Since in Seattle, we're bounded by water and mountains on all sides, it's difficult to muster up the energy to drive anywhere. Previously, driving fifty miles to go somewhere (Orem to Salt Lake) seemed like nothing. Of course I'll drive up there. After all, it's just over there. But here, traffic precludes any sort of wanderlust nonsense. Even a trip to CostCo (even in the land of CostCos) which is only seven miles from my house means a minimum of twenty minutes sitting in traffic. And if you're even thinking about going to the closer one (five miles in Kirkland), it's across the bridge so that means forty minutes if you're lucky. In fact, I don't have a CostCo membership for this very reason. Well that and the fact that I can't make it through six gallons of ketchup fast enough to make it worth my while. So when Emily invited me to go to her cousin's wedding in Cody, Wyoming . . . YES PLEASE! After an overnight stop in Moses Lake (move over Disneyland, this is one of the greatest places on earth), we headed out to Ritzville. Yes Ritzville. Home of . . .
That's right! Quilting is a chore no more! It's also home of maybe not the best grocery store, but you know, it's . . .
After Ritzville's highlights, it was on to Spokane. Here's Emily and Megan at the waterfront.
We were on our way to ride the carousel. It's out of focus but I think you can still see how excited I am to be riding this thing.
The great thing about the carousel is that you can grab brass (plastic) rings from the dispenser as you ride past. There was something so supremely exciting about whizzing around at breakneck speeds and reaching out for a piece of plastic. Rather, something really satisfying about reaching out for something and getting it. Again and again and again. After the ride ended, we walked into historical downtown Spokane and The Davenport Hotel. Built in the early 1900s and entertaining guests such as Amelia Earhart, Clark Gable, Lawrence Welk, and Bing Crosby, it has been voted one of the top ten hotels in the world by some people. Here's why. This is the lobby.
Here's upstairs at the "Palace of the Doges"
And here's the ballroom right next to it.
This is where we're going to have Megan's wedding reception. Pretty sure we're going to be able to get Celine Dion to perform for the celebration. Maybe sing "My Heart Will Go On" from one of those balconies. Back outside on the street. We saw this.
So . . . in eastern Washington your choices are either quilting and booze or knitting and cage fights. Wow. Leaving the great state of Washington, we cruised past Coeur d'Alene and stopped in beautiful Wallace, ID where "Dante's Peak" was filmed. For those of you who have forgotten this film, it's the one where the volcano blows up, destroys the town, the tires melt, the boat dissolves and sinks, the grandma dies, the car gets stuck in the river, and the scientist snaps is arm in half. Here's me excited to be where Pierce Brosnan may have stood (just down the street from the "Bordello Museum" and "The Little Hair House Salon".)
This town also has lots of antique shops with old posters. Here's one of the boys, apparently busy building a better America through clean living and proper manners.
Meanwhile, this is what the girls are doing.
That's right. Good girls by day but brazen hussies by night. Good thing they had canoeing at girls camp. There's
no telling what might have happened to me otherwise! After wandering up the hillside to look at a house that was falling off the mountain, we drove on to Missoula, MT. What an incredible city!!! We went out to dinner at the "Bite of Missoula" that takes place every Thursday night all summer long. They had a band going and lots of vendors selling deliciousness for dinner. Here's a picture of the crowd just so you get an idea that things are really happening up there in Missoula.
For dessert, we walked over the bridge to the Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlor. This is where the Maggie Moon's lady in Seattle used to work. Emily did the ground work to find this place so big thanks there.
And then all three of us.
Naturally you'll understand that I'm leaving out about three or four pictures of the crowd (ahem, hot Montana men wandering through the crowd) for space considerations. And this was just the first day!
That's right! Quilting is a chore no more! It's also home of maybe not the best grocery store, but you know, it's . . . 
After Ritzville's highlights, it was on to Spokane. Here's Emily and Megan at the waterfront. 
We were on our way to ride the carousel. It's out of focus but I think you can still see how excited I am to be riding this thing. 
The great thing about the carousel is that you can grab brass (plastic) rings from the dispenser as you ride past. There was something so supremely exciting about whizzing around at breakneck speeds and reaching out for a piece of plastic. Rather, something really satisfying about reaching out for something and getting it. Again and again and again. After the ride ended, we walked into historical downtown Spokane and The Davenport Hotel. Built in the early 1900s and entertaining guests such as Amelia Earhart, Clark Gable, Lawrence Welk, and Bing Crosby, it has been voted one of the top ten hotels in the world by some people. Here's why. This is the lobby. 
Here's upstairs at the "Palace of the Doges" 
And here's the ballroom right next to it. 
This is where we're going to have Megan's wedding reception. Pretty sure we're going to be able to get Celine Dion to perform for the celebration. Maybe sing "My Heart Will Go On" from one of those balconies. Back outside on the street. We saw this. 
So . . . in eastern Washington your choices are either quilting and booze or knitting and cage fights. Wow. Leaving the great state of Washington, we cruised past Coeur d'Alene and stopped in beautiful Wallace, ID where "Dante's Peak" was filmed. For those of you who have forgotten this film, it's the one where the volcano blows up, destroys the town, the tires melt, the boat dissolves and sinks, the grandma dies, the car gets stuck in the river, and the scientist snaps is arm in half. Here's me excited to be where Pierce Brosnan may have stood (just down the street from the "Bordello Museum" and "The Little Hair House Salon".) 
This town also has lots of antique shops with old posters. Here's one of the boys, apparently busy building a better America through clean living and proper manners. 
Meanwhile, this is what the girls are doing. 
That's right. Good girls by day but brazen hussies by night. Good thing they had canoeing at girls camp. There's no telling what might have happened to me otherwise! After wandering up the hillside to look at a house that was falling off the mountain, we drove on to Missoula, MT. What an incredible city!!! We went out to dinner at the "Bite of Missoula" that takes place every Thursday night all summer long. They had a band going and lots of vendors selling deliciousness for dinner. Here's a picture of the crowd just so you get an idea that things are really happening up there in Missoula. 
For dessert, we walked over the bridge to the Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlor. This is where the Maggie Moon's lady in Seattle used to work. Emily did the ground work to find this place so big thanks there. 
And then all three of us. 
Naturally you'll understand that I'm leaving out about three or four pictures of the crowd (ahem, hot Montana men wandering through the crowd) for space considerations. And this was just the first day!
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