After a whole week of driving the truck around, we let Eagle spread his wings and fly. Out of the Little Diamond campground we turned right on US 2. We passed some wild turkeys but couldn’t get a picture.
North we followed SR 211, with the intention of riding around the Pend Oreille Reservoir. I like Washington’s state route signs. (By the way, yesterday I asked someone else how to say the name of that river. They said Pendorel. I’ve seen it spelled the French way—Pondorey—also, but I guess I’d go with Pend Orel.)
The road was nice to ride with enough long sweeping curves, and short up-and-down hills to be interesting. It was very scenic, winding along the Pend Oreille river valley between mountain peaks, and through the Coleville National Forest on the west side of the river and the Kaniksu National Forest on the east side.
The reservoir shimmered along with us, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other.
We were rounding this hill of rock when Duane pointed up and said ‘'Eagle!”. I glimpsed it before it soared over our heads.
I aimed the camera over my head and started shooting. I was amazed to get a pic.
Later Duane tweaked it closer. Awesome!
Besides the turkeys, the only other wildlife we saw were birds—some ducks on the river, an occasional raven, and a couple of these plastic great horned owls set on power poles to discourage nesting.
Outside Usk, we stopped for a break.
Inside was a little café and a nice informational display about the Kalispel people. A lady we talked to informed us that the reservation extended eastward (behind the visitors’ center) across the river. She said they were having a powwow this weekend and that we should go. She also said that their buffalo herd was located there also.
Back on the road we were joined by the railroad.
The reservoir was particularly beautiful.
At Ione (I own) we stopped for lunch in the only place with food.
We are sitting just inside the right hand window. In the back is booth seating and restrooms.
The rest of the bar is behind the left hand window. The burgers and fries were pretty good.
We crossed the bridge into Metaline Falls and rode around and around and up and down, but couldn’t find the road leading south along the eastern edge of the river. Giving that up we retraced our ride back to Ione.
There we found the Box Canyon dam which created the reservoir.
On the other side of the dam we discovered that it was created to open the canyon for safer travel and to generate electricity.
Other side of the dam where the reservoir ends.
Outside Ione we finally found the bridge to the east side and rode south on Le Clerc Rd. N. through the Kaniksu National Forest.
Once again the turkeys proved to be elusive. If you look very closely at the right of the sunny patch you can spot an eye.
Just outside Usk again, we spotted the powwow grounds,
and the buffalo herd.
Le Clerc Rd. cut across the Idaho border and finally ended at US 2 east of Newport and west of the Albeni Falls dam in Idaho. We turned west, went across the bridge into Newport, and Washington again, and home.
Our ride today totaled about 150 miles. Eagle thought it worth the wait. We did too.
Louise and Duane
1 comment:
Now that is a ride. Glad you found the Buffaloes.
We saw our first eagle in Washington while driving the motor home. They are so gogeous.
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