Surprising Spokane

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Here's a quick summary for folks who may be picking up my blog mid-way through...

I started my American Adventure on 25th of July when I arrived in New York City. After 3 days in New York I joined 10 other people who'd I'd not met before for a 21 day tour organised by TrekAmerica.com and lead by our wonderful tour guide / driver Kate. The Trek ran from New Jersey to Los Angeles via the "Southern States" and included sites such as Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks and Carlsbad Caverns. The Trek was mostly camping, under canvas with two hotel stays in Las Vegas and New Orleans.

Once we arrived in LA, the Trek group flew home and on August 20 (which I call "Road Trip Day 1") I picked up a rental car, my faithful red Dodge Charger which I have nicknamed "The Beast". Since then I have driven up the West Coast through Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Redwood National Park, Oregon, Crater Lake, Portland, Washington and Seattle then into Canada to visit Vancouver. From Vancouver I started heading back East where I plan to see Glacier National Park, then via Yellowstone down to Denver, back up through Nebraska and the Dakotas to Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois to Chicago.

From there, depending on time I will go back into Canada to Toronto, then over to New England during the fall. I finish my trip with two days in New York before flying back to England towards the end of October.

Road Trip Day 21

There wasn't much to hold me in Omak, so I was on the road to Spokane (pronounced "Spo-CAN") good and early. As ever, the state of Washington didn't disappoint and my route took me through some wonderful territory; strong, rolling hills peppered with trees and shrubs.

A short way into my trip I arrived at Grand Coulee Dam where I stopped for a while to enjoy the sun and view across the reservoir.

The mountains were beautiful and I was enjoying the views through the valleys when all of a sudden I crested a hill and a huge plain stretched ahead of me. There were huge, recently cut fields of crops and some of the most picturesque barns and farm houses you are ever likely to see.

Surprising Spokane

To be brutally honest, Spokane was a "pin in the map" stop. My intention was simply to use it as a place to rest and maybe take a look see to fill a couple of hours. It was therefore even more of a surprise when I had my eyes opened to just how lovely the city of Spokane is.

I went straight to my hotel for an early check-in and to log onto the web to find things to do in the city. I found a few ideas, plus the very kind girl on reception gave some suggestions too.

With tourist map in hand, I drove into the city centre and parked by Riverfront Park. The park sits between the downtown area and the Spokane River Falls and was the site of a Worlds Fair in the 1970's. It's a delightful little oasis with some quirky features including a large clock-tower, the Pavilion and a giant "Radio Flyer" Red Wagon. You may be able to see all three of these landmarks below.

Spokane River Falls

I strolled the park over to the river for a view of the falls. Early in the 20th century, part of the river was tapped for hydro-electric power but that development hasn't impinged on the waterfalls and rapids as they flow through the city. It's a beautiful sight and one which the city is justly proud. The view below, taken from the Monroe Street bridge shows the falls extending back up the river, the old power-plant building and the "Skyride" cable car which runs alongside the river.

Great Place to Be

From Riverfront Park, I first walked away from downtown to take a look at the County Courthouse, a huge building with a huge tower and French inspired roofline. It looks a lot like an overblown French Chateaux and dominates that part of town.

I walked back to downtown and found a mix of sympathetic modern buildings and older buildings dating back to when much of the city was rebuilt following a huge fire. With pleasant shopping malls, attractive office buildings, new and old and even a rare good-looking multi-storey parking lot downtown Spokane feels like a great place to be. It feels like one of those cities that actually works and people enjoy being in.

Simply put, I really loved downtown Spokane and left for my last stop with a smile of my face.

One More Treat

I almost missed my final stop out having enjoyed the city so much, but as it was nearby I made the short drive to Manito Park. I am so very glad that I did because it is an absolutle gem. Such a pretty municipal park with, of course, a duck pond (though you must not feed the ducks!), sports fields and several structured gardens including a lilac garden and a beautiful rose garden. The park sits in a residential areas with many streets of classic design little family homes with front porches overlooking the park.

The daydreams kicked in again and I decided that this would be the ideal place to live. What do you think?

Great Dinner, Great Service

I finished my day with dinner at the Red Lobster restaurant. It's part of a chain, but none the less the food was splendid as was the service. My server for the evening, Terrie, was wonderful, being sure to look after me which I really appreciate when I am dining alone. She even recognised the Prince symbol on my dog-tags and remembers his music all the way back to the 70's. High-five!

I left full of seafood and clutching a whole bunch of suggestions for my trip including a giant Jolly Green Giant in Minnesota and a lodging recommendation near Yellowstone. I do so enjoy these chance encounters on my journey.

Pleasantly Surprised

So, from what was to be a quick stop and dash I have discovered one of the most attractive and pleasant cities I have yet seen on my travels. Spokane has been the prefect way to end my time in the beautiful, varied, welcoming state of Washington. I raise my plastic Pepsi cup to this fantastic top-left corner of America. Cheers.

Goodnight.

View Driving Day 21 in a larger map

Stats - Day Forty-Seven

Distance travelled - 140 miles - Omak to Spokane, WA

State count - 18 + DC + B.C.

Room numbers stayed in - 203, 1, 148, 212, 205, 210, 246, 118, 3, 145, 229, 111, 207, 206, 40, 605