Stories and pictures from our trip west across Canada and home through the US on our Yamaha Venture



Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Day 23 Sandpoint, Idaho ...back in the US

8,004 km travelled:
This morning, after leaving Mike's beautiful acreage in Grand forks, we rode through a Doukhobor village. A short while later and just before crossing the border at Cascade near Grand Forks, we walked a portion of the Trans Canada Trail, where we enjoyed the majestic beauty of a very deep canyon slicing through the mountain rock with a dramatic waterfall.
We had a 50 minute wait at the border crossing into Washington State. I think that security has been tightened due to the upcoming anniversary of 9/11. Trunks of every car ahead of us were opened and checked.
Once again a beautiful day for our drive....through mountain passes and desert conditions again. The temperature was 30C around noon today.
We are staying in Sandpoint which is a resort town located on Lake Pend Oreille. Oreille is the first name of a French Canadian who discovered a waterfalls on the river that carries his name also. The waterfall area was turned into a damn many years later. David Thompson also spent time in this area exploring in the early 1800's.
We're thinking of all of the young ones starting school for the first time on Tuesday. We'll be watching for school buses on the road now. We're hoping to get back to Calgary for a brief visit and to see our two oldest grandkids.
regards to all,
Anne

Leaving Mike's beautiful acreage

Encountering deer

Riding into a historical Doukhobor village in the valley

Impressive rock

Hiking to find this dramatic waterfall 

--- with a very deep canyon cut through the rock mountainside

From its size and shape, likely a bear's footprint on the trail

Crossing into Washington 

Typical result of the many power or irrigation dams

Another lunch break - taking advantage of wifi at a visitor's centre

So many small towns have local museums - always interesting 









No comments:

Post a Comment