A Super Moon

Crossing the divide in North Cascades as we headed east, the terrain begins to change dramatically.  The mountains give way to more arid slopes and eventually valleys and high desert where little rain falls.  The lush, green fir and hemlock trees are replaced with scrubby shrubs and prairies grasses except where farmers irrigate the valleys.  The change in scenery from where we have spent most of the last month is dramatic.

It was a largely uneventful day crossing most of Washington, headed into Coeur d’Alene.  There was only one stop for gas and lunch preparations that carried us all the way.  Once set up in a great RV Park on the Spokane River, we went about our list of tasks that needed completing between two longer dry camping stops – charging everything (phones, Kindles, camera batteries, computers, iPads…), laundry, draining and re-filling fresh and gray water tanks, and grocery re-supply.  Our planned taco salad for dinner was postponed in favor of local pizza and a dip in the water to cool off.

The kids didn’t last long in the river – even though it was 95 degrees outside, the water was COLD!  As they headed back inside for long, hot showers (a luxury not afforded during dry camping stops), Matt climbed up on the camper roof to check out the rise of the “supermoon.”  Just minutes later, I heard a knock on the ceiling as he insisted I come up to join him.  It was quite a sight…  Not only did the moon seem extra-large, but it was such a bright honeyed orange color that it seemed surreal.  The kids each took their turns climbing partway up the ladder for a look as well before they were lured back inside by the A/C and opportunity to use electronic devices for a night.  Matt and I strolled back over to the river to continue our moonrise viewing and a bit of quiet time to ourselves – before the mosquitos drove us inside as well.