Into Bavaria

Leavenworth, Washington: A very quiet day (thank goodness) as we drove about 175 miles from the perfect campsite in Steamboat Rock State Park to an old-fashioned campground (with wifi) in Leavenworth, Washington.

Along the way (Bridgeport, to Brewster, to Pateros, and Entiat before skirting Wenatchee to reach Leavenworth) we mostly followed the Columbia River past several dams and through mile after mile of apple orchards. The weather was, again, magnificent... but clouds are looming and the weather report for tomorrow isn't promising.

Our first stop was to the Chief Joseph Dam. This L-shaped dam is the second-largest electricity producer in America (surpassed greatly by the near-by Grand Coulee). 2.2 million cubic yards of concrete were used building Chief Joseph Dam - enough to build a two-lane highway from the dam to Salt Lake City. This dam produces enough electricity to power a city the size of Seattle every day.

Chief Joseph Dam

In Pateros, we stopped at their beautiful city park for lunch. We enjoyed our sandwiches on a picnic table just above the Columbia River. Really a very pretty setting where the Methow River joins the Columbia River. This area was first settled by Chinese immigrants who mined gold at the mouth of the Methow River.

My Driver, relaxing after lunch in Pateros, Washington


You can camp (park) in the city park for $10 per night - includes a hot shower - with a fabulous view.

We took 97 (alternative) along the west shore of the Mighty Columbia and were lucky enough to see two large herd of Big Horn Sheep! Of course, we could not stop to take photos - but believe me, they were fantastic! We noticed the apple harvest has started and the trees are nearly red with apples.

When we pulled into the KOA in Leavenworth for our two night reservation, all seemed fine, but we had so much trouble fitting into our designated site. I told them when I reserved we were forty feet long and had slide rooms, but they put us in a very narrow site. They even sent a dude in a golf cart to help us park. It must have been his first day on the job because he put our motorhome (literally) three INCHES from a tree and made it impossible to open our basement bays! The tree wasn't very big and even a slight wind would have had it rubbing on our RV! After the "helper" left, DT had to actually drive around the campground again and enter the campsite on his own terms in order to accommodate our size. Still, when we leave, we are going to have to drive over their precious patio. We call this situation a "RV Rodeo". We have witnessed it; and we have been the stars. It is part of RVing.

After settling in, we drove (in our Honda CRV) into the adorable town of Leavenworth. Years ago, with the local lumber industry closing-down, the town made the decision to "go Bavarian" and (with the Cascades as a backdrop instead of the Alps) redecorated the town with a German theme to lure tourists. Some fought the change, but now it is the law that every building (including Starbucks, Safeway, etc.) must look as if it were situated in a Bavarian village. It is their shtick, but it works - thousands of tourists visit Leavenworth every year.

Leavenworth, Washington

We spent over an hour walking around the town, but didn't go into the shops - we were just getting to know the town and checking-out what we would like to visit tomorrow when all of the shops and restaurants will be open.

So where do you think we would dine in a Bavarian-themed town? An Italian restaurant, of course! Visconti's proved to be a very good choice. I had the dinner special of a beef tenderloin smoked over apple wood. The taste, I can not tell you, was so different and so delicious - and the steak was so tender. A very good choice. Visconti's also has one of the largest selections of Washington wines... but DT still ordered Italian. He had a perfect Vongole.

Applewood smoked tenderloin (could only eat half)


Vongole - Clams in linguine

After dinner we went to the most-hoppin' spot in town - the first floor of Visconti's Restaurant. Here they have a deli, gelateria and espresso bar. The place was hopping with locals and tourists. Everyone seemed to know everyone, and everyone was talking to everyone. Such fun, though they were sold out already of many of the more popular gelatos. I ended up with a creamy panna cotta gelato and DT had a three berry gelato. I only wanted one scoop, but the scooper-dude told me he couldn't sell me a single scoop unless I was ten years or younger. I told him I was nine and he sold me one scoop. I love that kid.

Pedometer: Remember when I said my new pedometer has a metal clip instead of a plastic clip? Well the metal clip is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. Digs into my flesh in the bruisiests of ways. I do not like my new pedometer. That said, I really didn't walk more than four miles today (and I exercised this morning!).

Until my next update, I remain, your Bavarian correspondent.