[Larry]

I've attached some images of flowers around Kamiak Butte from last weekend. These images are from an old Canon AE-1, so may not be the "sharpest kids on the block". I'll scan the medium format transparencies, and will post them and they should be better images. All images from Kamiak, except for the Blue Camas. I've pasted the trip report from the Trail Talk forum, for appropriateness: _______________________________________________________ The flowers at Kamiak Butte were plentiful and a fantastic variety and "mix" of flowers found in various parts of the state, depending on rainfall and shade characteristics. Alan, thank you very much! An unforgettable place. The 17-mile drive from Palouse to Colfax is another gem. Beautiful rolling wheat-hills and flowers everywhere. The thunderheads in the distance contrasted beautifully with the greens. I took the "back way" to the west, and was richly rewarded with meeting only a few cars on the 160 miles from Colfax to Royal City via the "off track" secondary routes. My route was an eclectic cruise through the "breadbasket" of the Inland Empire, and was a joy. Such towns as Mockonema, Thera, Winona, Benge, Pizarro, Corfu, and Smyrna provided a glimpse into the America of yesterday, each grain elevator looming on the horizon to show the next community. The roads were excellent, and the numerous coulee crossings showed the extent of the great floods from melting ice. Flowers were everywhere, and I stopped at quite a few crossings and hiked around to inspect the land. I finished up by wandering around on Lower Crab Creek and then motoring on to Hayward Hill. Marta was right...the Blue Camas was stunning! Drifts of blue haze all over the place. Thanks again Alan for the great suggestion. It was a soothing couple of days. I'll be repeating it.

Blue Camas near Taneum Road

From the Highway Near Pizarro, WA

Balsamroot on SE Ridge of Kamiak Butte

Calypso Orchid in Wooded North Slope of Kamiak Butte

White Flower on Kamiak Butte...Forgot the Name..Alan Mentioned Them

[Larry]

It surely was a blast of freshness. You know...I stopped in Benge at a place for sale. Could purchase just the house (which was in beautiful shape) with 5 acres for about $160k. Or...could purchase the whole ball of wax with an additional 200 acres of fields for about $300k. I am SERIOUSLY thinking of just pulling out of Puget Sound for somewhere over there. The peace/serenity is wonderful, the mountains aren't far for my "mountain fix". The upshot is, they have all the amenities, even in those very small communities...internet, cheap electrical power, good well water, the works. I've found that I can just about completely telecommute if I want to, might have to come in to Bellevue once every two weeks for a couple of days to run meetings. I am also looking at the area around Horse Canyon, below Hayward Hill. It is all REALLY appealing to me. The climate really agrees with my sinuses and I just feel more serene over there. I love your shot of the rolling hills, Alan.

[marta]

Those photos are wonderful. Kamiak Butte is going on my list of places to visit. I'm not up for the drive this year. Great shots of the Palouse also. Larry, do you use a backdrop of some type? I was wondering about the background for Camas picture. What is it? - marta

[Larry]

[Newt]

Thanks for the awesome photos. Very interesting landscapes. Having never been there, I just added the area to my list. Now to find time. Thanks again. NN

[Larry]

Thanks Newbie. You won't be disappointed going to that area for a trip. Alan: I have an acquaintance who lives in the upper Okanogan, near Conconully. He has 80 acres, with two year-round streams (trout included), pine forest with grassland, a truly beautiful little home. His wife was worried about the logistics in the winter. But, they just plan a little bit ahead for the winter and stock up on things so that they don't HAVE to go down to Omak or wherever all that often in the winter. He is retired, and his wife writes for a couple of major web sites in her office overlooking the deer and elk and occasional bear in the open forest below her window. I think they use a satellite ISP, so it's just fine. The do have a "growler" 4WD to get around in the winter, and in case of emergencies it's not all that far to hospitals and infrastructure in Omak/Okanogan. I forgot what they paid to move there, but it wasn't a huge amount. Myself, I would look at a bit closer to the Olympic Mountains, so I could get back over there in a half-day or so. That puts my eastern limit somewhere around a north-south line at Lind or Benge or Othello...which gives me lots of choice actually. One nice thing is the superb and uncrowded highways...makes for an easy drive, at least until back in the Puget Sound basin. I-90 is almost never closed, even in the winter, so that's a big plus. And, of course, the Cascades are a stone's throw, even from as far east as the channeled scablands. I'm not in a huge hurry, but am starting to look around. I can certainly go into this phase of my life with an open mind, and no pressure to act too quickly.