20-25JUN08 - Kittitas, WA

Our next stop was at Dan’s cousin Steve and Bonnie Kiesel “ranch” outside of Kittitas, WA. For more info on cousin Steve and wife, Bonnie, see our BLOG for Labor Day 2007:

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2007/09/01sep07-kittitas-wa.html

Another reason we spent three days in Spokane, was because Steve told Dan that they were in the middle of hay operations and they would be done on Friday (the day of our arrival). The idea was that our stay in Spokane would mean we would miss all the work - Dan should know better than to believe Steve! What Steve meant was that the work would be done on Friday once you show up and help us. So after setting up the RV, it was time to pick up the fresh hay bales and store them into the barn. Apparently there is a neighbor who has a tractor pulled device to pick up the bales and stack them on a trailer. But the Kiesels didn’t feel like paying one buck a bale; after bucking a couple of bales onto the trailer, Dan offered to pay next year! Anyway with the help of their friends, we got the job done and preceded to a great BBQ and cold beer.

Gumbo the one eyed Jack loves the Kiesel ranch because this is the only place without fences where he allowed to roam free with out being on a lead. This is because there are four other dogs running around and Gumbo wants to be a part of the pack and not left behind. So consequently he stays with them and is in dog heaven, especially when he finds fresh road apples to roll in.

For most of our stay we had beautiful weather, with no wind (which is rare for this area of WA state). We had great views of Mt Rainier, Mt Adams and the Wenatchee Mountains. And it seems that there were some rare atmospheric conditions that resulted in spectacular sunsets that we saw. We also experienced a couple of days of very cool weather with chilly winds, apparently that is why the locals sometimes call the month June-uary.

All-in-all it was a very relaxing time spent doing some farm chores, helping Steve & Bonnie’s son Kenneth move into his first house, doing nothing in particular, and BBQ’ing. Turns out Steve had gained possession of Bonnie’s dad’s 67 Jeep Commander and pretty much got it working, so he took Dan into the local hills for 50 miles and four hours of cross country four wheeling. We also found time to visit the Wild Horse Wind Farm on Whiskey Dick Mountain. After visiting the excellent Visitor Center and seeing how this power company did it; its hard to see how people can be against this form of alternative energy?

http://www.pse.com/ENERGYENVIRONMENT/ENERGYSUPPLY/pages/EnergySupply_ElectricityWind.aspx?tab=3&chapter=1