Date: 26 July 2001 (Thursday)

Start: Shady Heights RV Park, Pasco WA

End: Edgewater Beach Resort (Best Western), Sandpoint ID (221 miles)

The temperature was nearly 70f when we got up in Pasco, not a cloud. TV later said it got to 91 in Pasco, but we were long gone.

We ate and left on I-82 then US-395 to the connection with I-90. We passed through Spokane and then went north on US-95 to Sandpoint, ID. It was a comfortable drive, and never got above 82. Leaving Pasco, we had the usual desert except where irrigation took place. About 20 miles out of Pasco, it’s just desert. The only growing thing seen is sagebrush. After joining I-90, nearing Spokane, you start to see pines again. Above Coure D’Alene the pines get thicker and the other trees, like willows, show up.

US-95 approaching Sandpoint is a busy two-lane highway with frequent passing lanes. It carries a lot of traffic, some of which seems to be people coming here to enjoy the lake.

We stopped at the Best Western motel, in town, right next to the city beach on Lake Pend O’Reille, a big, beautiful lake. We checked in and parked in their small campground (we found it in Woodall’s). We realized the campground is next to a train track, but we had no appreciation for how many trains there might be.

To quote from a local brochure, "Burlington Northern Sante Fe runs up to 40 trains a day on their track from Seattle into Montana and Canada. Sandpoint is considered a Train Funnel with more than 15 different rail lines running through it, including Burlington Northern Sante Fe, Union Pacific, Montana Rail Link, and Amtrak." It looks like our sleep might be interrupted tonight. We’ve seen, heard, and felt, quite a few trains this afternoon.

We walked into the downtown area and examined the place. We found antique stores, restaurants, lounges, gift stores, and the usual Hallmark and Radio Shack. In addition, we found the first store of the Coldwater Creek chain of northern wear and accessories.

On the main street along the creek, there was a Scandinavian store that sold us a few items. The bookstore did all right, too. We needed film and got that. We had lunch on the deck overlooking the creek at a place called "Spuds"; it was quite good. Then we hiked back to the campground.

In crossing the creek we noticed a bunch of teenagers using a rope dropped from a tree to launch themselves out over the creek and then drop into the water. Someone had brought up a boat to the place and kids were hanging all over it as they watched the others enter the water. Then they’d swim ashore, get in line, and do it again. They were having a lot of fun.

Then we took the truck for a little ride. We found the other stores a town of this size will have (hardware, auto parts, Wal-Mart). But, we encountered a lot of rush-hour traffic combined with crazy tourist turns and tired of fighting it. So, we stopped at the Safeway and bought some groceries we needed. Then we returned to the little house almost under the train track.

Dolores took the video camera out to photograph flowers around the campground and the beach park. The city’s beach park is a very nice area on the lake. The sandy beach is on shallow water, so the water warms up early in the year. It’s well used; all the parking spaces were filled this afternoon.

Now we’re in the trailer for relaxation, the news on TV, and a late, light, dinner. Then maybe a walk around the park after most of the crowd leaves, and an early bedtime.