Last time, our hearty heroes had crested the mountains on the west end of Montana making a break for the edge of Idaho. It was so exciting that I dozed off as we exited Montana and arrived in the narrow northern area of Idaho. I awoke just in time to grab a shot of these low hanging clouds in this gorge.
Actually, Annie jolted me to consciousness with a vigorous shaking just so I could grab this shot. Then I immediately fell back asleep. It’s hard work this traveling business. Anyway, Idaho just flew by! By the time we slipped into Washington, the sun was setting and we still had many hours to go before reaching Vancouver, WA – like 6 – which in AMB travel time is slightly under one light year. We stopped for a warm dinner in Spokane before I took to driving the rest of the way, with Bill manning the helm of our faithful truck and navigating through the utter black of the moonless night. Vancouver is right over the border from Oregon (which I quickly learned is pronounced OR-i-ghin, as opposed to or-i-GHON, as I grew up saying it) and the highway leading there crossed over just a few hours into our drive. Where it crosses, the road begins to follow the Columbia River which forms the border between Washington and Oregon. For most of the way we drove along the highway with the Columbia river to our right. There was an eeriness driving in the dark of the night with unseen black water along the edge of the road and occasional alien lights out over invisible structures. We finally pulled up to our hotel somewhere around 2 AM. The next morning was a beautiful, warm, and sunny day.
The changing of the guard in WA
The Bell Tower outside our hotel
We performed here in Vancouver and then it was 5 hours back east to Moses Lake, which we had passed the previous night. This time, with daylight on our side, I was eager to grab a few shots of our mysterious drive the night before. I was surprised to find that a large part of Oregon and Washington… is dessert!
Wait, dessert or desert… 2 esses for strawberry shortcake, one ess for sand.
Desert. That’s more like it. Not quite as tasty, though.
A little ways on, we came upon this orderly green oasis. These indigenous “tree farms” crop up in the middle of what would otherwise be a lifeless and barren open range, providing an important habitat for many native species of wildlife, including Turkey Vultures and the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick. It’s as natural as having outdoor swimming pools in Las Vegas.
Courtesy of irrigation
Arriving at Moses Lake, Zipporah indicated that Moses had just stepped out on an important mission from God and would not be back for several days, something about plagues and hardened hearts, but that we were welcome to enjoy his lake.
Peering through the branches at Moses Lake
As we left early the next morning, I realized I had left my headphones behind. But no worries. Our friend at the theater Fed-exed them to me later in the week for a small fortune. So it was 3 hours back west to Everett, WA, just north of Seattle. This time, we drove along I90. These pictures were taken from a scenic overlook at Ginkgo State Park on the Columbia River. I want to say it was called Wild Horse Scenic Gorge, but I can’t seem to verify that on the internet. And if it’s not on the internet it must not be true.
The alleged Wild Horse Scenic Gorge
The alleged Wild Horse Scenic Gretchen
We played our final show in Washington and then it was on to Redding in Northern California. This was a return visit for us and we were warmly welcomed. I like North California – the people, the terrain, the spirit. We have many ideas about California as defined by L.A. or San Francisco, but California is so much greater than those small urban areas which receive all the attention. We were surprised to learn that there was a movement in North California (which tends to be more conservative) to secede from Southern California (which tends to be less conservative) in an effort to reverse the financial and moral hemorrhaging due to liberal ideologies. This difference in philosophy was made very clear to us. On our way through Northern California we pulled off to a small gas stop with an old wood-plank cabin feel to it. The small building housed a little eatery, a squat, black, pot belly stove, some grizzled old-timers, and some right wing bumper stickers affixed to one wall, declaring such things as,
“If God didn’t want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?”
So TRUE!
and
“Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O’Donnell fat.”
Point well made.
This stalwart, independent spirit is in stark contrast to the liberal, entitlement spirit we found in Sacramento. Marriage “rights” proponents were protesting the passage of Proposition 8 while flaunting their sin on the sidewalks. Citizens are not allowed to protect themselves by bearing arms. The environment is worshipped as god. To the North California movement I say, “Fight on, brothers.”
We spent a few more days in Sacramento, then Bakersfield before completing our route through the Golden State.
We have traveled through the deserts of CA, NM, and AZ many, many times, but I still like to take pictures of the dry landscapes, rock formations, and looooong trains.
Contrary to popular belief, there is water in the desert… occasionally
Just an itty bitty part of a much longer procession
In Needles, AZ, in the Mojave Valley, we stopped for gas and asked an attendant where we could find some lunch. I suggested mexican since there exists a large mexican population. And you have to really try to make bad mexican food, so it’s a pretty safe bet. The attendant suggested Roberto’s Taco Shop (1004 E Broadway St, Needles, CA 92363). We had second thoughts as we viewed the exterior, but were pleasantly surprised by the simple goodness of the meal. I would get into a full review but I have more ground to cover here. Suffice it to say that, should you be traveling through Needles and desire a bite to eat, Roberto’s is a fine choice. It was while we were waiting for our lunch that I called my mom. Asking what she was up to, fully expecting her to be at home in Massachusetts, she informed me that she was hiking at the Grand Canyon. Well, what a surprise! We were only 4 hours from the Grand Canyon and everyone had been looking for an excuse to visit. A short while later, as the sun was beginning to set, we pulled up to one of the greatest formations on the planet.
That’s not so grand!
A peachy sunset
Alex, being very hands-on, was not content to view the canyon from the top down
Jeremiah was not to be left out
One last picture of the tree line as we headed in for dinner with mom.
From here we went to Oklahoma City to spend the night with Bill’s folks before heading to Dallas to film a Christmas special for Daystar featuring the AMB with their Grandma Jane. Be sure to catch the cooking segment and Grandma Jane’s pecan pie. It is to die for; I tasted it and barely lived to tell the tale. I believe it is to be aired December 22nd, but you should call Daystar to make sure. For another look at this leg of our trip, visit http://anniemosesband.com/features/the-week-in-review-deluxe-extended-edition-111508/.
Next time, back on the East Coast.