Grand Loop: Segment 5

The next day of our travels took us 255 miles from the lake town of Kelowna to the river town of Wenatchee. Along the way we stopped in Osoyoos for lunch. Then onto one of the friendliest crossings back into the US. And the "long" ride down Rt97 to Wenatchee.

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Coming out of Kelowna we decided not take the obvious route, but to go a little east and head south on Rt. 33. Little side route was straight forward, but far less crowded than what we thought Rt. 97 would be. It also covered two more Destination Highways, DH7 and DH24. Rt.33 is up in the hills to the east of the Okanagan Valley. It wonders through farmland and forests. We didn't take a little detour to visit the Big White Ski Resort.

At the south end of Rt. 33, in Rock Creek, you turn right onto Rt. 3 and head westward to Osoyoos, BC. This fairly uneventful, until you crest the hills and overlook the valley again. You see the lake and the town and the multiple hairpins needed to get to the valley floor.

Osoyoos is definitely a summer resort destination with lots of lake activities and people walking the downtown area. Parking wasn't impossible but not easy either. We all found a spot and starting looking for a lunch place. We finally settled on a place overlooking the lake, but with Drucilla in tow we were relegated to the front corner of the patio. Unfortunately, I can't say the meal itself was anything special. The dishes didn't seem to live up to descriptions on the menu.

After muching and packing up again, we headed for the border. Prior to crossing over, we stopped to "raid" the duty-free store. I personally, didn't find anything in shop. The others picked up some trinkets to bring home.

The border crossing is a smaller one. And I'm sure there are times it gets backed up. But our experience was quick and actually pleasant. I say this because our experiences at the crossings between Seattle and Vancouver haven't always been so pleasant. I realize the border guards are doing their jobs but many times the ones on that major crossing have been downright gruff and rude. The guard in this crossing was friendly and courteous!

After crossing, I stopped for fuel. Then on we went southward on WA Rt. 97. The highway itself wasn't that interesting in terms of riding. But it parallels the upper Columbia River. The landscape was interesting at times. What was the standout feature of this stretch? The heat! It didn't take long for the temperature to rise to the toasty stage! I was actually looking for the shade from the cliffs/hills along the highway just to get out of the sun for bit.

We rode/drove on southward towards Wenatchnee. This would be our stop for the night. For dinner we opted to get some take-out from the hotel's bar/resturant and eat in the room. The mandatory walks with Drucilla sent us down to the very enjoyable Riverfront Park.