It was fantastic having El Jefe on our journey with us, and as soon as he got out of the car, we started missing him. But it was nice to get back to just us.
Of course, Earl probably begged to differ. Headed out of Seattle, I saw Mount Ranier towering over the landscape. “Ooh! Where is it? Can we detour?” I started asking, getting her to Google and pull out maps while I drove.
“I don’t want to. Let’s just get to Spokane,” she said.
Ah, the voice of reason, my child.
Seattle to Spokane is a beautiful drive through the Cascades and into the flatter lands of Eastern Washington. I had a rough idea that we’d stop in Ellensburg, WA, for lunch, but I was clueless about other potential stops along the way. Roadside America to the rescue!
“Ooh! Let’s stop at Dick and Jane’s Spot!”
“Is that a restaurant?”
“No, but it looks SO cool!”
Done.
Yet again, my child hits it out of the park.
Dick and Jane’s Spot is the home of mixed media artist Jane Orleman and her late husband, Dick Elliott. And, man, is there a lot to see from the curb!
The energy around the place is great and open and playful, and Earl and I walked the sidewalk for nearly 15 minutes, just looking, until our tummies started rumbling.
Neat neighborhood to the rescue: There was an old converted church the next block over!
The Yellow Church Cafe is a yummy treat serving up inspiration and delicious food.
That’s their Holy Moly Chicken Sandwich with a side of Clam Chowder.
I swear it sounded good at the time, although in retrospect, I don’t know what possessed me to order a BBQ chicken sandwich and clam chowder together.
Can I claim I was still tired? Do I need to if it was totally tasty?
Further down the freeway, I saw a brown parks sign for the Ginkgo Petrified Forest just before we crossed the Columbia River.
I’d have loved to have seen the in situ petrified wood, but a hike was involved and it was hot. And we were both wearing flip flops. And it’s rattlesnake season.
If they have to post Rattlesnake Rules right smack by the front desk, then NOPE. I will go back to my car and pray one of the slithering demons hasn’t crawled up into my engine as I peal out of the parking lot.
But the Columbia River was amazing. I’ve seen lots of video of the Columbia while working on a documentary a few years back, but oh my, I was not prepared. And all I really saw was one crossing.
Overlooking the Columbia is the Wild Horses Monument. Earl is a big horse lover, and the path up to the monument looked very clear and walkable, but we were both still skeeved over the rattlesnake warnings everywhere we looked. So I snapped pictures from the safety of the car at the base of the hill.
“Hey, Mama, ask me where I’m from.”
“Hey, Earl, where are you from?”
“George, Washington.”
Yep, it’s a real place. And, yes, there is a Wild Cherry St. in George, Washington. And a Bing St. Heh.
That’s how we killed the rest of the drive to Spokane—bad George, Washington puns and jokes.
Spokane is a neat little town, at least what we saw of it down around River Park. Before checking in for the night, we kicked around in the mall for a bit.
Get it? Kicked around? She’s in a shoe!
Next up: Idaho. I sure hope we’re out of our funny mood before then.
Bruce says
In Coeur d’Alene you need to go to Hudsons Hamburgers. Steve or Todd Hudson are the purveyors. Been there in their family since 1908.
Safe travels
Harvey says
I wish we’d have known sooner! This is what I get for getting so far behind on blogging—we miss great suggestions!
Paula says
Sounds like you needed some rattlesnake leggings.
Harvey says
We certainly needed more than flip flops and shorts! 😉