Back from Alaska (Seattle, Washington & Idaho Falls)

     June 13 found us sailing back toward Vancouver through the Inside Passage.  It was still overcast but much less foggy than on the trip north.  Lots of mountains on both sides of the channel & impressive vistas.  It must be very nice on a sunny day.

     Our final dinner in the main dining room was the best of the trip (apart from the always great meal in the Pinnacle).  A huge, thick cut of rare & flavorful prime rib.  Unfortunately, things went downhill after that.  Rick had a very swollen & painful throat the last night of the cruise.  He felt worse the next day as we drove south from Vancouver.  When we got to Portland we visited Urgent Care, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia!  What a parting gift from HAL! And very unfair, because Rick had had both pneumonia vaccination shots.

    After disembarking we drove to Seattle where we visited with Mary’s Aunt Josie and her son & daughter in law, Russ & Karen.

      From Seattle we proceeded to Portland, where we had scheduled three fun days with Barb & Brian.  Unfortunately, those plans were ruined by Rick’s pneumonia, with which he spent all three days in bed until a farewell dinner on the last day.  Fortunately, all the drugs the Kaiser Urgent Care doctor prescribed had Rick on his feet in time for our scheduled departure from Portland.

      We drove four long days to Ft Worth, Texas, which seemed even longer because neither of us was really well.  There was a lot of beautiful scenery, varying as we went, as you always see driving through the American West.  One night we stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho, our first visit there.  This city is located next to a huge gorge cut by the Snake River, which you don’t even know is there until you get right up to it.  In the morning we visited the gorge before leaving.  It was a beautiful morning and the views were really something.  Hang gliders were jumping from just under the bridge to land on a large target painted on a spot near the bottom.  We spotted one waterfall down the side of the gorge, but don’t know where the twins are that gave the city its name.

     So much for pictures.  We visited for a few days with Mary’s mother, Roxane, in Ft Worth then spent a day with Mary’s brother & sister in law, Joe & Janet, in East Texas. After that we drove for three days to get home, the most notable stop being for barbecue in Memphis, which is always great.  We arrived home on July 1, which happened to be our 45th anniversary.  After such a long, eventful & at times trying journey, just being at home & sleeping in our own bed was a great anniversary present to ourselves.  That’s all for this story; see you next time.