L'Shanah Tovah

Steamboat Rock State Park, Washington: Another beautiful day in Washington - and another day filled with adventure and beauty.

I was up early this morning to ship orders, head over to the Clarkston post office and stop by the local grocer to pick up a few items before we hit the road, heading east into the interior of the Great State of Washington. We zigged and we zagged - and ended up tonight just south of Grand Coulee Dam at this beautiful state park.

On the way, we stopped to see the waterfall at Palouse Falls State Park. The road - 261 - was a bit scary between Starbuck and Palouse Falls State Park. The bridge over the Snake River is so narrow that if we had met a car on the bridge, we would have lost a mirror! (Been there, done that.) The two mile gravel road to the falls was pretty exciting too... and you always run the risk that at the end of the road will be a parking lot built for Smart Cars... but this time, we lucked-out and found a huge turn-around and a gorgeous waterfall.

Palouse Falls (photo by DT)


Palouse Falls


A close-up of the top of the falls, the water behind the falls and interesting hoodoos

I didn't exercise this morning, because we were going to go on a hike at the falls. However, when we arrived at the falls, the trails proved too treacherous for our skill level, or too near the edge of cliff for My Driver's fear level. (I won't ride on Space Mountain and he won't do cliffs. Yet, our marriage still works.) Note the circled trail on the photo below:

I don't think so


Our family motto


Yes. I am married to a geologist. Why do you ask? FYI: different basalt flows. (Photo by DT. Duh.)


Time for lunch! Organic sandwich (turkey, and tomatoes from our
garden), organic Kettle Salt & Pepper chips and organic Italian
Prunes from Washington County... on plates made from
potatoes! (Notice the falls in the background.)


My Driver is ready to eat. (Notice our diesel-sucking RV in the parking lot above.)


Gravel road leaving Palouse Falls State Park. This grassland was the view most of our day.

The Remainder of Our Day was not too exciting. Driving, driving, driving. Though there were several beautiful places along the way to camp, My Driver wanted to stop at a campground on Banks Lake (that I had suggested), so we had a bit of a long day and didn't arrive to our campsite at Steamboat Rock State Park until five o'clock - well past our usual stopping time. The drive, however, was very pretty and interesting. We drove through mile after mile of grasslands and even though everything is dry and brown, there is a beauty to this area that can't really be described. It is absorbing the vastness of the land and the endless sky that can be over-whelming. Try to even imagine the life of a rancher or farmer living in the Palouse! How many miles do their kids have to ride a school bus every day? A lonely and, possibly, a hard life - but a life lived amongst constant beauty and constant change.

Just east of Moses Lake, we drove through an area busy with potato, onion and corn harvesting. Fascinating stuff watching potatoes being torn out of the ground by huge tractors. We saw truck after truck heading to processing plants with heavy loads. There were so many potatoes, onions and ears of corn on the side of the road that DT remarked on the "vegetarian road-kill" and that we were "one possum short of a stew". Funny, that guy.

Go Cougs!

The drive from Moses Lake to Steamboat Rock State Park is simply breathtaking! It is like being in Utah - with all the rock cliffs - except the bottom of the cliffs are filled with huge tranquil lakes! The cottonwoods are a golden yellow and the sky was a brilliant blue. We couldn't have picked a prettier (80°) day! However, we didn't have a reservation and the campground had a list of campsites with reservations, so we had to make notes as we walked around the campground - noting which site we would a) fit in b) get our satellite c) was not reserved and d) let's get going - Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown!

Our lovely campsite at Steamboat Rock State Park


Fellow campers in Steamboat Rock State Park (note our RV in the background). Photo by DT.


Our view of Banks Lake

We managed to get a good campsite (#14) with full hook-ups, log on to the internet, have enough cell service to call my Dad to wish him a Happy Birthday and get down to celebrating the New Year. Is it 5769 already? Where does the time go?

While you all were sleeping last night, I was "doing" my brisket - grass-fed, organic and brought frozen from home. Tonight I only had to thicken the sauce and reheat the brisket... make a few latkes... etc, etc, etc... the same thing millions of women around the world are doing tonight.

I'm mean, aren't I? Perfect "My Other Latkes, another way". So delicious!


My brisket with gravy and latkes, plus carrot coins and tomatoes from our garden.
We also enjoyed traditional apples dipped in honey. (Oh, and some really good wine.)

Just for fun - here are photos from a year ago. Tioga George joined us at our home in Oregon for Rosh Hashanah. Same menu, by the way - hey, tradition is tradition!

Tioga George with DT and me


A happy George with My Brisket & Latkes

Pedometer: 5905. Don't laugh.

Until my next update, I remain, your L'Shanah Tovah correspondent.

Campground: Steamboat Rock State Park
Site #14, $28. Water, sewer, 30 & 50 amp, paved back-in, lake view, picnic table, fire pit, lawn and trees. Nice bathhouse with flush toilets and showers. Aluminum can recycling!