Location, Yakima, WA
Happy Fathers Day to any
fathers who may read this.
We spent several hours
yesterday in Sisters, OR. Why is it
called Sisters you may ask? It is named
after three mountain peaks located west of town. The peaks are called North,
Middle, and South Sister or also called Faith, Hope, and Charity.
Sisters is located about 18
miles northwest of Bend, OR and is the MECCA for any quilters who live in the west as Paducah, KY is for those in the east. Next weekend is the big
Quilt Show when about 1300 quilts are displayed around town. Don’t even think
about coming unless you have had a reservation somewhere in the area for at
least the last year.
As we approached the town
we came across signs saying SLOW – EVENT AHEAD and traffic increased
proportionally. What the heck… the Quilt Show isn’t until next weekend. The
main cause was a PRCA sanctioned rodeo held a few miles before entering town.
The streets in town were jammed as were the sidewalks. We found out later that
they had just finished with a parade through town. As we slowly drove through
Clyda spotted a quilt shop, our main reason for visiting, so I turned down a
side street and found a place to park the truck in the lot of a closed store.
Rodeo parking.
The main street had recently been paved and new sidewalks have been put in but not completed. They really make the town look spiffy.
Side walks.
Clyda headed to the quilt
shop while I decided to stay outside and sit on a bench. Bad idea, as the wind
was cold, so I moved around the corner out of the wind and in the sun which was
much better.
Quilt store.
Quilts painted on side of building.
Clyda eventually came out
and we wandered the streets looking at touristy shops of which there are
plenty. We ate lunch in a nice café with good food, in fact so good that I took
half my meatloaf sandwich back to the RV and had it for dinner last night.
Cinderellas Coach (a metal sculpture).
We also stopped at the town
park where an art and craft show was set up. It didn’t take us long to peruse
the whole event and we did not buy anything.
Today was moving day for
all the RV’s at the Bend Elks Club as tomorrow the parking lot will be
recoated. Most had left by 9 AM when we pulled out.
We had a leisurely drive
north on Hwy 97 to Biggs which is on the Oregon side of the Columbia River
where we pulled into a truck parking area behind a gas station to have lunch.
As we pulled out of the lot I noticed an Army convoy coming from the east and
as we crossed Hwy 84, the Columbia
River highway, there was
another convoy coming from the west. Highway 97 climbs a very steep hill on the
Washington side and comes to a stop sign at Washington Highway
14. Part of the convoy was stopped at the stop sign while waiting for cross
traffic. I put the truck into low gear so as to make the final climb to the
stop sign then proceeded west about ¼ mile where Hwy 97 turns north again and
climbs another steep hill. Of course the small convoy of army vehicles was
ahead of us doing about 40 MPH. As we climbed I saw in my rear view mirror that
all the rest of the convoy from Hwy 84 had now caught up to us along with a lot
of cars and trucks. The convoy speed varied from 30 to 50 MPH but mainly
traveled at 40 MPH. There are a few passing lanes but for the next hour or so I
only managed to pass two of the Army vehicles. We traveled this way as a very
long convoy of Army vehicles, cars, and trucks for 60 miles until we got to Toppenish, WA where the Army went one way and we went another.
Crossing the Columbia River at Biggs, OR
Our view for 60 miles.
Tonight we are camped at
another Elks club in Selah, WA out side of Yakima but this time we are on grass under the trees with
lots of room around us. It is also an Elks owned golf course and we are camped
near the driving range. There are about 20 sites but only four are occupied.
The weather has warmed up a little but still cool when the wind blows.
Selah Elks Club camping.
View of the camping sites
