Passin' Thru

[tupelosue]

Hi Northwesterners!!!

I'll be passing thru your 'hood on the way to Minden next month. not a very direct route, i agree, but I wanted to take the scenic route, and will need to do a straight shot home (napa, ca) after the gathering.

Tentative plans, based on views, friends to visit, etc, include up the coast, cut over to jacksonville, Bend, up to Portland, out thru Hood River, up to Spokane, thru Montana via Helena and Big Timber, over to Crazy horse and
Rushmore, then dropping to Sidney to meet up with Doug, Gage and some others. Again, all very tentative, subject to change based on whim, fancy, price of gas, meeting a lumberjack, whatever...

Would appreciate any tips: camping spots, kayaking (not whitewater, tho), must-sees, or must-not-sees. If you'd like, PM me your contact info and if I can call on you for assistance or a visit (no promises if I'm running behind schedule, which is my personal MO)

I will be on the look-out for any of you heading to Minden, maybe travel along a little???

happy trails, sue

[bledsoe3]

Sue, let me know about when you'll be in the area. I'll send you a link to some nice campgrounds between here and Hood River.

Stop by and I'll let you cook me one of your famous mountain man breakfasts again.

[tupelosue]

Stop by and I'll let you cook me one of your famous mountain man breakfasts again.

[grant whipp]

Hi, Sue!

Since you'll be going right by there (more-or-less), a must-do for me when I'm in the area is always Stonehenge, just off Hwy 97 on the WA side of the Columbia River near Biggs Junction, OR. It sits on a bluff overlooking the river and is a full-scale replica of the famous Stonehenge in the UK as originally built, and is a war memorial for the WA veterans of WWI. Although you're not really supposed to, I like to camp right there on the grounds ... things get kind of interesting right 'round midnight on the weekends, especially on the nights of the full and new moons ... ... (weekend or not!)

The Maryhill Museum is just west of there a couple of miles, and is another can't-miss if you're there. There's a really nice campground just across the bridge on the WA side, I think it's called Peachtree (?), that I've heard good things about.

I've been up and down the Gorge on the OR side several times, but ever since I ran the WA side's two-lane, I prefer its slower pace (plus you can stop at the fireworks stands and load up for the 4th of July ... ...!).

Sounds like a great trip! Sure wish we were going to the ITG2 this year, but it's just not in the cards ... y'All have a great time, ya hear!

CHEERS!

Grant

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Sue,
I'm not sure where you're gonna cut across from the coast to head for Jacksonville, OR but...
Even if you're taking 199 towards Grant's Pass at Crescent City, I say head up 101 just a little further...
Just before you get to Brookings, OR you will cross over the Winchuck River. Take the next right and head 11 miles or so up river and check out Ludlum Campground. You can always backtrack just a tad if you gotta go back to 101, but you won't have to go all the way back to Crescent City... You can cut over to 199 on the NorthBank Rd. at Smith River's Dr. Fine Bridge.
Ludlum is a beatiful little find and you'll like Jill, the camp host.
Rates are the cheapest around, but it's first come first serve. If yaa go, have Jill show you the Ludlum House private campground... It would make for an awesome smaller gathering and yaa can't even think of beating the rates, but yaa gotta reserve it a year in advance.

[dahoon]

Sue,

The most beautifulist way to get across Washiongton State is to go on the North Cross Highway(Hwy 20).

From Spokane go north on Hwy 395/20, turn north at Kettle Falls leaving 395 and stay on Hwy 20. You'll want to spend time in Winthrop. (Be sure to have the camera ready) Then continue west on Hwy 20 to I-5. Turn left at Burlington and then you're southbound on I-5. You could continue west to Anacortess and take a ferry ride over to the pennisula and head south on Hwy 101.

It is a mountanous route there are 5 passes to cross. Sherman, Washington, and Liberty Bell are must sees. Plus there are several places to camp at along the way.

Or you could take I-90 to Seattle which is faster and much flatter(ie. boring).

If I can be more help let me know, I live in Burlington and have traveled that route several times.

Mike

[Mike B]

The most beautifulist way to get across Washiongton State is to go on the North Cross Highway(Hwy 20).

Exactly the way I get from Coeur d'Alene, ID to the 4th of July Teardrop Fun at Carnation.

I love that area. I-90 is extremely boring by comparison.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID

[tupelosue]

Okay, I'm set to leave "sometime" tomorrow (friday) ("sometime" is a relative term...)

Dean, my visit thru Jacksonville has been cancelled, so I'm definitely planning to check out the Ludlum campground. Looking forward to travelling up the Or. Coast, haven't been that way for over 20 years.

Grant, thanks for the tip about Stonehenge, Will definitely try to check it out. i saw the original one before they fenced it off and kept folks out. will be fun to see this one.

Mikes, not sure that I can do the North Cross highway 20, as I'll be heading east from spokane. will see if part of it works for me? I haven't actually looked at many maps yet...will do that up the road a bit...

[pgwilli]

Highway 20 should still have plenty of snow on the shoulders.
Here is what the DOT has to say...

NORTH CASCADE HWY
Elevation: 5477ft / 1669M

Temperature:N/A

Conditions & Weather:
The North Cascade Highway is open to traffic. The shoulders are narrow over most of the route so please drive carefully and stop only at the plowed pull outs. //

Updated: 12:55 PM, May 21, 2007
This is the most current info available
and is promptly updated when conditions change.

Highway 2 is pretty nice....

[tupelosue]

WHOA!! Snow?!?!?!?

Should I pack some chains as well as my kayak?

I've been running the AC down here in Nor Cal, I forgot that other places might still have SNOW!!!


thanks for the warning/heads up, Paul.

[Mike B]

WHOA!! Snow?!?!?!?

Should I pack some chains as well as my kayak?

I've been running the AC down here in Nor Cal, I forgot that other places might still have SNOW!!!

I went over White Pass in southern Washington last weekend on the way to and from the 9th Northwest Spring Fling. There was still enough snow at the ski slope there to ski halfway down. Needless to way, the water in the lakes and rivers around there is a bit on the cool side.

On the other hand, I spent three nights at Morton for the Spring Fling, and slept under two blankets. So it isn't that cold.

And it's supposed to get into the high 80's today here in North Idaho.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID