Walla Walla Wow

A week ago today we left Cambria, Ca and started our trek northward.

We stopped for a couple of days in Bend, Oregon but our destination was

Walla Walla Washington for our annual spring wine tasting.

The wine tasting is and excuse but for me the highlight of the long weekend is

renewing acquaintances with some of the finest people that we know along the road.

It was a busy weekend.

Arrive Thursday....   Have Happy Hour with the gang.

Friday wine tasting and pot luck dinner.

Saturday morning Farmers Market, Wine Tasting, and dinner at Tim & Genes new home.

Sunday - pot luck breakfast, wine tasting, Steak night at Merikays and Rons place.

Monday - motor onward.

Headed northward on I-5 in California you cross over Shasta Lake.

The past 4 years drought has drained the lake but the winters El Nino` has had a postive

effect on the lake level.

For those of you who have been wondering....

Here is what that crossing of the lake looks like now.

Lake Shasta I-5 Crossing

 Rain and cool weather on Friday night made it a bit difficult for a pot luck dinner

at the RV Park so we wall went to Merikays and Rons house.

Walla Walla is a farming area and it seems all the residents have green thumbs and

Merikay and Ron are no exception.

Their beautiful backyard has a very peaceful feel to it.

Saturday night we went to Tim & Genes new home on the outskirts of town.

They have done an amazing job turning it into a beautiful country retreat.

Here Kate poses with one of our hosts - Tim.

Perfect hosts - Tim & Gene set a long table out in the yard.

We ate dinner overlooking the vineyards, wheatfields, and Blue Mountains in the distance.

A perfect setting.   A perfect meal.  and Perfects Hosts.

Kate poses in the vineyard.

Another view of the yard and table.

This years Sangiovese grapes on the vine.

Sangiovese is the grape used in Chianti and other Tuscan Wines.

Sunday afternoon Jim took me on a tour of some of his childhood stomping grounds on

forest service roads in the Blue Mountains.

We climbed almost to the crest of the blues but at about 4,800' we ran into some snow on a north facing slope and I did not want to take the chance at getting stuck...

especially since we had no cell coverage.

So we retreated back down the mountain.

Umatilla Natl Forest - FS 65 Tiger Creek Road

 Heading back down the mountain.  

 If you click and enlarge the photo you can see the low

country, several thousand feet below us in the left background.

Sunday night we had steak night at Merikays house.

Here is a photo of the group for that dinner.

Our visit to Walla Walla is always a special part of our year, and what makes it so is the

warmth and hospitality of all that we have had the privilege to meet here.

Over the years that we have come here, so many have opened thier homes to us

and treated us like family.

Its a special place and a special bunch of people for sure.

Today we said good by to Walla Walla.

Its time to move on, head north, and get staged for our entry into Canada

and our eventual journey to the Yukon and beyond.

Kate will fly to Chicago to visit her friend for a week and while she does

I will spend the week at Lincoln Rock State Park in

Wenatchee, Wa.

We stayed here at Lincoln Rock 2 years ago before we went to Alaska

and this year is the same.

I am even in the same site...  #31

50amp and full hookups makes is a convenient jumping off base.

My trip today from Walla Walla to Wenatchee.

Our plans after Kate gets back is to head north.

I'd like to at least get to Dawson City in the Yukon again.

If we make it to Alaska fine..  if not no big deal.

Dawson City is only about 50miles from the Alaska border anyway.

This time around I want to take more time and drink in the places that we

quickly visited last time.

I'm looking forward to getting back in White Birch Country.