driver, and managed to forget where everything he grew up with was located.

... surrounding valley and while each little town seems to run into the next, the residents of each have very particular pride and opinions about their own community. Zillah appeared to be the much more affluent section of the Yakima Valley. In contrast to Toppenish's Indian Reservation, Western appeal, and central location of downtown ...

... rolling grassland and wheat fields and occasional pastures where fat beef cattle or sheep graze. Around Onida and Agar and Shelby. I frequently saw more pheasants. These had a white ring around their necks , and green heads. I cruised across the lonely landscape, radio tuned to a disc jockey. Country music dominates radio all across rural America. Out here in the vast spaces AM reception is good, and it's almost all country. At a tavern in the little ...

... spokespeople to focus on the wrong issues. In my view it matters very little whether we "save the whale" etc. What we had better be concerned about is "saving mankind." We can foul our air and water, set loose chemicals and radio-activity, abuse our environment to the point where no human remains alive. Of course that would follow on the heels of many years of suffering from environmentally related illnesses. What then? Not much. And who will complain?

... Submerged materials block the discharge stream out of the lake so that the lake surface is now 600 feet higher than it was before the blast. Eventually, if not remedied, this unstable dam will give way, causing additional catastrophic losses downstream. The Army Corp of Engineers is trying to drill openings to allow the pent up waters to drain slowly. Then they can proceed to remove the blockage ...