Further down the pass we moved back into the prairie grass and sage brush landscape except for the Cottonwoods and Willows lining the stream that ran alongside the road. The distinctive smell of the Cottonwoods brought back vivid memories of fishing for trout in just such streams during my youth. Wonderful (and not so wonderful) smells are one thing you can enjoy when riding a bike and miss when riding in a car!
We arrived in Yakima at 12:15pm, checked in to the Best Western and headed North (by car) to Ellensburg (35 miles), home of my undergraduate Alma mater, Central Washington University. When I started there in 1960, there were 900 students. When I left in 1964 there were less than 2,000. Now there are more than 8,000 and the campus is quadruple the size or more. The old buildings are all still there, but there are many new ones. I could still find my way around - even after 43 years.
We stopped in and met the director of alumni, Jim Armstrong and he filled me in on what had happened over the past 43 years - and got my address, which the University did not have. He also gave me information on the former members of my long-since defunct fraternity - it is now a law office, how ironic (or not) given what went on there when it was a fraternity!
On the way back to Yakima we followed the old road down the Yakima River - a beautiful trout river. And wouldn't you know it, after decades without a citation - I got pulled over by an Ellensburg sheriff for going 60 in a 50. He saw that we were from out of state, and we shared information about our trip. Turns out he was a fellow Central Washington U grad - need I go on? He gave me a warning and we sat there for five or so minutes sharing memories of the area. Two pull-overs in one day!!
Back in Yakima, we visited the local Harley dealership, which by the way, is the only one I have ever seen that shares its premises with Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and others. Really unusual! We are now headed out for a drink and dinner. Tomorrow Seattle and Mom!
1 comment:
Hey! i'm going to cali this sunday.. gonna be there for a week, this is the site i was talking about where i made the extra cash. later!
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