Well – the eastern side of the Cascades is nothing like the western side in terms of temperatures!!  The beautiful 70 degree temps have been left behind and we are now enduring the 100’s – which we thought were left in AZ;-(

 

The next stop on the agenda – Coeur d’Alene and another ‘little’ bucket list item – playing The Coeur d’Alene Golf Course with the famous floating green.  As we travel from place to place and state to state, Gary has the neat little app for finding gas – Gas Buddy.  Especially if we are going to cross state lines, we check to see where gas is less expensive and gauge our fill up accordingly (you can imagine that at 75 gallons of diesel at a shot we are always looking to save a few cents per gallon!).  RARELY do we find a Costco with diesel – but we hit the jackpot here in Coeur d’Alene and just couldn’t resist this picture – –

 

 

 

Coeur d’Alene is a cute little town (second largest metropolitan area in the state of Idaho and only about 30 miles from Spokane, WA) sitting on the north shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene.  Known for its resort and famous ‘floating green’ golf course it has grown recently due to tourism.

 

We were just here for the golf;-)  Since the course is ‘famous’ it can demand a hefty green fee!  They make it all better, though, by including FREE range balls, a FREE pre-round quick massage and a FREE fore-caddie.  So how can you NOT be happy?!?!

 

 

 

 

It is truly a floating green and the only way out to it is via Putter – –

 

 

Well – after that, we needed a day off before tackling another course.  Since neither of us had ever been to Spokane AND it was only 30 minutes away AND it is home to Gonzaga University (a team we often cheer for in the March Madness tournament) – we thought it should be checked out.

 

A wonderful Riverside Park sets right in the middle of the downtown area ‘showcasing’ the Spokane River.  Between 20,000 and 13,000 years ago, massive floods from glacial Lake Missoula rushed through the Spokane Valley, carving waterfalls and islands from the hard basalt bedrock.  During ensuing millennia, Salish tribes gathered along these falls to fish, dance and compete in traditional games.  The Spokane people called this part of the river “fast water”.  During the 1870’s, white settlers moved in, attracted by both the beauty and the potential of the falls for power.  They built dams to harness this power, which is still a supply source today.  The falls, the river and the surrounding area provide quite a site in the middle of the downtown.

 

 

 

 

 

After wandering the downtown area and having lunch on the river, we headed over to Gonzaga to check it out.  Did you know that Bing Crosby graduated from here in 1924???  A very pretty little campus.

 

 

Dessert at lunch was the most delicious strawberry shortcake, as the strawberries are in season here (as are cherries) and are soooooooo sweet.  So, after our visit to Gonzaga we were off to the countryside in search of fresh strawberries.  Would love to show you some BUT we ate them all;-)

 

Anyway, next thing you know it was another day and another golf course – Circling Raven.  This one was fun to play – but, quite interesting as it was in the middle of wheat fields with pine trees and marshes.  Don’t think we have ever seen such diverse landscape/topography in 18 holes.

 

 

It has been a very pleasant stay in Coeur d’Alene and its fun to say we have played the ‘floating green’.  But, it is time to find cooler weather so we are off early tomorrow.  Think it might be a few days to cooler temps, though, as Park City might be our only relief and it is a couple of days away;-(

 

Hurrying onward – E & G