Yakima, Washington

Tuesday 27 July

Yakima's a pop 70,000 city in mid-south Washington state, steppe climate in the shadow of the Cascade range

agriculture in the form of fruit and vegetables is the economic mainstay, and there's a burgeoning wine industry

which some of our group were keen to get to town to sample.

Also note the military have a presence, and the Japanese forces train here to take advantage of live ground-fire opportunities they dont have at home

speaking of, the Yakama Indian War took place in 1855 and they were toddled off to the reservation the following year

allowing settlement to continue apace.

So it was a minor shock to arrive in 7pm 84F temps after most of the day getting across the forested range.

We left Astoria in another cold damp fog, crossing the Columbia River on the Astoria bridge which is several km long and has 2 arches for shipping.

Not quite so prominent here as in Canada, but significant nevertheless, is the humble salmon

  Hatchery home for salmon

first as a food source for the early Indian, then as a foundation for later industry and recreation.

We visited a hatchery further up the river

females are diverted off the annual run and harvested for roe

fingerlings are raised and released after an 18 month process.

They swim out into the Pacific, stay there 3 years, then come back home to spawn and die.

The fingerlings amused us with their jumping antics trying to leap up the mini cascade of water fed into their living quarters

Rona said her cat would be quite interested, having once fallen into their goldfish bowl in pursuit of quarry.

In a damp valley we stopped off for a look at an old covered bridge

not done for ghosts to live in, it was to keep moisture and ice off the decking so animals and wagons could cross without mishap.

Then on to Mt St Helens national park, and a look at and in a lava cave, mile and a half long full of holidaying parties of children and families

Lava cave

and the volcano itself and its lahar valley, looked a km wide

on through the park past Mt Rainier, over White Pass

and here we are.

Meant to mention, some of the group bought new helmets in SanFran

mark the make, Shark, a french product

nice style, sound-proof, drop down sun shield

and the chin piece folds over to neatly clip behind so the unit converts readily between full and open face

between $200-400 US depending on model.

Mt Ranier

From todays paper.....

doomsday shelters are booming, manufacturers claim doubling of business each year for the last 5 years

$400,000 gets you the family model, up to $4m for the corporate

power and air filtering for 3 years

ones even supplied with a countdown clock set for 12 Dec 2012.

Lahar bed, Mt St Helens

Shark helmet