Spokane

We knocked around Spokane for a couple of days which in the end we discovered was not long enough. But, we were anxious to get to Seattle to resolve our passport situation so we may have to go back someday and see a bit more of what the city has to offer.

We started at the Riverfront Park downtown which used to be an old railroad yard but in 1974 was converted to a beautiful park to host the World’s Fair. It is still a focal point in the city with an amusement park, an IMAX theatre and a gondola ride over the falls. It even has a bit of roadside americana as the playground houses the largest Radio Flyer wagon ever built. The Dudes had a good time with that. Ducks and geese also enjoy the park as there is always somebody around to feed them including the Lil’ Dude.

The park is bisected by the Centennial Trail. It is a very popular hike and bike trail that starts at the Idaho border, runs through downtown and ends at the Riverside State Park north of the city. It is completely paved and has a total length is 37 miles. That sounded like a very fun bike ride and is on our list for next time.

We stopped by the Bowl and Pitcher Park for a look at the strange basaltic rock formations along the rivers edge and yet another swinging bridge.

City planners had consulted the Olmstead Brothers (designers of New York’s Central Park) so the city has an extensive park system most of which we will have to explore next time around.

As we headed to Seattle, the habitat became even more arid and we came across the Ginko Petrified State Park. There are apparently over 200 hundred species of trees including the now extinct Ginko tree that became petrified after being covered in lava flows. We viewed the amazing scenery from across the Columbia river and again it was one more thing to put on our next time around list.

Our quick drive across Washington was a bit of a tease as we got a peek at many more things we would love to see and do…next time!

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” Ralph Waldo Emerson