Bridgeport, and all the areas around it, make up a beautiful part of Washington. The drive from Spokane was unexpected with the beautiful wheat fields extending miles and miles. It was so wide open it felt like we were on top of the world and we could see forever. The afternoon light and the dark storm clouds in the distance made for an incredible drive.
This part of the state is home to Grand Coulee Dam and Chief Joseph Dam. The story of visionary leadership from the 1930’s and 1940’s talks about the huge economic impact made on the middle part of this state, by harnessing the Columbia River with dams and providing irrigation to virtual desert areas that today are thriving with agriculture, and growing apples, peaches, plums, pears, cherries, sweet corn, and almost anything else it seems. The 54 dams formed huge lakes that make up a sportsman’s paradise, with fishing, boating, and water skiing being the most popular. A tour of the two dams is very informative and enjoyable. They like to tell their story and the Grand Coulee Dam has a nightly laser show which tells the history of the Columbia River.
Another unexpected treat was Bridgeport State Park. It was a fantastic place to stay because the camp sites were spacious (although ours was tight to back into), well maintained with manicured grass everywhere, and large open spaces on the banks of the Columbia River. Cell service was limited, but a quick walk to the top of the hill afforded us limited service (enough to communicate with the most important people in our life). Several of our neighbors visit Bridgeport frequently to water ski on the smooth surface of the river. These folks were serious about water skiing! As usual when camping, the people we met were very nice, and these were most helpful with advice for our upcoming travels across their home state of Washington.
We were told by several locals that the Gamble Sands Golf Course was beautiful and had an interesting story behind it. We drove up into the mountains, through beautiful orchards, and then out of nowhere the links style golf course appeared, along with upscale lodging. It is situated above Bridgeport, giving panoramic views of the valley below with it’s Columbia River and many orchards. Two prominent orchard families were united by marriage and the golf resort was born. The restaurant named Danny Boy’s, after their infant son, offers a nice selection of steaks, seafood and assorted alcoholic beverages. There are plans to add another 18 hole course and more lodging. This was truly another unexpected find!
We drove to Brewster to see the orchards and taste the delightful treats of a local bakery, and then a little farther to Pateros to visit a local apple orchard with a fruit stand next to the road. Rest Awhile Country Market was a real find! The apple pie was amazing! They offer many types of fruit preserves and fresh fruit and were generous in letting us sample all types of locally grown peaches. We headed home with several of our favorites. Fresh pies, cookies, scones, and other tasty delights are baked daily. We will definitely stop by and load up on our way to our next location. It is well worth the drive.
As we considered and planned our travels across Washington, we expected to see most of the orchards on the western side of the state. What a surprise when we found ourselves in the middle of orchard country and water everywhere. This was truly a luck of the draw for us.
