Ellensburg to Spokane
We left Ellensburg and headed east to Spokane. We loved the scenery which was forever changing on this drive. We passed all sorts of lakes and rock formations and were continually pointing out different things to each other.
We took a detour on the way to the Grand Coulee Dam which was recommended in one of the tour books we have been using. What wasn't mentioned in here was the Dry Falls which were certainly a highlight, we couldn't belive our eyes here. This is very definitely proof of the ice age and the devastating and beautiful effects this had on the landscape. When the ice started thawing there was a huge ice dam at the top of this area, the water kept building up and eventually broke through the 300foot high wall of ice. The flood waters cut away the softer basalt stones and enlarged the previous channel. When the waters receded this was the result. It is 3.5miles wide with a drop of 400 feet. Niagara would be dwarfed by this being only 1 mile wide and a 165 foot drop. Still can't wait to see it though.
Onwards to Coulee Dam and we passed through this amazing cutting which is nicknamed the million dollar mile. Apparently when the road was built several decades ago it cost $1million and made it the most expensive stretch of road at that time.
We finally make it to the Grand Coulee Dam and yes it is a huge piece of work. We stopped for a picnic lunch overlooking the dam and were overrun by some very friendly wasps. Needless to say we didn't stop too long.
Onwards on the last leg to Spokane where we passed miles upon miles of wheat fields. It was unreal how many acres of wheat there were and there just didn't seem to be any end to the fields at all. The camera just didn't do the fields justice. We saw fields in several stages of growth and harvesting - more research is required to figure out if the second cut on the wheat is straw or not.
