The rain and 39° temperatures in Lake Wallowa didn’t stop Mike from doing a quick 4 miles yesterday morning! It was by far the coldest day in our 14 days on the road, but thankfully it cleared up for our drive to Coeur d’Alene via Colton, WA.
We’ve seen some spectacular beauty on our trip, landscapes that would take your breath away. The Palouse area in eastern Washington, just over the Idaho state line, has a different impact on me altogether. The rolling hills, so green that it looks fake, grain gently blowing in the gentle breeze, appears as if waves are moving across the hillside. This sight slows my breathing, gives me a wonderful sense of calm. I’ve been looking forward to another visit with our friends Kay & Ty Meyer at their home on the Palouse since I first set eyes on this shimmering landscape. Read about the transformation of this very special place that has been in the Meyer family since 1901: Red Barn Farms.
After our way-too-short visit with Kay, we continued up to the Idaho “panhandle” to the beautiful city of Coeur d’Alene. According to Wikipedia: The city is named after the Coeur d’Alene People, a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans who lived along the rivers and lakes of the region, in a territory of 3.5 million acres extending into Washington and Montana. They were first encountered by French fur traders in the late 18th and early 19th century, who referred to them as Cœur d’Alène, meaning “heart of an awl,” reflecting their experience of the tribal traders as tough businessmen, “sharp-hearted” or “shrewd”.
We’re staying at the historical Blackwell Hotel rather than the Coeur d’Alene resort on the lake. Built in 1904, it is charming, and we’re delighted with our choice! We did have dinner at Beverly’s at the resort: delicious! AND they had gluten-free rolls.
Once again we agree that we’d come back for at least 4-5 days rather than just the one night that we’ll be here as we wind down our 17-day adventure. After a hike by the lake we’ll visit Domanico Cellars in Prosser, WA, stay for a night at a B&B nearby, and head to western Washington tomorrow morning.
Souper Power 