Crowsnest to Ruby

Baked oatmeal layered with peaches. Now that's the way I like to start my day. Best oatmeal I've ever had and our B&B host shared the recipe so beware those of you who are thinking ahead to an overnight with us.

Back on the road we took the Crowsnest Pass through the Rockies. I didn't include photos because you can find far more beautiful ones than I can take. However, we did stop in the little town of Sparwood. (Wouldn't you if the biggest truck in the world was there?!) It's a Titan and was used for coal mining. Pretty scary thing to look at! Can you imagine what a new tire costs?

Driving on we made our way to the other side of the mountains, British Columbia, the Pacific time zone, decent coffee, and crossed back into the U.S. north of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Don't you love the looks of the U.S. Duty Free store in the photo below? Sightings of wildlife along the way included eagles, deer & bighorn sheep. (Moose & bears were not cooperating.) Crossing into Idaho we added elk and, strange but true, a zebra. We also passed the Happy Turnip Cafe in the middle of nowhere but it was closed.

Our final destination today - the Hotel Ruby in downtown Spokane. A very artsy hotel with ruby colored walls in the rooms. We'll be here two nights so you just may read more about it.

Trivia from yesterday... The Prince of Wales Hotel, unlike the other grand railroad hotels in Canada was built by the Great Northern Railroad and was and still is, U.S. owned. It's only open in the summer. This year it opened June 7th and will close September 18th to the general public. The entire hotel is booked for a wedding on the 19th & another on the 21st. Then all the windows and doors get boarded up. One man lives there all winter. Brrrr!

Trivia for today... We saw this sign this morning... "Sheds, garages & sea cans moved". What's a sea can?