Great Adventure - Part 17: Quiet Roads, Big Weather скачать в хорошем качестве

Great Adventure - Part 17: Quiet Roads, Big Weather

Part 17 takes us just 48 miles north of Spokane Valley to the Newport / Little Diamond Lake Thousand Trails campground, shared with a KOA — a place neither of us had ever explored before in this far northeastern corner of Washington. We settle in for a two-week stay, arriving August 6th, hoping for a quieter stretch after the repairs and travel of the previous episode. The short drive north brings its own tension, including a nerve-wracking low-clearance underpass that requires careful spotting to avoid a major backup and disconnect. Along the way, we see sobering evidence of a powerful windstorm that had swept through the region, leaving toppled trees and heavy damage — including a mobile home park hit especially hard. Our campground turns out to be enormous, with signs it was once even larger. Storm damage is everywhere: fallen trees, closed sections, and a clubhouse partially crushed by debris. Despite lacking sewer hookups, we enjoy our site’s privacy and wildlife — groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer — while adapting to campground showers, dish tubs, and occasional pump-outs. From our base camp, we explore the surrounding region. Day trips take us to Newport and across the Idaho border to Albeni Falls Dam, where we walk trails along the Pend Oreille River. We visit the Pend Oreille County Fair in Cusick, a small-town contrast to the big fairs we grew up with — complete with a sudden lightning storm, flooded tents, and fresh huckleberry ice cream once the rain clears. Back at the campground, memorable moments unfold: a group of cross-country motorcyclists weathering a torrential storm in soaked tents, and an unfortunate motorhome caught in a wrong-way trap designed to stop traffic — requiring a tow truck rescue in the middle of the night. More regional exploring follows, including trips north to Metaline Falls, Box Canyon Dam, Boundary Dam near the Canadian border, and Crawford State Park, where we descend into Gardner Cave and experience total darkness deep underground. Additional drives take us through Idaho and rural Washington towns, up mountain roads to ski country, and back through Deer Park and Spokane for family visits and supplies. Throughout it all, the background reality of home continues to loom — unresolved tenant issues, shifting plans, and the realization that we’ll need to remain in the Pacific Northwest for several more months before heading south. Still, Part 17 captures a slower, richer chapter of life on the road: adapting, exploring, meeting people, and learning that even quiet stops often come with stories worth remembering. Thank you for following Life on the Strait. Please consider subscribing (it’s free) to continue the adventure.