McCarteney Creek, Washington

164 miles

Oct 23 – What looked like a creek on the map – a named creek! – looks more like a dip in the dry scrub.  A nursery for future tumbleweed.

creek bed crossing, Washington

153 miles

Oct 22 –  There’s not much to see here.  No farmhouse, no crossroad, no rocky outcropping, no flowing river or inspiring bridge.  Just a fairly dry creek bed to mark the spot on the road where I will stop for the night.

Waterville, Washington

142 miles

Oct 21 – Columns of basalt are visible from the highway along the Columbia River. 

Waterville was named for having the only water-producing well for many miles around, but it is famous for its wheat production & crop circles.  I think crop circles are a sign of clever young people without enough fulfilling creative outlets.  

Lincoln Rock, Washington

131 miles

Oct 20 – This craggy cliff face looks something like a profile of Abraham Lincoln if you see it from the right angle.  And the best place to see it is from across the Columbia River at the Lincoln Rock State Park.  The park offers facilities for picnicking, camping, & hiking, as well as fishing, boating, & swimming.  I can go to sleep tonight imagining that I am tucked up snug in my imaginary camper.  Or, as long as it’s a virtual experience, I could sleep out under the stars to see Abe across the river.

Monitor, Washington

120 miles

Oct 19 – The road into Monitor seems grim and depressing.  I guess that’s the downside of judging a place from just one photo.  Monitor is a very small town (342 people), and the most interesting thing I can find out about is the name.  In 1902, the citizens named it after the ironclad warship USS Monitor, the famous Union battleship in the Civil War.  It’s interesting that people in the West would choose to honor that particular heritage 40 years after the war.  The citizens involved in the decision may have been veterans or children of Union sailors on that warship. 

Leavenworth, Washington

109 miles

Oct 18 - Visible from the roadside: Drury Falls: Such an exciting 2-star horsetail falls!

In the 1970s, this mountain town adopted a Bavarian-style theme to attract tourists.  What a success!  Every season, on almost every weekend, it seems, they host a different festival of some sort.  Since I spent part of my childhood in Germany, I love the Bavarian-style food, architecture, & wood carvings, however contrived.

Chiwaukum, Washington

Chiwaukum Graben

98 miles

Oct 17 - Chiwaukum is located among mountains of schist 40 million years old.  Sadly, most of the images I found online were of the 2014 wildfire.  But I'm trying to post images of what I would see there today.