Got a good reason for takin' the vehicle out
Whenever we get a chance, the wife and I love to hit the open road, if even just for a day.
We've pointed the nose of the car in every seemable direction from our house, and it's starting to get a little tough to come up with a new destination, even for an admitted map-aholic like me.
"Hello, my name is Jerry, and I am a map-aholic."
While there are no support groups for people of my ilk, finding a new place to explore within a day's drive makes me giddy to no end.
I suppose it is in my nature to hop in, buckle up, and head to parts unknown. I've done it all my life, no matter where I called home.
Some places we've visited are known tourist traps, but the real gems are the hidden burgs with a nice, homey little cafe, or maybe even a shop that piques the wife's interest.
And no, we don't often head out to do shopping for me. My fun is in the "getting there," and also the wife's comments on the way home.
She's not easy to please as far as day trips go, so I always have my work cut out for me. But she, like me, will usually try to keep an open mind, at least until we turn the vehicle around and head back to the barn.
And our opinions of a trip are more often than not split. A few years back, I had a day off and told my wife and then-high-school-aged daughter I had a trip planned, and they eagerly jumped aboard and we headed out. I drove them past the Spokane airport and west on Highway 2 to Davenport, then north on Highway 25 through Fruitland, Hunters and Gifford, all the way along Roosevelt Lake.
We finally ended our northern trek in Kettle Falls, looping around the town and arching back south on 395.
We stopped in Colville for lunch, and it was decent, but nothing to write home about. From there, we cruised through Chewelah and skirted Deer Park before landing back in Spokane.
By the time we got home, the girls were done in. Neither was impressed with my chosen route. I, on the other hand, thought it was a great day behind the wheel. I couldn't get enough of the lake views out my driver's side window for a couple of hours. I guess it lulled the girls to sleep.
Note to self: Make sure shopping is involved at least one stop during trip.
I heeded that advice in some future trips, and a jaunt up to Sandpoint gave the girls the shopping fix they needed. I've also taken them south, stopping in Moscow for breakfast and a rather large quilt supply shop for the wife to explore. From there, we made our way west to Pullman, and found a nice antique store to peruse. Luckily for me, it was late August - harvest time - and combines were busy collecting grain on our trek north along Highway 195 through the Colfax and Rosalia regions.
Probably the "best I've done," according to my wife, was a quick shuttle toward Spokane, when I ventured south at the Pines Road exit, which gives way to Highway 27 south of Spokane Valley. From there were meandered through farm country, me noticing each homestead and how each crop and livestock item was progressing.
About a half hour south, we came upon Rockford, which to me looked similar to the small town I grew up around in central Montana.
We pulled off the highway and wandered through town, finding what amounted to the hub of activity on the eastern edge, where Highway 278 stretches eastward.
There we found a nice little cafe, and we scarfed down a sandwich plate each of tasty, down-home vittles. On the end of the block was a promising large storefront, with a rustic home decor business within that the wife fell in love with.
After touring the store in a few minutes myself, I adjourned to the wooden bench out front. The small town and its goings-on brought back plenty of memories for me. After awhile I started to wonder what was keeping the missus, but I quickly realized, yep, she's having fun, let her be.
Besides, I have my trusty map to keep me company.
OK, what's next? Maybe we should head east ...
Jerry Hitchcock is a copy editor for The Press and a longtime daytripper. He can be reached at 664-8176 Ext. 2017, or via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com