PENDLETON ROUND-UP - LET 'ER BUCK!

Yee Haw – its rodeo time!

We arrived in Pendleton and found our dry camping site on a hillside overlooking the town in the car park of D & B Supply –an all western shop. Had a look round the shop and got talking with Jim, the man on the gun sales – an absolutely fascinating man full of interesting facts about guns, gun laws, hunting and fishing.

We walked the 15 minutes to the rodeo center, picked up our tickets for the Thursday and Saturday rodeos and the evening performance of Happy Canyon outdoor pageant and Wild West show on Friday.

Then down to see Main Street Show – billed as “The Greatest Free Show in the West” - concentrated in the five downtown blocks of Main Street, on four stages, there were bands, dance groups, solo performances by entertainers and clown acts. Acts were on from 2pm until midnight each day – more than 250 hours of paid entertainment for free! There were about 50 craft, food and commercial vendors and a fun fair – just pure fun!

This rodeo has been going since 1910 and the Main Street Show since 195

ROY BEING TOUGH ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK!

We had the most amazing time at the “Tough To Wear Pink Rodeo” - part of the pro rodeo circuit – bare back bucking horses, bulls, steer roping and the fabulous girls who do the barrel racing, then Indian Races which was very different and Indian parade and dancing all on a grass arena which was unusual.

TOPPENISH – HISTORIC TOWN OF MURALS

I did say we wouldn't go back into Toppenish to look at the murals but as Roy said he didn't remember it very well we re-visited – so you get to see some murals. They are quite stunning and painted by very talented people.

We left the Yakama Nation campsite after looking round the museum, interesting place but once you've seen one museum about the Native Americans you've sort of seen them all – some are exceptional, some just interesting.

We travelled the short distance to Plymouth near the Columbia River for one night before the rodeo, we needed to top up and charge things up as we are dry camping for four nights.

We stopped for lunch at an overlook called Horse Heaven Vista, I just love this country as you get to places not on the tourist routes.

                                                              HORSE HEAVEN VISTA

CHINOOK SCENIC BYWAY

We reluctantly left Mt. Rainier National Park, such a peaceful, beautiful area. We took the Chinook scenic byway, a quiet pretty road, from mountains to fruit orchards, and stopped for the evening at Toppenish, a town we have visited before a few years ago, 65 painted murals are spread throughout the town but we opted not to see them again as I took many photos last time.

The road travelled over the Chinook Pass, the summit is marked with a pedestrian overpass for hikers on the Pacific Crest National Scenic trail - 2638 miles from Canada to Mexico. We are heading to Pendleton for 4 nights for the Pendleton Round Up - rodeo madness - whoopee! But dry camping so no wifi until Sunday

TIPSOO LAKE WITH RAINIER IN THE BACKGROUND

MARMOT SUNBATHING

TIPSOO LAKE

SUMMIT OF CHINOOK PASS - ROY UNDER BRIDGE

SUMMIT OF CHINOOK PASS ROY ON TOP OF BRIDGE

DAY TWO HIKING AT MT. RAINIER

We had a bad start to the glorious sunny day....we appear to have a mouse in the trailer! Tissues shredded, some droppings and part of a pear nibbled! We have been lazy in not using the traps, so after a search, clean and setting of traps with peanut butter, we left the trailer to the mouse and headed for the trails!

We did a beautiful 7 mile hike called Upper Palisades Lakes trail, we saw a grouse, lots of pikas, which was amazing as they are such timid animals, alpine meadows with flowers past their best except for a gentian type flower which was still in bud! We spotted five mountain goats high up as we passed four pretty lakes and ended at Upper Palisades Lake for lunch. Quite a tough hike with elevation gain of 1800ft but we had a wonderful day, and no mouse in the traps when we got back!

CAMPFIRE

MOUNTAIN GOATS

UPPER PALISADES LAKE

PIKA PICTURES

However as we sat reading around 9pm, I heard a noise from under the drawers where we had put one trap..... one mouse caught! I'm not a lover of mice and I didn't really want to see it but as Roy took it outside to be cremated on his campfire I looked – it was white underneath and had a long pink tail – not as cute as the ones we've trapped before!

AND THEN.... Roy replaced the trap and ten minutes later... another mouse caught!

AND THEN.... just as we were going to bed I said joking to Roy – there's another.....and there was! Now that's enough thank you very much – we cant find out where they are coming in but its a common problem with trailers. 

HIKING IN MT. RAINIER

FROM SUNRISE POINT BEFORE OUR HIKE

We had a fabulous day doing the three Burroughs mountain trail, hiking 9 miles around Mt Rainier, clear blue skies and hot sun with outstanding views of this amazing active volcano. It felt as if you could almost reach out and touch the mountain.

We had left the car park at 10am and got back after 4pm and the whole world seemed as if it had been here – car park was overflowing – but that's what I love about hiking – get out on those hills and you can always find your own space – even though there were many folk out hiking.

NOT OFTEN WE ARE OUT HIKING AT 10am AS SHE HOISTED THE FLAG AT THE VISITOR CENTER

GLACIER CLOSE UP

ALPINE LUPINE

ONE OF THE TWO SUMMITS

Roy had a visit from the campground host when we got back – he said he'd had lots of people coming to him saying how cool it was that we had got the trailer in this space, so he had to come and see for himself....I hope he's around when we have to get out!