The Drive to Packwood, Washington

McNary Dam on Columbia River

We left Wildhorse Casino in Pendleton this morning without any problems and were on our way by 8:30am.  Got on I84 traveling west and once we crossed over the Columbia River, we headed north and west again on I82. Saw the McNary Dam.  Water flowing pretty good with the rains the last couple of days. Traveled through fruit country with fruit vendors every so often and fruit packing houses with wooden crates stack at least 10 X 10 deep in yards.  This area reminded me a lot of Napa Valley in California, mountains on each side with a pretty valley below and so many vineyards, you could not imagine.  And fruit trees - cherry, apple, saw signs for huckleberries and I am glad to get back into huckleberry country!  So sweet.

Rimrock Lake

Once we passed through Yakima and headed west on Route 12, the same route we were on in Clarkston, the country side became more what I expect for the northwest...fir trees, rugged mountains, waterfalls, river meandering by road, just very scenic. The smell - you can't imagine. Started up into the foothills of Mt. Rainier, driving up into the Cascade Mountains.  Every now and then you would get a view of Mt. Rainier getting closer. And it has lots of snow on it - will probably limit us as to how much hiking and sightseeing we will be able to do while visiting the national park. We passed Rimrock Lake at the base of Mt. Rainier - just spectacular.  We both said - this looks just like Flathead Lake in Montana!  Will have to get an evergreen (fir) tree book because there are so many varieties, we don't know which is what.

Mt. Rainier thru clouds

After putting 233 miles on RV/truck, pulled into Packwood RV campground about 12:30pm, took us over an hour to get the RV set being on grass and with all the rain and previous RVers here, there are some big ruts we had to maneuver to get the RV level.  Once set and slides out and the RV settled in, I just looked out the back window and can see Mt. Rainier as plain as day.  How cool.

Will be here for two weeks to get us through the holiday week.  We passed many National Forest campgrounds on the way and they looked pretty full.  We are glad we are set and settled now for the next two weeks.  And - as predicted - no cell service at all.  We can walk over to the coffee shop or sit at the picnic table right by the library and use their wifi to get on.  Will be a nice quiet two weeks (I think I will be in withdrawal - I always look at my emails, look at weather, look at Facebook but oh well.)  I am glad I already booked our next campground in Port Townsend - have no way of calling them!