Spokane, Washington

 Rivierfront Park, Spokane, Wa.

 Childhood Home on Sharp & A st.

 Doyles Ice Cream soda Fountian

 Spokane River Falls

Spokane Court House

We have spent the last few days in Spokane.  We drove out to the farming community of Elk, Wa.( an unincorporated town), first to see the farm house where John and Cheryl spent some time during the summers when they were kids.  Much has changed around there and the farm house is in really poor shape.  We had dinner downtown at the Olive Garden and walked through the park.  The carosel was closed and also the ride across the falls.  We saw this big Radio Flyer Wagon and kids had fun climbing all over it.  Drove through their old neighborhood-saw Home school, house which someone added another house on the lot and changed the looks of the house completely.  Memorys are best!  We drove by the Courthouse and the brick buildings downtown which were beautiful.  Left and spent night in Hood River with Denny and Mary.  We BBQ'd dinner and than had a small fire and dessert at their camp spot.  It was a short visit but we are headed home and have a few more people to see along the way. JVP

Canada Trip

 Blue Lake Campground

 Bob and Laurel

 Sullivan Mine Tour

Buck resting in the shade.

July 18th.  On Wed we drove to Kimberly, Canada with Bob & Laurel.  We had a beautiful drive and no problems with border crossing.  We drove straight to the mine to find out when the next train ride was and since we just missed it we had lunch in a Mexican Resturant in Canada.  Go figure.  John didn't care for it but I thought it was different than usual and Ok.  Got back to get on the train and take a 2 hour tour of the largest silver and lead mine in the country that lasted for 100 years.  The ride was bumpy and cool once we got in the mine.  They really showed you how they used the tools, dynimite, trains and the compressor house to do the mining.  We saw this big buck laying beside the pump house staying cool.  Drove back home and had leftovers at Lauels.  Took Cheryl for a ride around the property-things are slowly changing and next time we come there should be a big pond for watering, probably some hair sheep (they don't have wool and better to eat).  Friday we went to see Harry & Marge's house (friends of Bob & Laurel and we helped pack last year in Washington to move back here) we had Pizza (different than back home) and played a game of hand & foot.  Mattie got to go and had fun playing with their Zoe, a silky terrier.  Friday we had breakfast with them at the Casino overlooking the Kootney River.  Packed up and left for Spokane.  We are looking forward to a quiet campground with no TRAINS.  Don't know if we will stay here again as it has gotten so noisy. JVP

Idaho

   July 15th  Arrived at Blue Lake Campground here in Naples, Idaho.  Bob & Laurel came over later in the afternoon.  We went to Mexican food for dinner in Sandpoint, about 20 miles down the road & it was very good.  Monday, John went with Bob & Gary to the planning department as they are going to get water from the creek, store it in a huge pond and use it for irrigation for a big garden and make a pasture for some sheep.  Us girls went to lunch and shopping in town.  Later that evening we had BBQ'd ribs, corn and those of you that know Laurel fixed all kinds of extras.  Gary & Rena (their son), Jeremiah (grandson & family), Kenny (son), Crystal (daughter)  good friends that we helped move last year from Tacoma area to here all came for dinner. Mattie hasn't found anybody to play with yet.  There are more trains coming by the campground this year so trying to get use to that while trying to sleep. Weather is great in the 80"s and not so cold in the evening. JVP

Last Day in Yellowstone Park

 Old Faithful

                                        

Sat  July 13th We left this morning and drove to Jellystone Park here in Missoula, Montana.  We were lucky to find a campground today as something is going on around here.  We had a beautiful drive along a huge lake and canyon.  Yesterday we packed a lunch and drove around more in the West end of the park.  Didn't see too many animals today but we are in the end of the park where there are beautiful pools of hot water, geysers and we made it just in time to see Old Faithful go off without waiting for an hour.  Weather was a little windy but the coolness was enjoyed by us.  Zilphia fixed us all stroganoff dinner and I fixed us a vegetable.  We played a game of golf until dark. JVP

Yellowstone

                                             Lower Falls

                                             Grazing Buffalo (Bison)

                                              Dragon's Mouth

July 10  We arrived here in West Yellowstone at Grizzly Bear RV Park.  It is a huge park with over 400 spaces and each spot has grass, picnic table and space between spots.  Jim & Zilphia arrived late after driving 400 miles from their son's home.  Julie did good with her surgery and is home now.  I had dinner ready for the Gibson's when they arrived.  They also found that a spring hanger on the trailer was broken and so he found a place here to get it welded.  We shopped around town a little and had lunch since we are waiting for trailer to be done.  In the evening we went to the local playhouse and saw Fiddler on the roof.  It was a great play and the young actor's did a great job.  Tonight they do another play and the next night a different one again.  I can't imagine learning all those lines for 3 different plays.  Today we drove around the National park on one of the loops and were gone most of the day.  We saw a lot of Buffalo, elk and a deer.  Had a late lunch in the lodge.  We did quite a bit of walking today and steps so tired tonight.  Got home and it is showering so guess we will eat inside tonight. Tomorrow we go exploring again. JVP

MOVING ON

                                              God Sky

                                            

JULY 9th  We spent the morning at the Gibson's place in Emmett, Idaho.  Mark & Julie left for the hospital early as it was surgery time.  We had a beautiful morning and the sky was just beautiful-like Julie said a God Sky.  We slowly got ready to go and hope Jim & Zilpha can join us soon.  We got to Craters of the Moon by late afternoon. Went to the visitor center first so we knew what to see.  It is a vast area with Lava all over.  It was surprising to see trees and little flowers growing in all that lava.We unhooked the car and took Mattie with us and drove the 7 mile loop around the park.  There are so many different kinds of lava and the colors are pretty inside the lava.  Some of it is so fragile and others real hard.  The wind was really blowing hard to walk around and traveling to our next place.  Arrived late in Idaho Falls.  John was here when he was in the Navy.  The weather is cooling off as we go so that is good.  We are learning our places with Cheryl in the motor home and are getting comfortable. Here are some pictures of the Lava flow.  The total area is 750,000 acre National Park.  JVP

News from Idaho

                                            Julie with their new baby born 2 weeks ago.

                                            the Preston's and Gibson's Camp

                                            Momma and baby doing well.

                                           T-bone and Sirloin

                                          John at a Cowboy shootout Competion

Wed Jim & Zilpha arrived in Emmett, Idaho and we came out to their son Scott's property from our RV Campground in Boise and checked things out for a possible site to plug in the motor home out here.  We had dinner with them and decided to move out so we don't have to drive half an hour back to our motorhome after fireworks-it doesn't get dark here until 10:00.  We got settled here at the property and have 50 amp power so we can run our air as it is in high 90"s.  We had tri-tip for the 4th and enjoyed the fireworks.  We crawled under the cemetary fence since the gate was roped off and set up our chairs on the edge of property to watch.  It was a good show and real fun walking back in the dark through the cemetary to the car.  We have walked around the area and saw the canal that is full and fast which waters all the fields around here.  Went into Emmit and seen the small town, driven into Boise yesterday to do shopping and Conner (grandson) had batting practice, getting fruit although cherries are gone here.  Jim & Zilpha will stay here a few days as Julie (daughter-in-law) is haveing thyroid and lymph nodes removed on Monday.  John's sister Cheryl joins us today-Sunday for the rest of our trip.  John went to a cowboy shooting match this morning with the guys and then we go to church.  We will have venison and Elk tonight. JVP

Idaho News

Yesterday was a driving day and we arrived here in Boise, Idaho in the afternoon.  It was very hot here around 105 and last night we awoke to thunder and lightening.  Mattie is scared of it and so ends up in our bed.  We are in a park here in Boise and waiting for friends (Jim and Zilpha) to arrive and go see their son's property to see if we can move out there.  They have a nice doggy park here and Mattie had fun playing yesterday evening with about 4 other small dogs.  She slept good as did we till the thunder hit.  We gained an hour in time so today we are in the right time frame for today. More Later, JVP

A New Month of Traveling

Palouse Falls, WA.

 Hood Park, Pasco, Wa. Site 35

 Group from all over the country to be with Mary and Denny (Camp Hosts)

 Miss Maddy, just waking up.

Polusa Falls State Park, WA.

Well July is here and HOT even here in Oregon, Washington and Idaho and we hear it is the same at home.  We enjoyed our stay in Hood Park.  We wanted to go to the Preston Winery off Hwy 395 close to Pasco, Wa. but when we got there it was closed. They are changing hands and the granddaughter is taking over as winemaker. So we decided to go to Costco (when all else fails). In the afternoon we picked up our friends Denny and Mary and went to movies, Sunday (their last day off) to see Superman.  Had a strawberry shake at DQ, did some shopping at Walmart and had another group dinner in the late evening. We took a drive through country roads and saw a lot of wheat in different stages of growing.  Makes the fields look beautiful with green and browns.  We arrived finally to Palouse Falls.  It is a spectular sight-the water falls 200 ft into basalt lake.  The walls of the canyon were so beautiful.  We are on our way now to Idaho to be with friends Jim & Zilphia and their family and pick up John's sister Cheryl to finish the trip with us. JVP