CANADA MOTORCYCLE TRIP 2024 - PART 3

 

Riverside State Park

Dam at Riverside State Park

Bridge to Boulder Cr Road

We were on the road by 6:30 the next morning heading southeast on Hwy 3 thankful for dry pavement and no rain. This turned out to be my favorite day of the trip in terms of fun roads, ironically most of it in WA State.

After crossing the border we took a more easterly direction over to Oroville. This is where the fun began. The next three roads to the east were some of the best motorcycle roads I’ve ridden. Most of it in deep woods with a mix of many curves, hills and no traffic. Much of the route was along a stream as well. The first road was the Chesaw Rd, then the Toroda Creek Rd followed by the Boulder Creek Rd.

Another embarrassing incident for me: I had used geocaches as my waypoints to guide me on the route. I reviewed the map with Sam and he said he thought he could get to the cache I was using to guide me through these roads. I like to go faster than Sam on these types of roads so I got a ways ahead of him and couldn’t even see him due to all the curves. Toroda Creek road comes to a tee with Hwy 21 before jogging over to the Boulder Creek Rd. Instead of waiting at the intersection as I should have, I turned north on Hwy 21 and waited a half mile up the road where you had to turn right across an old one-lane bridge to the Boulder Creek Rd. After about a 20 minute wait I knew Sam had turned right on Hwy 21 instead of left and doubted I would ever see him again that day. I didn’t know what to do but proceed on the Boulder Creek Rd. Long story short, after reaching Hwy 395 and turning south I saw Sam waiting at an intersection about a mile or so down the road. I can’t tell you how relieved I was.

We continued down Hwy 395 until a little before Kettle Falls where we turned due south on Hwy 25 which bordered the east side of the Columbia River and was a beautiful ride we had done before. At the little town of Hunters we turned east on the Springfield-Hunters Rd which took us over to Springfield where we connected with Hwy 231 south. We continued on 231 past Ford picking up another geocache  and had lunch in Riverside State Park where Avista has an old dam separating the Spokane River from Long Lake. It was a beautiful shady park and a nice break for us.

At Reardon we took Hwy over to Espanola Rd where we picked up a cache in some shady woods and continued merging into Hwy 902 over to Cheney. We turned south on the Cheney-Plaza Rd and eventually took more country roads going through Malden and Pine City. We crossed Hwy 195 and took Hwy 271 and Hwy 27 which was a very familiar but pleasant motorcycle route for us. This was our longest day and we didn’t reach home until about 5:00 pm having traveled over 1100 miles for the trip. Another great trip in the books for old-timers. M/W

CANADA MOTORCYCLE TRIP 2024 - PART 2

 

We had anticipated rain this day because the forecast was pretty unequivocal that we would and it had rained that night. So we left Nakusp in full rain gear. However, for quite a while it seemed like we were just behind the rain as the road was wet and we were getting just a sprinkle. Shortly after leaving Vernon on Hwy 97 heading northwest it began to rain on us in earnest. That was the situation for most of the rest of the day. I didn’t do too badly except for my hands. The rain overgloves I had ordered arrived the day after I left. Sam has good rain gear and he was thoroughly enjoying the ride. He said it felt just like he was in a cocoon. To me the wet roads puts almost as much a damper on the ride as the actual rain.

Just south of Kamloops we turned south on Hwy 5A. We didn’t stop for any geocaches because it’s no fun in the rain. Thankfully, we arrived at our day’s destination in Princeton in early afternoon.

After getting settled in the motel Sam left for some refreshment in a nearby pub. My iPhone Geocaching app indicated there was a cache just 0.2 of a mile away so I thought I would try to find it. I got within 130’ of it on a road but it was up a steep now muddy hillside. The cache description said there was a road that would take you right to it but I wasn’t about to find it on foot.

Now for the really embarrassing part. The streets in Princeton are in squares with angled ones as well. I could not find the motel only 0.2 miles away. I finally called Sam and got the address as well as getting some help from some pedestrians. Eventually I made it back.

We found a BBQ restaurant and I had the best meal of the trip. It was a pulled pork sandwich but the meat was over a layer of slaw on the bun. Sam had some barbecued chicken legs that he said was delicious as well. We strolled back to the motel thankful that the forecast for our last day was rain free. Sam had left me the task of planning the route for the last day and I was somewhat nervous because I had chosen back roads that neither of us had ridden and it was going to be a lot of miles. I was up part of the night rechecking my route. (to be continued) M/W

CANADA MOTORCYCLE TRIP - 2024

AAAARG, Matey

Last summer my riding partner, Sam, and I made an eight day trip through British Columbia up to Stewart, B.C. and then over to Heider, Alaska. We enjoyed our Canadian experience so much that we decided to try it again although with a shorter three-day trip. Our original plan was to depart late July but the weather was exceedingly hot and partner, Sam, does not tolerate the heat well so we postponed. Sam saw what he thought was a good weather window so we rescheduled to depart Friday, August 23^rd.

We rolled from Sam’s house a little after 6:00 am and proceeded up Hwy 95 in Idaho. The weather was nice but cool, in the 50’s as we proceeded north. Our first stop was for a geocache south of Coeur d’ Alene called “AAAAG, Matey” (see photo). It was located tucked into the end of a guardrail. At Coeur d’ Alene we jogged west to Hwy 41 and headed north up through Rathdrum. Hwy 41 terminates on the WA line just south of Oldtown, ID. Instead of traveling up Hwy 20 in WA which is the main highway we crossed the Pend Oreille River and traveled a beautiful little paved road that ran along the east side of the river. Eventually the road veered east and took us along Sullivan Lake before turning back west and joining the main Hwy 31 just north of Metaline Falls. We crossed the border without incident and continued north on what was now Hwy 6. At Nelson we turned west on Hwy 3A over to South Slocan where we turned north on Hwy 6 (not connected to the other Hwy 6 we had been traveling). This was a beautiful (I may overuse this word) road and we picked up a couple of geocaches along the way. One was at a Rest Area that had been closed due to a forest fire. Although the cache had been disabled we found it anyway which had been spared from the fire because in was in a tree break about four feet off the ground. This route took us up to Nakusp where we had stayed on our previous trip but approached from the opposite direction. This is a beautiful postcard picture town located on the banks of the Columbia River which is so wide at this point it looks like a lake. We had a nice dinner in town and our motel was nothing fancy but nice enough.

Ferry at Farquier

As the motel had no breakfast we bought some things in the grocery store and had breakfast in the room. We rode south along the Columbia River to Faquier where we crossed on an open ferry. It was rigged with three cables on each end anchored to the bank and it would winch itself back and forth. It just operated on the half hour and we had a little wait. We were second in line and there were probably 15 or 20 vehicles on the ferry when we crossed. We had crossed this same ferry before in the opposite direction. We rode northwest of Hwy 6 up to Vernon which must have had ten red lights timed so you had to stop at each one. (to be continued) M/W

STAYCATING WITH BESS

So, do we call it late summer or early fall? Whatever, we’re having cool mornings and evenings and warm afternoons. Can you believe Labor Day is just a week away? Summer went by in a whirl.

Bess and I staycated at home while Mike and his motorcycle-riding buddy made a weekend trip to Canada. I loved it – Bess, not so much. She was at loose ends, wondering how long she would have to endure my clumsy care and when Mike would be back.

As longtime readers know, a good staycation commands a reward or two – for me, not for Bess.

“But I don’t need a thing,” I told myself; “not a thing!” I have too many books, too much fabric, and lots of leftover yarn. In short, I have enough, if not too much, stuff, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to have more. I’m disciplining myself to buy less, but I’m also not having much fun. 

“Well then,” advised that inner voice, “get out and buy something you don’t need. Do it!”

Naturally, since it was too late to order anything, this advice took me to JoAnn’s. I had already decided to embark on projects using Halloween fabric, and since those are among my favorites, I decided to call my stash an “add to” and get a little more. (See photo)

And while I was at JoAnn’s, I enjoyed a discussion with the associate cutting my fabric choices. We talked about how the personal stash gets out of hand. And we agreed that it costs as much to make a scrap project using leftovers as it does to start with a fresh idea. It’s best to just donate yarn and fabric from time to time and move on, we said. New fabric comes on the market all the time and with it, new inspiration.

We also agreed that it’s difficult to pull fabric and the ideas together. “What is this inertia that sets in and keeps us from doing what we know we want to do,” we wondered. We were still wondering as I walked away, but I felt validated.

It was a quiet staycation. Bess and I accomplished the morning walk, but she balked in the afternoons and wouldn’t go farther than across the street. I tried three times! I guess it just didn’t look right to her without her master.

Well, Mike’s home now, and all’s right with the world. He’s unpacked and the motorcycle is cleaned and put away. Now he’s off on his bicycle for a couple of hours. KW

CAR TROUBLE

Last Friday (Aug. 16), Mike and I set off in our VW-GTI, our town car, to run errands, and as we pulled into our first stop, we noticed an odor.

“What’s that smell?” I asked. “Oh no! It’s us,” I screeched as smoke began drifting from under the hood.

Mike endeavored to locate the problem as I thumbed through the owner’s manual. He completed the errand at this stop, and we drove to a gas station where he added water to the radiator. While the system indicated a warning, the car wasn’t overheating.

“Should we go home,” I asked.

“No, we’ll go on,” Mike said. “It’s all downhill from here.”

So, we rolled down Thain to Big 5. Once again, smoke rolled out from under the hood. I ran into the store and selected a new pair of shoes as quickly as I could (I really needed new shoes!) while Mike sat with the car and determined next steps. From Big 5, we coasted on down the hill to PDQ (mechanics specializing in imported vehicles), where they quickly found the problem. A little connector had failed and antifreeze was slowly dripping onto the manifold, which caused the smelly smoke. The part was ordered, and we were safe to drive home, though the GTI must sit patiently in the garage until next week when it has an appointment for the fix. KW

IDAHO FAMILIES FOR SENTENCING INTEGRITY

Taken August 10, 2024

Contrary to public opinion, not everyone in prison has committed a violent crime. Many incarcerated today are non-violent offenders who could better pay their debt to society through some other means. In fact, those inmates who have committed heinous crimes are in the minority. At least half of Idaho prison inmates are addicts and/or the mentally ill whose bad decisions have brought them into the system. Idaho incarcerates these unfortunate “low-end” offenders and calls this “treatment,” when in fact, no actual treatment is provided. These individuals are ill-equipped to handle the issues of prison. Believe me! I know this.

We are also aware that prison staff continues to place the vulnerable, non-violent, and/or older inmates with the delusional and violent. And medical treatment is negligible. It’s a system that ruins lives and impoverishes families, feeding into homelessness. Once released, offenders must follow rigid probation rules, and they are quickly drawn into circumstances which may land them back in prison without benefit of a hearing. (“Go to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.")

As we seek justice for our son Milo Warnock who died as the result of homicide at the Idaho State Correctional Center on December 10, 2023, The Warnock Family has joined the “Idaho Families for Sentencing Integrity,” which seeks for Idaho criminal justice reform. If interested, you can find the link here. As the name indicates, this is an Idaho organization, and the survey asks for your legislative district. Since Mike and I maintain an official address in Washington, we circumvented the question of legislative district with “Washington resident.” KW

HARVEST PHOTOS

Two combines work June's field. The one in front is clouded by dust.

It was a slow harvest this year. Usually two combines work quickly and finish our two homesteads in not much more than a day. 

This year, one combine broke down, and we understand the farmer had to travel to Portland for a part. So, one combine worked slowly, and harvest took 2 ½ days. They started Thursday afternoon (Aug. 8), and finished at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 

It was difficult to get good pictures. For one thing, this year they went back and forth across the fields instead of round and round, and somehow the operation just wasn’t positioned for good pictures. The process was slow and I would get tired of waiting. Or the sun was in the way, or the machines were too far away, or there was too much dust. The dust was horrible. 

After the fields were harvested, they disked a firebreak in the fields near the house, and we appreciate it. In case of a wildfire, I don’t know how much good the firebreak would do, but it certainly can’t hurt. 

On the neighbor’s place – to the north beyond the draw – the crop is spring wheat, and that has yet to be harvested. 

We now look forward to walking over the fields. We enjoy getting off road for a change of scenery. We have hills everywhere we look, but hiking Plank’s Pitch gets old.

Disking the firebreak

It’s strangely cool today. It’s 60 now (mid-morning), and we expect a high of around 70. It’s a dull day – no sun. Tomorrow we’ll go back to town to do town things, get my tooth fixed, and replenish perishables. KW

AND HERE THEY ARE!!

Central Ridge from on top of Plank's Pitch

The farmer is harvesting June’s field. They came by the western edge last night – two combines, but as of this writing, that’s as close as they’ve come. They are working over the rise and out of sight, but of course, that will change. They seem to be working quite slowly.

Not close -- but scary anyway

Fall is in the air. A coolish breeze wafts through the trees. The sun is dimmed by smoke and dust. It just feels like harvest, back to school, and football.

Thursday morning, Mike and I carried our picker pails and hooked pole to the black hawthorn tree at the bottom of the lane. Initially, Bess was interested, but when she noticed the pails, she returned to the house without so much as a “by your leave.” Nellie would have enjoyed exploring while we picked, but Bess doesn’t entertain herself.

Harvest begins

We picked a half gallon of haw berries. Back at the house, I cooked the berries for juice. Since making jelly with wild berries isn’t widely practiced, it’s difficult to find advice on how much water to add to the berries. One writer says the berries are juicy so add two to three cups to a half gallon of berries. Another says the berries are mostly seed, so add six cups. Initially, I worked up to four cups of water, which yielded less than two cups of juice. I recooked the pulp with two more cups of water and still barely reached two cups of juice. I think that berries differ from place to place depending upon variety and growing conditions. It’s dry here, so the berries are dry.

It’s also difficult to know how much pectin to use, if any at all. Haws have a lot of pectin, so maybe I shouldn’t add extra. Or, if I don’t add pectin and it doesn’t set up, it’s another dilemma. KW

Little Canyon 

 

UPDATE – JUSTICE FOR MILO

An editorial appeared in the Idaho Statesman (Boise) of Thursday, August 8, focused on the delay in charging Milo’s murderer. If interested, you can find it at this link: https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/editorials/article290854519.html. 

We thank the editorial staff of the Statesman for their support. KW

[You can copy and paste the above link in your browser, or you can try to click here. If all else fails, search "Milo Warnock," and the current article should be the first you see.]

HARVEST HAPPENING NOW IN FIELDS NEAR US

 

The photos here may well be the last I take before harvest. “Thank goodness!” I hear you saying. I’m sure the same old views were boring, but I had some fun showing the rapidly ripening fields.

Once again, Mike and I loaded the Jeep for the farm, and then he dropped me off at the dentist. A tooth had chipped from its filling. A temporary filling was applied, and I have opted for a crown to be installed next week.

“By the time I’m finished with this repair and have my cleaning next month, I will have been here eight times since the beginning of the year,” I told my dentist.

“What is your stress level again,” he asked, knowing we have ongoing issues relating to Milo’s wrongful death. I responded that I had had the same thought. And then he said, “At least you’re nice about it.” I guess he didn’t see last week’s rant. Perhaps that’s for the best.

Anyway, Mike shopped Winco while I was at the dentist, and then we drove on to the farm. Hwy 12 is open now, but I believe some mop up is still going on. The Gwen Fire burned some 28,000 acres on both sides of the Clearwater from Arrow Bridge to at least Cherry Lane.

Arriving at Gilbert, we saw combines and farm equipment parked at the grain bins. It appears that only a few fields have been harvested, and we hope they will harvest here during this stay.

I opined that perhaps we wouldn’t have more excessive heat after that brief cool spell. However, it came back with a vengeance last Friday. And even yesterday (Aug. 5) was a 100+ day in the Valley. Looking at the forecast, though, it appears that temps will be more seasonable now. Today at Gilbert, it’s 86 with wind at 11 mph. It’s 82 in the house and feels stuffy. 

My zucchini is producing nicely – better than I usually get. This variety is “Burpee’s Best Hybrid.” According to the package, it brings an earlier harvest, out of this world yields, and exceptional vigor. It’s supposed to be your go-to zuke for rich, buttery flavor and refined texture. Yeah – it’s been pretty good and fairly drought-tolerant. It appears that the fruits don't grow large.

The first tomatoes to set on are turning orange. They won’t be ready for several days.

As we ate lunch, a hummer stopped by the feeder, so I filled both of them. And Mike filled the wasp traps. KW

CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS

Christmas in July is over, but Summerween is in full swing. JoAnn has announced that all Halloween décor is now 40% off, so hurry in. Or, if you prefer to pay even less, Dollar Tree has some interesting Halloween items.

For years, my mother worked during the autumn months to make a Christmas ornament for every man, woman, and child who would attend Thanksgiving dinner at her house. She made boutique and felt ornaments from kits and crocheted snowflakes and coverings for Styrofoam balls. Mother worked quickly and the results were always beautiful. (By contrast, I work slowly and nothing is ever right.) She loved making these ornaments, and I know she thought of her handwork as her legacy. She imagined that we would all eventually have old-fashioned Christmas trees just like hers.

Well, it didn’t happen for me. First, we opted for an artificial tree. Then we downsized, and while we had no room for a tree in the town house, we had some nice country Christmases at the farmhouse with a smallish artificial tree. Then cold snaps began to come early and we had to winterize the house before the holidays. (During the excessive heat of summer, it’s hard to imagine that the excessive cold of winter.) I finally declared that going treeless at the town house was unacceptable and made it work with a slim “pencil” tree, but I certainly can’t use many ornaments. And besides, like everyone else, I have individualized my tree according to my own interests, including a few keepsakes.

My take-away is that we can’t dictate our children’s customs and we shouldn’t try. Life changes. As time went on, Mother’s ornaments, including those she made and shared, began to come my way. Mother passed on; a sister downsized; a sister passed on, and each time, more ornaments showed up on my doorstep. As the youngest child, I knew a lot about Mother’s ornaments – where they came from, why she bought or made them, etc. The vintage ornaments mean a lot to me, but on the other hand, the time has come to say, “I enjoyed this; now it’s your turn.”

So, during the hot “Christmas in July” days, I sorted my collection of tree ornaments. I was overwhelmed until I realized I didn’t have to part with any that still speak to me. As it is, I’m handing over two large ornament storage bins to a family member who will share them with her grandchildren. Mother would be pleased. KW

[The photo is of the Christmas tree at the family home some year in the early '70s. The year doesn't really matter. The tree looked much the same every year.]