The Selkirk Loop

I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t know about this drive, and I live in the area of it. Once I heard about it from the Spokane paper, I researched it. We went on the short version this time, from Colville to Metaline, into Canada and across on Highway 3 to Creston, then south to Bonners Ferry on to Newport and finally the Flowery Trail. It is said that the route is popular with cyclists. We saw some on the road, but not a lot. Possibly due to the heat wave we were in.

We spent the night in Bonners Ferry and did the route in 2 days. We were traveling with our kids this time. Unfortunately, these proved to be the hottest days of the year. That curtailed activities, especially for me.

The highway through Metaline Falls was lovely. We stopped at Sweet Water Creek for a waterfall and short walk. The path was asphalt and easy for me with a walker, except for the heat of the day. We also went to Boundary Dam and had a short tour. The dam is spectacular; jammed in a narrow canyon. There was part of the tour down a flight of stairs that my family had to help me with. Near the dam, there is a really nice cave tour, Gardner Cave. We didn’t do it this time because we had been there before. Metaline has a local tourist train if you are fortunate to be there when it runs. It also has a nice little shopping district. Kevin Costner made part of a movie there, the Postman. Even the dam made an appearance in the movie, with Tom Petty in the scene.

The drive over the pass in Canada on 3 was beautiful. I regret not getting enough pix.

Creston was kind of spread out and you don’t drive through the town. All of a sudden, the town was gone. We backtracked because we needed lunch. We had to stop a native, who told us about “A Break in Time”. It was just the kind of food we like. Choices for the kids, a bit bohemian, home made tasting food. If you go there, Google it first.

Back to the USA. Bonners Ferry proved to be the perfect place to stop. Not too long a drive. We stayed on the waterfront at the Best Western Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa. It had a casino, so we lost a bit of cash there. An inside pool. They had a spa also. Nice place. Bonners Ferry also had a national wildlife refuge. We drove by, but it was too hot to wander that day.

The second day’s drive was less exciting for us. We had been to Sandpoint before. If you want to shop, that may be the best place. Coldwater Creek is headquartered there. Lots of walking and biking opportunities. Be sure to check out the bridge with shops inside. Newport was also a repeat. There was an old fashioned soda fountain in Newport that my mom told us about. It was right on the highway in the ‘down town’. Unfortunately, it was closed on Sunday.

The final drive through Flowery Trail was a nice diversion. Some great views.

We are planning this route again for the future. Next time, we will go kid-free, head north from Metaline and do the top part of the loop. Maybe go back down as far as Bonners Ferry for the night and pre-book massages or similar treats (we couldn’t get anything this time because we hadn’t pre-booked), then go back to and over Canada 3 and back through Metaline to Colville (Tiger Highway isn’t on the map here, but goes directly to Colville).

San Diego/ Cabo San Lucas cruise

This was our second such trip out of California. We went as a family and had a friend (Ruth) accompany us to help with Genny. We went in December over the holidays and added San Diego at the end to entice Genny to go with us.

This cruise was 5 days, San Diego round trip, stopping in Cabo San Lucas and our favorite…. Ensenada! I think every cruise must HAVE to stop there. The cruise line was Carnival this time, our first with them.

Flying into San Diego instead of LA was dreamy. Much more manageable size than LAX. I’d highly recommend going there. We used the cruise line pick up option at the airport again. It went well.

We had 2 rooms to split up the kids. That was lovely. Ruth stayed with Genny, which worked out really well. We were on the same deck, but a ways apart.

Carnival made us feel indulged, which is always my hope on a cruise. The fancy dinners were better than Royal Caribbean, although RC had no problems with theirs either. We thought the breakfast in the formal dining room was better managed than on RC. We also thought that RC had a much better buffet/casual meal set up. Carnival had fewer options offered at the buffet restaurant. The kids were happy, however, they catered more to kid tastes on Carnival.

My big problem with this cruise SHIP was that access was hard. We had to go all the way down the ship, up in an elevator, then down a hall to another elevator to get down to our assigned dinner restaurant. They didn’t just have 1 restaurant you could get assigned to, but 2. I got lost and turned around all week. It was caused by the big atrium in the middle of the ship. It messed up the layout. I can’t imagine being elderly and finding my way around that ship. It was the Elation ship, and I believe other Carnival ships have the same layout.

As always, the free games and activities on the ship were frequent and entertaining.

Our first stop was Cabo. We had a great day. Half of us did a boat ride around the end of the peninsula and half did snorkeling. Both were fabulous and affordable. Even in December, Cabo got too warm for me by noon. It was okay; we had finished our boat tour so I went to the ship and read on deck in the shade.

The infamous Ensenada was our next port. Given our last experience there (see entry on Cal. Cruise #1), we booked an excursion. It turned out to be a much better option than going on our own. We still saw the poverty of the area, but weren’t walking amongst it. We took a bus tour that went up the coast and ended in a classic public building (like a county courthouse) that was lovely.

When we returned to San Diego, we stayed at the hotel. It exceeded our expectations. Our room was to be on the 2nd floor (no elevator) and the clerk saw me in my walker. She comped us an upgrade that was on both floors so I didn’t have to climb stairs.

The rest of my party went to the zoo on the first day and I rested.

The next day we went to Seaworld. Some of it bothered me ethically, as expected. Animals performing cute routines. I hope there was some good being done in the area of conservation, but it was very much for profit. The most beautiful and hard to accept were the killer whales. I teared up at the first majestic jump. Then immediately felt guilty about it all. Those wolves of the sea so don’t belong in there. I know dolphins can perform when free in the ocean, they enjoy it. But killer whales? After I went home, I thought about how my day at Seaworld was over, but the whales were still there, 365 days a year, performing for fish over and over again. I try to find peace in the idea that the suffering of these whales may help others in the world because the park raises awareness of them to the public. The kids had no such worries. They had a great day, blissfully unaware.

I did find this park had bathrooms in poorer condition that Disney parks. Not enough of them, paper garbage overflowing, broken toilets un-repaired.

Accessibility was generally pretty good. One exhibit I would never do again in a scooter was the Arctic. The turns were impossible, people stood in front of me so I couldn’t see many of the exhibits. I hit walls, saw little. They have moving sidewalks in other places which kept people moving and gave me a clear view. Not here. Skip this if you can’t walk through it.

Winter weather in all these places was perfect for me. Temps in the 70’s (except Cabo). Very comfortable for me.

California/ Catalina cruise

We took a 4 day cruise out of LA that stopped in Catalina, San Diego, and Ensenada. It was on the Royal Caribbean line. We added the pickup at the airport, which made it much easier. Leave plenty of time to get from airport to ship. If you are early on the ship, you can still board and hang out on deck or get lunch. We did it in April of 2006. But if you are late, no one will ever wait for you!

The Royal Caribbean food and service were good. We had no kids on this trip so we don’t know about the kid activities on this cruise. One of my best tips: do the free stuff on the ship. There are constant games and shows. You can watch or participate.

San Diego was our first stop. I really needed to see a panda, so we went to the San Diego Zoo. It was a great day. The cost for the excursion was very little more than the ticket price for the zoo. I couldn't believe they didn't boost the price immensely for the ride over and back. It is a huge zoo, and ethically one of the best. Good housing for the animals, many conservation projects evident. I would gladly support them.

Catalina was wonderful. My mom had taken this cruise before and did a tour of Avalon (the town). We did a tour that ended up at the island airport. It was a thrilling fun ride of death defying turns. You shouldn’t miss it! Lots of great photo opportunities. Then we spent time downtown shopping. Very touristy and California upscale. There are very few cars, 10 year waiting list to be allowed to get one, so everyone travels via golf cart. Interesting to see them in driveways. Lots of land conservation so people have to be packed into small space. Makes for the whole island being so beautiful.

Our next stop was Ensenada. After the day on Catalina, it was shocking. Wretched girls/women begging on the street. Dirty town. Tragically sad. And we were supposed to be on vacation. The bathroom cost money: We would never wander freely there again. We will only book excursions that are controlled.

I’ve said it before, with mobility issues, cruising is the way to travel. April is a good time to be there, also. The weather was nice, with moderate temps, so I didn't get overheated or sick.


When we landed in LA, it would be hours until our flight. so we booked an excursion bus tour around town We went to the major sites, Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, Grauman's Chinese theater, Beverly Hills, etc. It only cost about $30 and was lots of fun.

North Cascades Highway

Our favorite way to go across the state (Washington). Highway 20. This highway is closed in the winter. We did these pix during July. Snow still by the road in the Cascades. You can come from Spokane on Highway 395. We start in Colville and go to I-5, then on to Bellingham or Seattle. Starting from Colville:

The first pass is Sherman Pass. We see moose from the road there sometimes. There was a spectacular forest fire in this pass and there is a pull out view spot with information about what happened in the fire.

Republic is the first town on the way. It has a picturesque main street. We like to stop at the Stone Rose fossil site. It is very unique. The fossils date from millions of years ago, but after dinosaurs. You get to dig on an easily accessible hillside. They get to look at your finds, and unless they are noteworthy, you get to take them home with you. It was an ancient lake or ocean bottom, so there is a lot to be found. Everyone will go home with something. You can walk to the hill (a couple of blocks from the center) or drive right there (good for folks with issues with mobility). Cost is minimal.



After Republic, there is another pass type area. Another food stop. Depending on our timing, a hearty meal can be had at the Wauconda Café. Roadside eats. The best thing, however, is their homemade pie. They are truly homemade with a homemade crust. My favorite is the rhubarb strawberry. If we are not there for a meal time, they will do take out pie. Really not to be overlooked.

Then Tonasket. Watch out for the hill approaching town, speed limit is 25. I missed it once and got pulled over!

Omak is the next big town. There is a fabulous restaurant that should not be missed. The Breadline Cafe. They have their own bakery. Funky atmosphere. Fresh local food. Healthy, even.



Winthrop is the next major town. Very tourist trap like. Hard to park. Accessibility was hard for me. Tight stores. Steps. It is beautiful. People stay there, I think, for nature activities like hiking, horseback riding, and river rafting. Good food. We tend to drive through.


Now we are heading up into the Cascades. Stunning views abound. Countless hiking trails start from the highway. Waterfalls drop along the road. Snow alongside, also.



The road ends at Burlington on I-5. A secondary path to Bellingham is the Chuckanut Drive. It can be found off of I-5. Such views. It ends in Bellingham, near Fairhaven district. Bellingham has a wonderful college town atmosphere. There is even a counter-culture “downtown”. I believe it is Fairhaven. Continue on in Bellingham, or Seattle via I-5.

Enjoy.

New Mexico

I think I saw my new homeland when I saw New Mexico. I have always felt a strong connection to Georgia O’Keeffe, and saw why she spent the rest of her life there after traveling to New Mexico.

New Mexico also marked my first attempt at traveling with a walker.

We flew into Albuquerque and rented a car. We drove north to Santa Fe for a night. We stayed in a lovely hotel, Hotel St. Francis near the plaza and shopping downtown. Unfortunately, the hotel wasn’t very accessible. It was built in 1880. There was a half-flight of stairs from the lobby to the elevator. Other than that, the rooms were decorated in themes, nicely appointed. Ours was a garden theme. The room appears to be one on their website. The hotel restaurant was good. The area was loaded with shopping without a lot of walking distance. There was a Georgia O’Keeffe museum just a few blocks away. Great gift shop.

After a leisurely morning in Santa Fe, we headed north to our friend’s house. She lives outside Cebolla, NM. The scenery along the way made us stop for photo ops a lot! Unbelievably beautiful rocks. It was September, but there had been rains, so we saw flowers aplenty.

We were only in New Mexico for 4 days, but it was so memorable and packed with new adventures.

We spent one day driving west to ruins at Aztec. There were numerous sites within driving range for us. I research online trying to find the one I thought was most accessible. This was the winner.

Another day, we went east to Taos. We drove it as a loop, heading south first on 84, 68, then back on 64. The entire route was beautiful. Along 64, we saw a large collection of earth-bermed homes that were unique.

We also went south to the Ghost Ranch, which was where Georgia O’Keeffe lived. They had a small museum dedicated to dinosaurs of the area and her artwork. We also paused at Abiquiu, an artist type colony. Apparently celebrities have discovered it so the prices are outrageous. But fun to look at.

When I went to Albuquerque a few years ago, I noticed they don’t seem to have the espresso stands you see EVERYWHERE in the Pacific Northwest. It got me thinking about starting a drive through down there. Then when we returned on this trip 5 years later, all they seem to have are a few Starbucks in city centers. That’s my big secret- -move to New Mexico and start selling espresso!

We plan to return to visit again, there is so much to do that we have tons of new ideas to keep us busy. The walker made many things possible and gave me hope for more traveling.

One of my favorite things was going to places Georgia O'Keeffe may have gone to paint. I took photos and they compare to the paintings amazingly well. Here is a sample:

North to Alaska, Go North, the Rush is On!

Royal Caribbean cruise line, Seattle, 7 days to Alaska, and back to Seattle.

We reserved a room a full year before the sailing date, with our travel agent, and still, all the handicapped access rooms were booked. The earliest out is about 16 months. Alaska is currently very popular, so it is best to plan ahead. We chose a ship that went round trip out of Seattle, so no planes as we were trying to bring my scooter and walker and a plane would have been harder to manage.

Cruise companies have toll free numbers for disabilities, so I got that from my agent and called several times. I needed a fridge for my meds and a sharps container. They happily provided both. We told them we had a walker and scooter and they made sure there was space. They even upgraded us to a larger room for this need. We crammed 2 adults, 2 big kids, luggage, fridge, and the equipment in the room! My parents both went with us and were impressed with how large our room was (they had previous cruise experience). I couldn’t believe that was ‘large’ until I saw theirs. Ship cabins are tiny!

We paid extra for an ocean view room, but it was a waste of money. We spent all day out and about. There are sofas and chairs all over for reading, game room, library, computer room, etc. on the ships. The window wasn’t very clean for photos and at night, it didn’t matter much. Inside rooms are just as big and cost a lot less. I loved to sit out on deck and watch the ocean or land pass by. How else will you see whales if you don’t go outside? (side note: it is soooo hard to photograph whales. They start to breach, you click, and they are almost gone. No giant jumps like on TV. When they are in their daily lives, much less exciting. So I have pix of little hump shapes in the water. But in my mind's eye, they are there!)

The best thing for me about Alaska was that the weather was no warmer than 70 or so. I have MS and can’t be in the heat or I get sick. Wearing a jacket on deck was sufficient. Rain can be an issue in Alaska, so be prepared for that. We didn’t see rain on our entire trip.

There are elevators for up and down on the ships, but nothing for end to end travel. I had to plan out or I got too tired roaming the ship. Learn the ship layout!

While waiting for the cruise to come, we shopped the excursions. They tend to be very expensive, so we tried to shop wisely. Some people at cruise critic.com said you could book excursions at the dock from other providers. We didn’t see any in some ports and they don’t carry guarantees of on-time returns. The ship will NOT wait for you. Be cautious; they make all the excursions sound authentic and adventurous. We were cattle, over 2000 per ship. Which isn't to say it's not fun. Just know what to expect. Authentic Alaska is hard to find from a cruise. Book early as some do fill up. We did pretty well in the end:
Juneau: free excursion to Hubbard Glacier. Shopping downtown was easy to get to from the ship. I used my scooter for the glacier and downtown. Glacier was federal, so all ADA compliant. Downtown was level. Stores were tight, however. I had to leave the scooter outside the doors and walk in. Short distances like that were okay for me. Wheelchairs would be hard indoors.
Skagway: This was most everyone’s favorite stop. We liked the aura of the town. Much less congested than Juneau, even with 3 ships in port together. Lots of excursions available. We took train ride up into the mountains and bus ride back, stopping at fake mining camp and gold panning. My parents did only the train round trip for $50 less a person or so. My kids really enjoyed the camp, so for them it was very good. I like the photo ops available from the bus on the way back. Unbelievable views. The tour guide told us lots of interesting things as well. $150 a person?
Hoonah/ Icy Strait Point: This was the most authentic stop. We didn’t do an excursion, just wandered around the port and shops. I wish now we had bought the bear watching excursion. Other people saw many bears on theirs.
Victoria: Scooter was invaluable here. Waterfront was awesome. No excursions. There are many choices down by the Empress for free or nearly so. British Columbia museum is awesome and cheap. Butterfly garden a block away.

On the ship tips:
Gambling was a loser proposition for everyone we saw and everyone in our party. See the nightly shows. They are fun and FREE. The fine dining dinners are free and exceptional. We didn’t do the formal nights, you know, kids and fancy clothes don’t all go together. The buffet in our ship was amazing, however. We discovered all the game show type things in bars around the ship, all day long. They were fun even just to watch and laugh.

Access and accommodation on the ship was excellent. They know how to help and are amazing. This was my first trip since my recent setbacks. I was so scared about venturing into new places, but they were awesome. Ships have tons of experience with disabled and elderly. Cruising is now my favorite kind of travel because I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. That has been the worst part for me, feeling like I am on the sidelines watching everyone DO things. I didn’t feel that way after this trip. We have saved our money and gone on 2 more (much cheaper) cruises and I had the best time. I will tell you about those trips later. Alaska was my ‘Trip of a Lifetime’.

Yellowstone-Devil's Tower-Mt. Rushmore loop

This trip is still one of my favorites. You can do it in any order depending on from where you start. We started in the west.

Day 1: drive to Bozeman, MT. Spent the night in the Fairfield Inn because it had free breakfast. Fairly good one, at that.
Accessibility: Fine, first floor room.

Day 2: drive to Yellowstone through the north entrance. We stopped at Mammoth. Take the side road loop there, it is awesome! There were also people with passports to the National Parks. We didn’t understand at the time, but they take those to all national parks and stamp it (free I think). My kids would have liked that. We drove on to Canyon Village. We rented a cabin. Be warned, a cabin is a mobile home in the woods. Very pricey for the quality, but the location was great. You don’t have a lot of choice, no competition in the park. We chose that site because of its central location. Short drive to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and amazing falls. Most photographed site in Yellowstone.
Accessibility: Yellowstone is very compliant with ADA. I wish I had a scooter then, because the distances to trek tired me out. Some paths not very accessible, but most are.

Day 3: drive W on the Grand Loop road. Stop at all the sites along the way. Don’t miss the Firepot Loop, near the mud pots. And, where ever you see a cluster of stopped cars, stop and see why. Wildlife everywhere. We continue to Old Faithful. Then continue around the loop, heading back to Canyon Village. You will pass through a big valley with the Yellowstone river. Many buffalo here. Don’t be stupid, they are wild animals!

Day 4: drive south on the loop, heading to Grand Teton Park. We spent the day exploring that direction. Jenny Lake was gorgeous.
Accessibility: Good, as with Yellowstone.

Day 5: we pack up and head for the east entrance to leave the park. This highway is unbelievably photogenic and sort of scary. There is a mustang wild horse refuge near Gillette. We sidetracked there on our way. We spend the night in Gillette, Wyoming. Any hotel will do, it’s just a place to spend the night.

Day 6: we head to Devil’s Tower. Don’t miss the prairie dog town on the road at the base. They are marked with signage. Then on to the Black Hills of S.D. We stayed at a motel (with breakfast, again) only 5 miles from Mt. Rushmore in Keystone.
Accessibility: I didn’t attempt to walk around the base of the tower, so I don’t know.

Day 7 and 8: All close to the motel: Mt. Rushmore, Bear Country, Needles Highway (don’t miss it. You’ll never see another road like it), train ride to Hill City, caves (one was a national monument, I think). Hill City dinosaur museum, (in a store front. Amazing specimens. Packed wall-to-wall. A must see. They are planning a museum, but when we went it was downtown in an old store.) There was more to do than we could fit in.
Accessibility: Also very ADA compliant at the monument. A few stairs at the dino museum. Train was old steam, a few steps, but may have had a lift. I didn’t personally do the cave (fear of the tight places!)

Day 9: We head back through Montana, on highway I 90, and stop at Little Big Horn. It is close to I 90. The site has changed much since I first saw it as a child. Now it presents the Native American point of view in addition to the whites. A very moving experience. We continue on to Bozeman, MT. Back to the Fairfield Inn.
Accessibility: ADA compliant. Some of the grave markers are a bit to access.

Day 10: We go to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. Great dinosaur displays and more. We rest and do laundry.
Accessibility: Fine.

Day 11: drive home! BTW, Missoula has the only Cracker Barrel for hundreds of miles. I am a sucker for the gift shop. It is right on I 90.