Life Downstream

Despite the early hour and cool air, we left Grand Coulee in style—top down! State Route 174 took us through winding prairie and we returned to U.S. Route 2 in the sleepy town of Wilbur. The prairies out here have one abnormality compared to those in Iowa, there are volcanic rock formations all over the place. The farmers here have simply adjusted to these geographical differences. Soon the farm fields were replaced with small strip malls which were growing in frequency. The sun was heating up our heads and the timing was right to come across a Wal-Mart.

Across from Fairchild AFB we stopped for a geocache. This was a clever cache in a typical location. It was a tape measure. Dad held one end of the tape measure and I pulled the other, we measured about 6 feet when I signed the log. We crossed the shopping center to Wal-Mart where Chris and I picked up baseball caps. I got a Washington State University and he got a Gonzaga University cap. A generic cap simply wouldn’t do.

Spokane passed in a flash. To those new to Spokane I think the size of the city is surprising. Many seem to believe Seattle is the only big city and Spokane merely an outpost on the frontier. Winding through downtown on the freeway you could as easily be in Richmond, Virginia or Madison, Wisconsin. Before we knew it, we were in Idaho. We grabbed lunch quickly just north of Coeur d’Alene at a Wendy’s and make tracks for Sandpoint.

Sandpoint is famous for its breathtaking location on Lake Pend Oreille. U.S. Route 95 crosses the lake. When an upgraded bridge was needed it was built parallel to the old one. Thankfully, the old bridge was not removed. Rather, the old bridge lives on as a pedestrian and bicycle facility. While time did not permit us to enjoy the entire bridge, Chris and I walked out about half a mile. It was a beautiful opportunity to stretch our legs. In the distance we saw a BNSF freight train cross the lake while boats passed next to and below us. I also enjoyed seeing the aged mile marker signs next to the new ones. Then right before returning to the car we saw a group of kids playing on an old pier in the water. It looked absolutely heavenly on such a hot, hot day.

U.S. Route 95, mile 472: old and new

While not directly on the route, our next stop would be Montana. Dad nor Chris had ever been to Montana and we would just be passing too close to miss the opportunity. We took U.S. Route 2 toward Troy and decided to find at least one geocache. It took only a few miles and we didn’t see a whisper of Troy. Chris and I took a souvenir rock and left some “Friends of Coal” pins we had picked up at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine the month before back in West Virginia.

On our way back to our route at the border crossing into Canada at the end of U.S. Route 95 we stopped to visit a rest area. To our surprise, the area was an overlook for the Moyie River Bridge and Falls. The bridge reminded me so much of the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. When on the Moyie River Bridge on our way into Montana we had no idea we were over 400 feet above the river below. On the New River Gorge Bridge you haven’t the faintest idea you are nearly 900 feet above the river below, nor do you know the beauty of the structure holding you up. Just beyond the bridge, the falls used to generate power for the municipally owned Moyie River Dam are also visible. Infrastructure never fails to take my breath away!

Moyie River Bridge, Idaho's second highest bridge

From this breathtaking rest area, we make tracks to Canada! One of the most entertaining things to happen on the trip occurs at the border, and one member of our party did not even know until several days later! Chris discovers a unique solution to a problem in the Canadian mountains. And we all discover a relic from North American motoring history. Stay tuned!