Dam & dam

Leaving Spokane this morning, it was actually raining, something they've seen very little of all summer. Excitement was in the air. We headed north and west again. The Grand Coulee Dam was our first destination. Impressive! For many years it was the world's largest dam and still is North America's. John G's father (he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation) once made a large model of the dam to send east for government use. John's mother contributed her T shaped milliner's hat pins and thread to be used as the power lines. John helped string the lines. Now that's trivia!

 

Then it was on to the Chief Joseph Dam, our second largest electricity producing dam. (You don't really want to see another dam picture, do you?)

After an incredible lunch at the Breadline Cafe in Omak, Washington (everything made from scratch & most ingredients local including the flour in all their baked goods - don't ask me how we get so lucky!) we headed up the Okanagan Valley where much of our fruit is grown. Judy & I thought we should have packed our canners and jars. Peaches 20 lbs for $10 Canadian (yes, we're in Canada again), tomatoes 40 lbs for $5. But we made do with just buying peaches, pears and apples to eat fresh. It's really obvious what's irrigated and what's not. That big pile of crates in the photo is waiting to be filled with the apples in the orchard behind. And, yes, we did see smoke and drive through a couple areas burned by the wild fires. Scores of firefighters had also set up tents in the stadium area in Omak. Signs everywhere thanking them for their help.

Tonight we're in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The drive through the Cascade Mountains this afternoon was incredibly beautiful. It was also much more pleasurable doing it in a new Suburban rather than Tillie the VW! 

John G. is the trivia answer from yesterday. (Far too easy!) The question for today is what is now the world's largest dam?