6th State: ID - Priest Lakes (Oct. 18, 2009)

SIXTH STATE PADDLED
October 18, 2009
Left Wenatchee, WA and passed through the mountains, across the amber waves of grain and finally arriving at the small little town of Waterville on top of the mesa East of the Columbia River Valley. 
I imagined that if I were to live closer to my younger grandchildren, this might be the place for me.  Away from the pollution of the valley. Very interesting little town.  Loved the brick work on this church.

Then leaving Eastern Washington State on Route 2 eastward through Coulee City (sure wanted to stop there and paddle).

Then on past Spokane, then north on Rt. 2 to Newport, WA and finally I crossed into the upper panhandle of Idaho.  A guy at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival had told me about a great paddle between Upper Priest Lake and Lower Priest Lake… a throughway of 2.5 miles one way. 
I then went north on Rt. 57 to the Lower Priest Lake.  Snow is chasing me.  I need to get my ID paddle in and head south.
There is no development along this waterway and no power boats allowed.  Pure wilderness.
 
Heading out from Lower Priest Lake, aiming toward that light spot on the shoreline… then north through the throughway.
Fantastic.


Up ahead a little ways was a loud noise, I thought (in my mind’s eye) it was a couple bear fighting in the water.  I didn’t know which way to go, retreat, rush ahead to get the shot, stand still (the current had different ideas.  Before I could sort out what to do, a moose family came walking through the tall grasses along the right shore… only about 20 foot from me.  By then I had managed to get my video camera out… and did get some good footage.  Now I just have to learn how to upload it here.


This is the opening at the north end of the throughway… that’s Upper Priest Lake. Well, that fellow at the Port Townsend Boat Show was certainly right about this being a great paddle.  But now I only have about two hours of daylight left and want to get back to the van and get loaded up and head out.

I have felt that snow was chasing me… so I needed to get this paddle in and head south.


Took me about 30 minutes to load up and as I headed down the road, it began to rain on me, or was that sleet?

Following Rt. 200 toward Missoula along the Clark Fork River, beautiful.
 
The Great Glacial Lake Missoula  ice rose four times higher than the Seattle 605ft Space Needle.  Ice was 3,500ft deep to the lake’s bedrock filling Lake Pend Oreille.  Only mountains with peaks taller than 4,500 foot would have been visible from the top of the glacier.


Heading toward Montana now to try to get that paddle in before snow catches me.  But some funny things seen along the way:


And not to forget the “dwellers”…

  Snow is chasing me.

Bellingham, WA to Wenatchee, WA

FIFTH STATE PADDLED (continued)
Sep. 16, 2009 – Oct. 17, 2009

Things are moving so slowly for me... and gas is so expensive... I realize now, I'm not going to make it to the East coast this year.  It would just be beyond my means to do so and then make it back to the Southwest in time for the Jan-Mar 2010 gathering.

So will be visiting my two sons and their families in Kirkland and Wenatchee, WA… and then head East to ID and Montana and do those paddles, then south to see my brothers, Jim and Dan in Vegas, and then on to the SW gatherings.  I’ll kayak where I can.

After visiting Dani in Bellingham, I headed to Kirkland, WA (East of Seattle) to see my son Richard, his wife Rhonda and their daughter, Tori.  We went to dinner on the Lake, great views.

 I used to be the “big” one! 

Lake Washington

Next day, Tori and I headed over (with her driving-my first time with a grandchild driving me someplace) to West Seattle where I used to live (in one of those houses)…

We were finding a lot of glass, but Tori wasn’t all that much into it and she didn’t feel well, so we cut the day short.

I had looked for glass in the Port Angeles and Port Townsend, WA areas… hunting for a beach known as Glass Beach… but found very little glass, so I was feeling “glass-deprived.” 

Held my breath while she drove us back through Seattle and through Pioneer Square, but we finally arrive safely back in Kirkland.

My desire to collect beach glass was not satisfied so Spankie and I headed back over to West Seattle (Alki Beach) the next day… and I found a bunch of glass.

 I searched that entire stretch of beach,
five hours (and 3 mo. later, my butt still hurts).

Also put the kayak into Elliott Bay and tried to paddle around Alki Point to where I lived between Lohman Park and Lincoln Park. 

The surf and current were pretty strong, so I had to turn around before reaching Alki Beach by kayak. 

I did land along the way… was greeted by a big fat raccoon on his on little private beach… and I found more glass.  Though short, it was a good paddle.

Went back to visit one of my old colleges, Lake Washington Technical College, in Kirkland and saw these twins there.

Leaving Kirkland, I headed up to Wenatchee to meet little Zoey and visit with her dad Chris, my other son, and wife Jenelle.

This was our first meeting… the very first time I saw her in person.  She was doing the “stranger-danger” thing, but warmed up to me in about 30 minutes.

She is a hoot… here she is feeding her chickens.  They lay eggs also… enough to meet all the family’s needs and she gathers the eggs.  Not bad for less then 2 years.

I gave her some of the heirlooms I’ve been toting around for years, this is my most treasured possession, a lovely music box with little treasures inside.

And, just so the “dwellers” aren’t left out… saw this rig a few times around town.  Couldn’t resist taking pictures.  Overkill?  Definitely “unstealthy.”

Columbia River, Wenatchee, WA

My visit there was lengthened as my son had to fly back east to be with his dad whom he just learned might have terminal cancer. (He did and passed on New Year’s Eve 2009.

Decided I just had to have another paddle so put in the Columbia River at Lincoln Rock State Park.

 
East side of Turtle Island

Paddled all the way around Turtle Island… about four hours.  Saw a deer family very close to me as I turned a corner.

Heard a coyote very close to me, but could not see him.  Saw Magpies, heard an eagle.  Very nice paddle.

Both in same color.

Dancing on Picnic table (Dad holding on).

Chris returned from his Dad’s and I finally got to spend more time with sweet little Zoey at Confluence Park on the Columbia River in Wenatchee.  Met some friends there too, the Holts from Kirkland, and we went to an agility dog show in that park and visited and tried to catch up.

This is a photo I took of us sitting at the top of a very tall slide.  She was afraid (so was I but don’t tell anyone) but trusted me enough to get in my lap and slide down with me.  Dad was at the bottom to catch us.  And she wanted to go again!  I mean it must have been 12-14’ tall?

It was time to move on. 

This was looking east from near the front of their home.  I think that cloud layer was making me sick.

My allergies were bothering me from their dog and also the pollution that settles in the Wenatchee Valley.  Once out of town and up on the mesa… you could see the inversion clouds in the valley below.

Bye-bye, Wenatchee, see you in 2010.

All total, about five paddles in WA state, now I’m on to ID.  Oh, but the most important thing, I learned Zoey will get a sibling in March, and me, my first grandson.  Nice!

5th State: WA - Port Angeles (Sept. 09 - 15, 2009

Gary’s Baby and behind that my SwankieWheels.  We are unloading our kayaks to have a smooth paddle on the bay.  I thought the rainbow was so appropriate.  Beautiful day.  Can it get any better than this?

SwankieWheels in Port Angeles, WA

 

Charlene taken by Gary “gg”.

Also taken by Gary.  This should be called “Glimmerglass Bay.” 

Quietly nestled between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains, Port Angeles is located in Clallam County on the North Olympic Peninsula of Washington State - U.S.A.

Incorporated in 1890 - the City has progressed into the 21st century while still holding onto steadfast traditions of hard work, family and community.

“Gary Gearloose” Lepak… the kayak builder.

Gary is a master-story-teller, and he was talking and I was listening, we didn’t notice Heidi and Mike on the shore hollering at us.  That’s their van.  We paddled over and met them.

The reflections on the water amazed me.  It’s as if the feather is laying on a mirror.  You can just see the tip of my paddle on the bottom of the picture.

Gary again.

That’s my kayak… have you ever seen anything so amazing?

I spent some time alone on the shore near the Coast Guard facility… and found these rock sculptures all over the place. 

And driftwood structures.  Fascinating.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, Mike took Heidi and I panning for gold in one of his secret spots.  I don’t know how Heidi managed to hide, but somehow I didn’t get her photo, again.  Maybe that’s why she is named “hide – ie?”

The following day, Gary and I paddled our kayaks around the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival.  This one was of particular interest… named “Boondock.”

Gary on one of his home-build kayaks.  That would kill my knees.  He is amazing.

Charlene’s and Gary’s kayaks side by side.

I thought is was very interesting how he had holes carved out for his toes.  The seat is also very interesting.

Gary and his kayak.

The next morning we walked up-hill to a really neat market/coffee shop for breakfast.  We walked a little farther to see this 1890 Bell Tower.  “For more than 50 years, the bell was used to call volunteer fire fighters to their posts.  It is the only known tower of its kind in the United States.  It was restored in 2003 by the Jefferson County Historical Society and the city of Port Townsend and remains an important reminder of our heritage.”

 
Interesting craft vendors.

This is the Yûko. It is the second of two Navigators built in Olympia, WA by Barrett. She built the first for her mother in Maine, where Grace sailed to great success. Everything was built solo by Barrett, with exception of the sails and the blocks. Barrett has neither formal boatbuilding nor woodworking training, learning both by example from age 6, when her father started building his own boat.

Nearly 200 hundred wooden vessels, from tall ships to small rowing and paddling boats, fill the Port of Port Townsend's Point Hudson marina for the annual Wooden Boat Festival. A fundraiser for year round educational programs, this annual event draws nearly 25000 people for the weekend and the marina is a year round destination for people with boats and who love boats from around the world.

A boat for twokniveskatie…

…and one for the ladies who like purple, Fat City, I think .

A vandwellers dream, a folding sink, but this one is porcelain.  On one of the historic ships, Lotus (Gruye).  I’ll add that info later.  This was on an Edwardian Houseboat Cruiser built in 1909… and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The next morning, the sunrise was so fabulous that Gary hopped out of his Scion “Baby,” barefooted, to photograph it.

And alas, it was time to say goodbye to Gary and head across the waters of Puget Sound to see my family.  Spankie waves goodbye.

Spankie is still not sure what he thinks about so much water… and hangs on fast.

SwankieWheels along Highway #11.

I’ve never seen such an astounding sunset.

… and it got even better.

After we crossed the Sound, I headed up Highway 20 north thru Coupeville and Oak Harbor where my husband was once a police officer.  Then along a narrow road of Highway #11 to Bellingham where I was to meet with his granddaughter, Dani.

And not to be outdone by the sunset, here comes some sort of “dwelling” on wheels.

And there he is.

And there he goes. (Boy it’s tricking being a photographer on wheels – steering wheels)

Finally got to Bellingham and met up with Dani.  She wanted her grandpa’s old flannel shirt.  Hard for me to part with that one as the most recent photo I had of him, he was wearing it.  I liked to cuddle wearing it.  But she was so sweet, I could not say no.  Dani, I hope you treasure it always and fine a lot of comfort in it.  Your grandpa was very proud of you.

It was painful to revisit places that Dave and I had been together at in 2001, especially Everett where he died.  I was surprised to find that it bothered me.  So now on down I5 and I405 to Kirkland, then on to Wenatchee.  I have granddaughters to visit (one that I have not yet seen).