Loon Lake Drive 2009

June 23,2009

Wow Whee...what an awesome drive from San Diego this year!

We left Escondido on Friday, June 19th and had lunch in Vegas with our dear friends Joann and Lee Thomas and their son Chris and his girlfriend Christine. It was very tempting to want to stay and add a day to our trip! We met them for a great lunch at the Rainforest Cafe inside the MGM Grand where they were staying. We were back on the road at 4PM and made our way to Provo, Utah. The drive through the Gorge in AZ was simply breathtaking, I remembered it from a drive up the 15 a couple of years ago with Jo, but wow...

After spending the night in Provo, we continued our drive on the 15 to the 84 West to Boise, then North through McCall, Idaho. I am attaching pictures from our Holiday Inn Express Hunt Lodge. I wish everyone could experience this drive and stay over in McCall...it is simply paradise. The Payette lake and the Cascade Lake are on each side of this charming mountain town. The pines and the ski mountains would beckon any outdoor enthusiast. This stop reminded me of what my friend Jo Jo would love..pictures below!

(HELP Colleen, don't know how to get these pictures where I want them on my blog...perhaps a blog lesson is in order when you get up here. Oh yes, just moved them, but still need help!)

After a wonderful nights sleep, we woke and went to Mass at Our Lady of the Lake, again I will try and describe this church...all I could think of is how many would appreciate this little church, especially Lee! It is an A frame church, with huge windows facing the lakeside, the top of the window has a CROSS as the cross bars of the window. Everything inside, including the steep pitched roof is knotty pine. The back of the altar is rough granite and the steps up to and the floor are slate. The altar and ambo are made from trees, I mean actual tree trunks, very rustic and wonderful. The candle stands stand on a stump of burl wood..you will have to see it to appreciate it! Round windows all framed in polished knotty pine! The round stained glass window is of Our Lady sitting by a stream. The windows behind the altar remind of Resurrection Parish with the lush green of the mountain behind. The two HUGE benches on the back window for extra seating is made from logs that are cut in half and polished smooth, even the "legs" or stand it sits on are wood. It is my hope that if you ever have a chance to visit Mc Call, you will!

After Mass we continued our drive through many little towns, one in particular looks like a great place to go back to. We traveled the Little Salmon River which joined the Salmon River all of this on the b ackside of Hells Canyon! The river was ripping as the snow melt and the rain was falling during our drive. I only imagine the beautiful mountains which turn into rolling hills would be beautiful if the sun was shining. At Riggins Idaho is where the action seemed to be!! River Raft Rides offered everywhere..helicopter rides over Hells Canyon. All sorts of outdoor action, including what I am guessing by the many people lining the riverbanks, stellar salmon fishing!

Continuing our drive we saw the terrain change and we were in farm country. Dropping down into Lewiston/Clarkston we took a right turn in WA state and we were only a short drive from Shane...whoo hoo...Pullman WA here we come!

We saw Shane's apartment and met he and Kim for lunch where Shane will be working. Again, I am posting pictures of WA State University! We have many WSU Alumni in our family...so Shane and Kim will be joining a group of proud family members. This is the University where his grandfather Walt Devlin's Memorial Golf Tournament has helped raise money for golf scholarships. His Grandpa Gene played basketball for WSU, his Uncle Jerry's group The Terriers played here, just to mention a few.

This is Kim, Shane and Dan outside where he will work inside the Cub!!

Shane will be bartending and serving at a brand new restaurant that overlooks the football stadium at WSU. It is named after a cartoon that some WSU Alumni wrote...Doofus something..sorry, stupid attack! Anyway, I am posting pictures from our stop there...the food was excellent, including the Bloody Mary Bar for half price drinks, you will notice they also have $2 beers. It is a wonderful place to eat inside the CUB.

We left Pullman and continued to drive through wheat country, the Palouse! I remember this back in college days driving through the Palouse with my college roommate Denise on our way to Walla Walla and seeing the huge harvest moon over the golden wheat fields. This drive which was a little different route from others we've driven to Spokane and makes one appreciate the vastness and beauty of America...there is so much to see!

On into Spokane and then north to Loon Lake. The rain was a nice reprive from the heat of So. Cal, although after a couple days of bundling up and not seeing the sun, I was getting ready for a good dose of vitamin D! I am so NOT a morning person, however, I have been awake for the day at 5:45 for the past few days. Let me also tell you it stays light until well after 9PM at night, so last night when Dan and I were in bed, I told him I felt like a little kid who had to go to bed and could hear friends playing outside!

So here I am blogging at 6AM, but the sun is out and fog is lifting off the lake, this promises for a warmer 75 degree day today. Just heard 88 tomorrow, but then partly cloudy and cooling off for the weekend. I suppose the Hoop Fest participants will appreciate it...did you know that Hoopfest started in Spokane years ago? Just a little local tidbit!

Please note the tall Pine tree on the point in the picture to the right. Yesterday we watched a young juvenile Bald Eagle scoop down and catch a fish...his parent was posted high in the Pine tree above my nephew Chris' trailer in the pine. It was so amazing to see this beautiful sight!

We also noted a young family of Greebs with six babies!! They look similar to a loon and are so fun to hear and watch their antics. Of course they are easy prey for the majestic birds of Prey such as the Bald Eagle and Osprey that make their home here in the Northwest.

I will continue to keep you updated.

Love from Loon!

Terri