Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Pin Ball Wizards

I call this Pacific Northwest adventure the “pin ball trip” because we’ve gone up and down and over and across both Oregon and Washington all summer long.  After Grand Coulee, we drove north again to Rainbow Beach Resort, 50 miles due east as the crow flies from Lake Chelan and where we were last month.  This visit we spent time with Jim’s high school friends Pat and Cindy and Buddy and Nancy.  Rainbow Beach is on the Colville Indian Reservation, on the shores of Washington’s Twin Lakes near tiny Inchelium, WA.  The resort has homes, rental cabins, a grocery store, gasoline, boat launch -- everything you need for a vacation, including about 10 RV spots. Buddy and Nancy  have been coming here for over 30 years; Pat and Cindy for about 10.  Both have vacation homes at Rainbow Beach and we can see why.  It’s a beautiful place. And it was a great time.
If you if you accidentally leave your camera at Pat and Cindy’s, you’ll end up with a photo like this and wonder when you took it ... only to realize that you didn't.
Another photo courtesy of Pat and Cindy: their dog Eddie.
  And their dog, Ozzie.
About a month ago a sudden storm sent trees crashing and several homes were demolished.   Here the gang checks out one of the homes that was hit. Luckily no one was hurt and neither Buddy nor Pat’s homes was damaged. 
We took turns hosting dinner.  Here we have a great flank steak at Buddy and Nancy’s.   From left to right:  Nancy, Jim, Buddy, Pat and Cindy.
Jim and Buddy at Lake Ellen, where we took a car trip.
After a car trip, we had pizza in Kettle Falls, WA.  There’s a great bakery in Kettle Falls, too. Here the guys discuss something important.  
Pat took the ladies for a ride around the Twin Lakes in his fishing boat.  Earlier that day the guys went fishing and Jim caught (and released) an 18-inch trout.
Where’s Waldo.  Or in this case, find the American Eagle in this photo.  Both the guys and the gals saw it during boat trips with Pat. 
Our camping space at Rainbow Bridge Resort.
When we left Rainbow Bridge Resort, we took a ferry across Lake Roosevelt from Inchelium to Gifford,WA. It was the first time we'd had the rig on a ferry.   
After the ferry ride, Buddy and Nancy lead us part of the way toward Kennewick, WA -- our next stop and where Buddy and Nancy live. In this photo their car goes by Lake Roosevelt.
After we left Buddy and Nancy, our brake system indicated our tow car battery was losing power.  We stopped in Connell, WA, to check and sure enough, the battery was dead.  We called AAA and they jumped the battery.  The next day we got a new battery at the Honda dealer in Kennewick.  Here Jim waits for AAA at a good parking spot in Connell.  

2 comments:

  1. Wow, what great scenery, though pale when compared to Ohio. Honestly, how can the “Rainbow Beach” on the shores of Washington’s Twin Lakes possibly stand aside “Edgewater Beach” in downtown Cleveland? And yes, maybe the Columbia river has the Grand Coulee hydro electric Dam, but don’t forget on banks of the Sciota, proudly stands the City of Columbus trash burning power plant, I will arrange a visit there for you the next time that you visit us!

    I looked and looked in your picture for an American Eagle. I was not sure whether you were talking about a clothing store or perhaps a commuter jet. I never found either one, perhaps it was blocked out by that damn bald eagle. Speaking of wild life, what’s this catch and release stuff all about. Doesn’t Jim remember how tasty rainbow trout is? I do recall how Jim feels about man’s exploitation of the animal world, but really, if God didn’t want us to eat rainbow trout, why would he give us butter and lemon juice. I think that maybe Jim just wasn’t comfortable “killing” the fish. I can understand this and respect Jim for his sensitivity. Perhaps, the next time he lands an 18 inch rainbow trout, instead of releasing it, and to personally avoid killing it, he can just put it in an envelope and mail it to me. I’ll kill it when it gets here. There, now that’s how you compromise and get things done.

    I continue to marvel at the perpetual vacation that you are taking. I don’t know how it could get any better for you.

    I know you will be watching a lot of Canadian football the next few weeks, but don’t forget the Big Ten is starting the “real” football season this week, Go Bucks!

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