On The Road Again: Spokane and Coeur d'Alene.....

It seems like we've gotten out of the habit of sitting down and writing our blog regularly. Isn't it amazing how long it takes to make something a habit and how quickly you can lose it! Wow, that was deep, wasn't it. :-)

As I said in my last blog, we were actually looking forward to getting back in the car and driving across Washington to Spokane. However, I think we were so used to our naps on the cruise that both of us were having a hard time staying awake! We actually stopped somewhere along the way to see if we could get a room for the night - it was 2:00! First time on our whole trip that a hotel has been booked with no rooms available! We couldn't believe it - why now! We actually pulled to the end of their parking lot to put our seats back and take a snooze. After about 2 minutes I said, "Let's go over, gas up and I'll get one of those energizer drinks and I'll drive for an hour while you sleep". That's exactly what we did and we made it to Spokane 2 hours later. :-) Turns out that it was a blessing the hotel was full. We walked outside of the hotel and walked into a group of motley looking characters. Went to the gas station across the street and it was filled with VERY motley looking characters - scary! Down the road we passed a Gorge Amphitheater and there was a line of cars getting off there. Must have been some kind of very strange rock band there that nite. Thank you God for letting that hotel be full.   :-)

One thing that has really amazed us on this driving trip is how the terrain changes so quickly - not just in Washington, but every state we've been in. On our way to Spokane we went through the Cascades and then we were in the high desert where its flat and you can see forever and then we see Spokane in the distance and all of a sudden there are pine trees and mountains. Beautiful! We were very impressed with Spokane. What a beautiful city right on the Spokane River. Beautiful walk all along the river to the falls with parks on both sides, restaurants on the water, lots of activities along the way. There were people all along the way enjoying the beautiful weather by biking, walking, picnicking or just sitting and people watching. We found a restaurant with a spectacular view over the river. Love finding places like that!

The next day we explored the campuses of Gonzaga and East Washington and other parts of Spokane. Gerry did some work, I did some laundry.....yes, not every day is an adventure!

Next day we were off to Coeur d'Alene. I just learned how to spell it correctly after being here 5 days! Wow, what a wonderful place! If it wasn't for winter, it would be perfect! The town sits on this beautiful clean, clear lake with mountains surrounding it and a beach along the waterfront. The town is filled with cute shops and wonderful restaurants - of which we tried many! Friendly people who love where they live. We will be sad to leave here tomorrow. Gerry played two beautiful golf courses here and I will let him tell you about those. We leave here with this being one of our favorite stops on our trip. It's right up there with Bend. :-)

We highly recommend:
Michael D's for breakfast (Gerry said it's the best oatmeal he has EVER eaten!)
Scratch   (We both agree it's the best salmon we've ever had - better than Etta's)
Wine Cellar (We loved the atmosphere and a fun staff - our waitress was Miss Montana 10 years ago)
BarDEnay Restaurant and Distillery
     (We enjoyed it so much we went back a second time! Casual, fun place with good food and a great setting!)