Yesterday, loaded up Spyder and me and the wife headed up to Grand Coulie Dam. Took off up the Yakima River Canyon to Ellensburg. Then onto the freeway heading East to just past George then headed North towards the dam. Went thru a couple of little towns, along a couple of lakes that're in the valley the Missula floods carved out of the rocks. Stopped at Dry Falls and looked around. Talked to a man and his wife, I took a picture of them together for them.
Finally, got to the dam. It's a big one. We have watched the Lazer light show at night on two different rides there. It shows the lights across the face of the dam and has a narration playing over speakers. The best place to watch is at the visitor center, sitting outside on the concrete benches. Gassed up just up the hill from the dam. Saw 2 Bald Eagles doing their circling, wife said that was how they work at mating. They pump water up the side of the hill from the dam, and that is used to fill Banks Lake to be used as irrigation water. The 12 pumps that push the water up the 280 feet to fill Banks Lake are 65,000 horse power each. Six of them can be reversed and make power when taking water back out of the canal feeding the Banks Lake.
When we got to the dam at the end of Banks Lake, we crossed along top of the dam, then instead of going back home the same way, we stayed on Hwy 2 towards Wenachee. A few miles after Wenachee, we stopped in Cashmeer and ate. Then went to Hwy 97 and onto Blewett Pass. On down to Ellensburg. Came back from there thru the Yakima River Canyon to Yakima and home.
It was a long ride, but it was a good ride. Some spelling of names might be wrong but they're close. Saw plenty of geese and ducks along the way. In the Yakima River Canyon, we saw 4 Bald Eagles, 2 sitting on nests while their mates were out looking for food. Saw a couple of groups of deer in the Canyon. Maybe our next ride might be a short one out to Fort Simcoe, taking our lunch along to eat there.
Nathan in Yakima.
Finally, got to the dam. It's a big one. We have watched the Lazer light show at night on two different rides there. It shows the lights across the face of the dam and has a narration playing over speakers. The best place to watch is at the visitor center, sitting outside on the concrete benches. Gassed up just up the hill from the dam. Saw 2 Bald Eagles doing their circling, wife said that was how they work at mating. They pump water up the side of the hill from the dam, and that is used to fill Banks Lake to be used as irrigation water. The 12 pumps that push the water up the 280 feet to fill Banks Lake are 65,000 horse power each. Six of them can be reversed and make power when taking water back out of the canal feeding the Banks Lake.
When we got to the dam at the end of Banks Lake, we crossed along top of the dam, then instead of going back home the same way, we stayed on Hwy 2 towards Wenachee. A few miles after Wenachee, we stopped in Cashmeer and ate. Then went to Hwy 97 and onto Blewett Pass. On down to Ellensburg. Came back from there thru the Yakima River Canyon to Yakima and home.
It was a long ride, but it was a good ride. Some spelling of names might be wrong but they're close. Saw plenty of geese and ducks along the way. In the Yakima River Canyon, we saw 4 Bald Eagles, 2 sitting on nests while their mates were out looking for food. Saw a couple of groups of deer in the Canyon. Maybe our next ride might be a short one out to Fort Simcoe, taking our lunch along to eat there.
Nathan in Yakima.
