Along the Coffee Pot Trail

Mary and Mike Brown, Loretta Mayer, M. Love, Raymond Mayer, Dee ??? (a Waltho cousin) and Carol Waltho.

Before saying good bye to some of the cousins yesterday morning, we enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast at Soap Lake's version of the Hoot Owl.

Then, there was mention of the Waltho Hotel, which my Uncle George's mother Maggie and her sister established after moving from Newport to Soap Lake.

It's changed a bit over its many decades of existence, but we still figured a group photo would be nice.

Then, we headed down the road toward Odessa and Coffee Pot Lake.

Bill had seen the big rainbows being landed from Coffee Pot Lake on a fishing snow, and now that he's got a nice pontoon boat, he's checking out spots for launching it.

That trip took us through the Washington scab lands and the Washington wheat lands, all new territory for both of us. 

When we arrived in Odessa, a tidy old Washington community with its notable German roots ( I saw 'Strohmaier' painted on a town bench), Bill reminded me of the German band from Odessa that had performed one year at Sandpoint's Oktoberfest.

I got out of the car a couple of times to shoot some photos of longtime structures in Odessa.

We were going to fill up on gas, but the Chevron station was shut down and the farm store pumps were not operating.

So, we figured the quarter tank of gas would get us to Davenport easily, with a stop-off at Coffee Pot lake.

It's a pretty little lake tucked away in the rolling sagebrush hills.  

I was reminded a bit of Moses in the bull rushes while walking to the shoreline with wind whipping the tall amber reeds and whitecaps rolling across the water.

There are picnic and camping spots and a welcome restroom with a sign next door to "clean up after your dogs."  

The BLM facility also reminds visitors of rattlesnake presence. 

I think visions of big rainbows of the fishy nature will bring Bill back, now that he's seen the facilities.  He did wonder if the wind ever stops blowing there.

As we continued down Coffee Pot Road and then turned off toward Davenport, we enjoyed watching huge storm clouds hover over spots in the wide-open expanse.

Again, I enjoyed seeing new and different country and thinking about the great stories that must add significant color to its otherwise bland landscape.  

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Before posting a few more photos, I want to give a shout-out to our daughter-in-law Debbie as she and all the millions who have been associated with the Girl Scouts of the United State of America celebrate their 100th birthday today.

A special ceremony for Sandpoint will take place in the City Council Chambers this afternoon at 4:30. 

 Also, Happy Birthday, Mr. Rory of Tacoma who has reached double digits today.  Just 90 more years for him to attain the century mark.