First stop - Spokane, Washington

And we are off! It feels good to be back in the saddle again after many weeks at Lake Pleasant RV Park. 

Like riding a bicycle, the familiar routine came back to us as we struck camp and prepared for travel mode. We each have our specific tasks, and my task is to make sure everything is stowed and buttoned down inside. 
Once Jeep was hooked up, it was on to I-405 south bound, connecting to I-90 east bound for Spokane. 
We were heading along a familiar route, first winding our way through the majestic Cascade Range, zipping past forests, Snoqualmie Pass (elevation 3,015 feet) and Lake Keechelus.

Keechulus Lake, now low after the summer

On the other side of the range, the rain shadow area, we entered a dry, vast wilderness of coulees and flat terrain. 

 Eventually we passed wind turbines, a familiar feature on this side of the mountain.

wind turbines, dormant today

The mighty Columbia River appeared and we crossed to the other side at Vantage.

Frenchman Hills

We passed fields, golden with ripening wheat.

The terrain changed on the approach to Spokane, and once again conifers appeared.

Our final destination for the day was our Alpine friends, the Spragues, who live just north of Spokane. We passed more golden fields on the approach to their home. 

Three hundred miles later, we were parked on the lush lawn (Rod insisted this was the Alpine site for visitors), with a prolific vegetable patch and more fields behind us. 
This would be our back yard for the next couple of nights.

We sat on the patio, enjoying a glass of wine under the setting sun, against a crimson sky in this rural, peaceful spot. 

the Sprague's beautifully restored early 1900 historic family home