Traffic in the Seattle-Tacoma area is legendary but I have planned to avoid most of the populated areas and catch up with I-90 east of Seattle. The plan looks good on paper and so off we go on this stage of the trip which will take me over the Cascade Mountains and into the Yakima River Valley at Ellensburg.
Of course, my back road turns out to be a four lane freeway but traffic is reasonable most of the way, though as the road narrows to two lanes nearer to I-90 it becomes bumper to bumper. The snow-capped peaks of the Cascades peek above the forest that continues to blanket the land west of the Cascades.
Once on I-90 the path heads east over Snoqualmie Pass. This is my first trip this way and I am surprised to see that even this far east of the Seattle area the interstate is six lanes wide and full of traffic. Weaving in and around the mountains far from the populated areas traffic is bumper to bumper, often stopping for minutes at a time. It takes me nearly four hours to travel the 125 miles between Tacoma and Ellensburg!
Once over the pass the highway descends into the Yakima River Valley, clinging to the northern side of the reservoir created by Keechulus Dam which is clearly a bit low for this time of year.
Quickly the impact of being in the eastern rain shadow of the Cascades becomes apparent as the forest retreats to mountain tops and the colors of fall wash across the valley. Just west of the pass the average yearly rainfall is over 50 inches a year, east of the pass the Yakima Valley around Ellensburg receives just nine inches.
Traffic is moving a little more quickly but is still congested as we approach the town of Ellensburg mid-valley under sunny, but cool, skies.
Ellensburg, WA
Ellensburg is a small city of around 23,000 people along the Yakima River in the Kittitas Valley. The town was founded in 1872 on the north side of the Yakima River on a low hill where a trading post had operated since the early 1870’s. Ellensburg vied with Olympia to be named the state capitol of Washington in the late 1880’s and a number of substantial buildings were constructed in the city center in anticipation of that event. Unfortunately for Ellensburg, Olympia was selected as the state capitol but in 1890 by the state legislature awarded a consolation prize to Ellensburg as the site of a state “Normal School” to train teachers for eastern Washington. Classes began in 1891 in a building shared with the local public school until iconic Barge Hall was completed in 1893. Today known as Central Washington University, the university is home to approximately 12,000 students on 380 acres just northeast of the city center. Sitting on the north side of University Avenue Barge Hall (1893) is flanked by Shaw-Smelser Hall (1925) to the west and McConnell Hall (1936) to the east, forming the historic heart of the CWU campus.
The historic center of Ellensburg is the intersection at 4th and Pearl with late 19th century buildings occupying several blocks along Pearl Street. Ellensburg is a university town and, as with others I have visited over the years, this means a stable economic base and a vibrant arts community, reflected in the bustling shops, galleries, and restaurants in the historic city center.
At the southern edge of downtown on Pearl Street is one of those unique expressions of personality that I love to discover on my wanderings around America. Come have fun with “Dick and Jane.”
Dick and Jane’s Spot
Dick and Jane’s Spot is the creation of Dick Elliott and Jane Orleman (along with their dog Spot) who purchased a dilapidated house on the corner of 1st and Pearl in 1978. Over the decades they have turned the house into a fantastic menagerie of folk art. Thousands of bottle caps, reflectors and hub caps decorate the house, yard and fences with glittering pieces of art created by a variety of artists and craftsmen. (The Ellensburg Police Department is right across the street and probably helps deter any vandalism that might occur.) The house is still a private residence and while visitors are encouraged to walk around the outside of the property all one can do is look over the fence and marvel. Let’s have some fun with “Dick and Jane!”
A close-up shows the incredible detail on display.
Within the confines of the fence whimsical pieces of art are scattered around the yard.
As the number of visitors increased over the years, problems developed in the parking lot to the north as tourists squeezed around cars to look at the north wall. The city donated about 10 feet of the parking lot as a walkway for tourists so that a compete tour around the property is now easily available.
The current resident was at home on the day I visited, her car was parked in the back drive way amidst all the décor.
The artistic vibe has spread throughout the valley and numerous barns in the surrounding rural area, old and new, are often decorated with a quilt. The Ellensburg Barn Quilt Tour gives visitors added spice to an interesting drive around the countryside.
East of Ellensburg the valley begins to stretch down towards the Columbia River canyon. The arid nature of the Columbia Basin is readily apparent, with few trees dotting the rolling hills of sage brush and grass. An incessant wind roars down the east slope of the Cascades and out across the seemingly endless steppes, giving life to the growing presence of windmills providing renewable energy to the customers of Puget Sound Energy. High atop a hill PSE has built an education facility to help the public learn about renewable energy which also provides incredible views in all directions.
Wild Horse Wind Facility
A winding road climbs about three miles off the highway to the visitor center which sits in the middle of windmills and field of solar panels.
The hexagon-shaped main room soars towards a cupola above. The small center is designed to educate visitors about renewable energy as well as the area. A series of interactive displays, educational exhibits, and artifacts does an interesting job of meeting this goal!
A highlight is a restored 1905 Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton. It could reach a top speed of 15 mph and could go about 40 miles between charges.
Outside of the center the terrace gives expansive views in all directions. Approaching storm clouds mask the Cascade Mountains to the west but the Kittitas Valley to the south and Columbia Basin to the east unfold into the distance.
The skies have been sunny but a cold wind is ushering in a storm from the west. The long range forecast for the northwest is a series of storms blasting in off the Pacific and eventually dropping snow on the mountains of Idaho and Montana through which I need to drive to get home. The weather has been problematic the entire trip so I decide to cut my visit short and head for the hills (literally!). I’m about one day ahead of the rain as I head east on I-90 out across the Columbia Basin.
Across the Columbia Basin
It’s just 39 degrees under sunny skies as the Lunch Box descends towards the Columbia River, hidden in a narrow canyon five miles away in the morning haze.
The Columbia does not flow freely here, it is a pool of water behind Wanapum Dam. The descent to the river crossing is quick.
The perimeter of the Columbia Basin was explored in Volume 10 of the Lunch Box Journals but now I am striking straight across the heart of the basin to Spokane. This was all essentially desert until the 1930’s when the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project constructed a series of dams on the Columbia River, providing both flood control and water for irrigation. With access to water the desert bloomed and the miles between the river and Moses Lake cross rich agricultural lands under irrigation.
The land changes character between Moses Lake and Spokane as the green of irrigated lands is replaced by the golden hues of dry land wheat country.
One hundred miles later I-90 angles northeast and a smattering of pine trees announce our arrival into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Columbia Basin ends abruptly at the southern edge of the Spokane River valley as the interstate drops sharply into the city of Spokane.
Traffic through Spokane is always congested as I-90 is the only conduit east and quickly I drive through towards my next destination, the mountains of northern Idaho.
Next up: The Navy in Idaho?
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