Yellowstone Ride - Day 2 - Penticton to Spokane - 350 km

The American Okanogam 

After a lovely breakfast at Granny's of freshly baked scones and cut up fruit (a breakfast that would stand head and shoulders above anything else for the rest of the trip), we got on our bikes and headed south.

It was a very enjoyable ride - but it was already hot - and I eagerly joined Dale in his questionable decision to strap his jacket to his Honda rather than wear it. We headed down Highway 97 which is a scenic ride through Oliver and Osoyoos until we got to the US border at Oroville.

Day 2 route

I have had friendly border guards, I have had nasty border guards, and I have had bored border guards, but I have never had such a rude, mean spirited guard as the woman at the US border. She was abrupt with me, sarcastic and sounded angry - all things that added to my regular border crossing angst. Not only was she rude to me, my friend, Dale, had the same, negative experience.  I did, however, drop a wax covered ear plug on the ground in front of the guard when I took off my helmet and I left it there. Hah! Take that!

We rode past similar scenery and filled up at Tonasket in the American Okanogan. While we were there, we spoke to a state trooper. Dale asked him the best route to Spokane - most scenic and free of state troopers! He laughed and suggested Highway 155 and then Highway 2.

A rest stop on Highway 155

We turned onto Highway 155 in Omak. It was hot and sticky out but there was little traffic so we could get going nicely.

Highway 155 was very scenic, and went all the way to the Grand Coulee Dam. We stopped there and went to the excellent (and free) visitor's centre which told us the whole story about the dam. Although not as tall as the Hoover Dam, for example, the Grand Coulee Dam is almost 5 times wider and is lost to a mile wide!

I was surprised at how many places have been dammed on the Columbia River.

From there we made our way to Spokane. Highway 2 was pretty boring, especially after the previous leg, and Spokane itself was not that pretty either - at least the areas that we saw. There was a lot of concrete in terms of buildings and highway overpasses that were not attractive.

Our hotel (the Ramada Downtown) was in an area that had seen better times. Probably in the sixties or seventies, the freeway came through and altered the area. Although the hotel was a bit sketchy, it did have a pool which was greatly appreciated and we met a guy (Everett?) that was riding across the country on a 2006 BMW 1200. He had bought it second hand with 110, 000 miles on it!

One place that has been there since before the changes was Dick's Hamburgers. Looking at the sign, I read 'Dick's' and then 'Buy the Bagfull'. All I could think was 'Grab a bagful of Dick's'!

We did have dinner at Dick's. When we get off our bikes, the last thing we want to do at the day's destination is get on the bikes again. Well, Dick's was it for restaurants and I have to say that their burgers were some of the best. I had a Whammy (double cheese burger), onion rings, and a salted caramel shake.

Delicious!