SUNDAY~FUNDAY IN TWO COUNTIES-WA

August 11th: I woke up this morning, to hear Holland say, "I think my Baby needs a day out … how about we go see if we can find that spot across the river you've been hankering to check out?"

YOU BET!

I was out of bed, and dressed in a heart-beat :-)

Our exploration adventure started in Ridgefield - one freeway exit up the road.

Clark County.

This exploration adventure is Holland's idea ;-)

Holland had guessed that today's destination was somewhere behind the Ilani Casino-Resort (long a-lynn-long a); so, that's where we went.
A cute little windmill, on a back country road.
Sunny days bring out the old vintage cars …
Ford Model T:
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_T)

This has got to be the right road...
FOUND IT! It was exactly where Holland said it would be, the other night when we drove by it along the Woodland Dike Road.
Pekin Ferry, Ridgefield-WA from Woodland-WA; 8 min (5.8 mi) via I-5 S
We are usually looking at this place … across the Lewis River, on the road directly across from it; when we drive one of our nightly river loop drives in Woodland-WA
We could never get Independence down that road - but, at least now {we know} ;-)
Holland could 'do it' - but it would be very tricky. We both agree that it probably wouldn't be wise to rise to the challenge.

When we left Ridgefield, Holland surprised me by extending the out-of-house drive :-)

He drove to Amboy-WA, on a road I'd never been on before - I have been to Amboy many times over the decades & I have driven myself to Amboy before Holland and I were "a thing".

Even though this new route tied into Chelatchie & Yale, I had never been on the route Holland drove.

I don't think Holland had been on this particular route, either. We were trying out the new Garmin GPS.

I love new adventures :-D

When we got to Amboy, I recognized the landmarks, and asked him if we could take a side road because I wanted to show him the ancient volcanic cinder cone - he agreed.

Back on the main thoroughfare, I kept mum on what lay ahead: a skinny bridge, and miles of winding switch-back roads. I wanted the bridge to be a surprise when he came to it (and if Betsy was too wide for it, he'd turn back); the snaky road ahead - over the bridge - couldn't be avoided; and I was hoping we wouldn't turn back.

I like this drive and have been missing it: being on it today, was an actual answer to prayer.

So, this brat (moi) kept quiet ;-)

And everything worked out just fine :-D

Holland is surprising me with an extended country drive - YAY!

Amboy-WA from Pekin Ferry-WA; 29 min (17.4 mi) via NE Lockwood Creek Rd

Ancient Cinder Cone in Chelatchie, WA - an old friend; across from Amboy Ranger Station.
Tumtum Mountain:
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumtum_Mountain)

Yale Suspension Bridge; State Route 503 Spanning Lewis River, Yale-WA
Yale Suspension Bridge~12 pics, following each other: (https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.wa0439.photos/?sp=1)

And the Sunday~Funday just kept unfolding with loving intentions.

It was clear I was being spoiled … and because I am a Queen, and not a princess, I was profuse in my praising acceptance of the loving Kingly surprises ;-)

We were now passing from Clark County, back into Cowlitz County.

We got to Cougar (and I was expecting a quick hot hog & coke lunch = road food), when a new idea was formed: pizza at Eagle Cliff :-)

(((Oh, yeah!)))

A nice long drive, and food I have been trying to get Holland to spend money on for weeks, because I know he likes it & is missing it: Holland hasn't enjoyed pizza since Quartzsite-AZ, last year … it was time :-D

Road work was still going on (we never see crews, but the machinery and horrible road tear ups are very present); we could see where cars have scraped their bottoms passing through the deep-drop road top removals :-(

My husband IS 'a good guy' - BONUS, all the way around ;-)

Road work still going on, on this mountain road - slowly; the teeth rattling road top drop-offs, are 6-in & deeper … like dropping the tires off a steep curb.

DEEP, and bone-jarring painful, road tear drop-off's.

Both our stomachs were growling by the time we reached 'The Pizza Place' at Eagle Cliff: Gifford National Forest Rd. 90 Mile Post 16.1; #NF-90, Cougar, WA (360) 558-1431
Eagle Cliff Campground:
(https://www.eaglecliffcamp.com/)

Eagle Cliff, Cougar-WA from Amboy-WA; 54 min (35.0 mi) via WA-503 N and NF-90

When I saw this dog, & I thought it was 'an oversized Beagle'; but Holland said 'Hound Dog'; I'd never seen one before.

AND … of course, Holland parked right in front of the sign ;-)

The Crystals - 'He's a Rebel'~1962):

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_SXJ18EkNw)

We decided to backtrack down the road a bit, and eat our pizza where we could enjoy the quiet buzz of nature all around us … and I ate more than my usual 2 or 3 pieces of pizza (the main reason Holland hasn't bought a pizza before this afternoon = there is no room for left-overs in the RV, or motel, fridges'): today was different - there wasn't any left by the time we pointed Betsy's nose back towards Woodland ;-)

Woodland straddles both, Cowlitz & Clark Counties.

Pizza was a 15" pie; tasty, and priced right: I can't remember the last time I had a good pizza for $20.

Song of the Trees; Eagle Cliff, Cougar-WA

A full tank of fuel … and a country road; and I'm yours for life ;-)

Woodland-WA from Eagle Cliff-WA; 1 hr. 8 min (47.5 mi) via Lewis River Rd