Postcards from Chelan: Road Trip Day 3

At the beginning of our third day I discovered a beautiful creek while walking the dogs along the lake shore. On our daily road trip we headed down the Columbia River to explore new territory. It was so pleasant to have sunshine again! The Columbia reminded me of my years living in the Tri-Cities further south. JEJ kept talking about a tunnel that he remembered, but the tunnel was never found. As we drew closer to Chelan coming back on a different route we found the tunnel he had remembered. It does look like it was just drilled through a mountain of rock. I guess it was!

It seemed like a long ride,and it was nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Annie kept watch to make sure we were heading back to the campground so she could watch her new best friends the squirrels. Shelby was worn out and used Annie as a pillow.

When we arrived back to the campground the evening was mild enough to have our first campfire of the year. Too cold to eat outside, but nice for a little down time after our road trip.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: Poem #1

"Inaugurated by the Academy in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.Inaugurated by the Academy in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events." To learn more about National Poetry Month and a whole lot of other valuable information about poetry go to www.poets.org .

Today begins National Poetry Month. As I did last year, I will be posting a poem a day to celebrate the art and beauty of poetry. You can view thirty diverse poems in my April 2007 archives. I will introduce thirty new ones this year.

Today, as I continue to enjoy the quiet surrounding of Lake Chelan in central Washington state, this poem was very appropriate.

Lake Chelan

They call it regional, this relevance-

the deepest place we have: in this pool forms

the model of our land, a lonely one,

responsive to the wind. Everything we own

has brought us here: from here we speak.

The sun stalks among these peaks to sight

the lake down aisles, long like a gun;

a ferryboat, lost by a century, toots

for trappers, the pelt of the mountains

rinsed in the sun and that sound.

Suppose a person far off to whom this lake

occurs: told a problem, he might hear a word

so dark he drowns an instant, and stands dumb

for the centuries of his country and the suave

hills beyond the stranger’s sight.

Is this man dumb,

then, for whom Chelan lives

in the wilderness? On the street you’ve seen

someone like a trapper’s child pause,

and fill his eyes with some irrelevant flood-

a tide stops him, delayed in his job.

Permissive as a beach, he turns inland,

harks like a fire, glances through the dark

like an animal drinking, and arrives along that line

a lake has found far back in the hills

where what comes finds a brim gravity exactly requires.

William Stafford 1914-1993

Postcards from Chelan: Road Trip Day 2

Today we awoke to sunshine and the sound of squirrels chattering. It was a bit chilly, but I was still out with the camera catching some photo images in the early morning light. We then drove up the west side of Lake Chelan and enjoyed views of the Cascade Mountains Lake Chelan is a remnant of the Ice Ages. Scoured out of the mountains by glaciers, it is one of the deepest lake in the region, more than 1500 feet deep in at least one place. It is 55 miles long, but quite narrow. We also located places that JEJ remembered from his childhood living in Chelan. He pointed out the Chelan Butte above as he explained how he broke his ankle. He and a friend were trying to get to a groundhog and had to move a big rock. He tripped on some sagebrush and broke his ankle. Just seeing the butte brought it all back. Of course we viewed this from the parking lot of the new WalMart that wasn't there back in the day.
The last part of our road trip today was on the north shore to Manson. The road was lined with orchards and vineyards. We could tell in a few months all this area would be fragrant with fruit blossoms and the grape vines would be growing their leaves back. After taking the dogs for a long run along the lake we were ready for a quiet evening. It was a good day.

Snow,Wind, Lake Chelan, and Wireless

We had quite a day on the first leg of the road trip! We traveled first over Sherman Pass and found the roads to still be snowy and icy. Shelby and Annie were keeping a close eye on JEJ as he cleaned the snow and ice off the truck.As soon as we headed west toward Tonasket the landscape changed. There was snow on some mountains, but the rest of the drive was sunny with some wind. When we arrived at Lake Chelan State Park I was able to snap a few pictures before I had to charge the batteries. When I went to download pictures on the computer I discovered we had access to wireless at a campground fifteen miles north of the town of Chelan. Too early in the season to get water to our tent trailer, but we have wireless.You have to pay a small fee, but it is hard to imagine resting on a bench taking in a breathtaking view as the sky reflects on Lake Chelan and be able to connect with anyone in the world. Stay tuned for more adventures from our road trip.

All Our Tubs and Baskets Are Packed... We're Ready to Go

We are not leaving on a jet plane, but in a pickup with a tent trailer attached. We are off to tour campgrounds in the area of Washington state around Lake Chelan.

I think if we get stranded in the snow we have enough rations to get us through two or three weeks. I never understood the concept of traveling light!

Stay tuned for Spring Break travel updates. ...I do have a list of WIFI hotspots!

Snow Creates A Change In Plans

Our spring break plans changed this morning when we awoke to find five inches of snow.

Not only did we have the snow, but the area along the border of Oregon and Washington also had bad weather alerts. We stayed home.
Once again it looks like all these items around the yard are wearing little snowy hats.
For once I was already to go. The truck and tent trailer were organized and ready to depart this morning. BOOOOOO HOOOOOO!
Now tomorrow we are heading to Lake Chelan which is closer and more in the central part of the state. JEJ lived in this area years ago and hasn't been back for awhile so now I have a whole new plan and look forward to spending time on the Columbia River closer to home.

We will be camping on the left side of this lake tomorrow night..... I hope!!!