Up in “border country”, in Northeast Washington, next to British Columbia is the Pend Oreille Valley. With the mixture of moist air coming from the Pacific coast, cold arctic air from the north and dry air from the Rockies in the east, this lush land is stunningly beautiful.

Thick western red cedar and western hemlock forests thrive in the moisture. Douglas fir flourishes. Stands of ponderosa pine, preferring the dry ground hangout here too.

But there are very few people here. The forest however is endless!

The Idaho and Washington Northern Railroad, the I&WNRR was big in times now long past. Mining was the draw then. The railroad was a replacement for high powered steamboats that plied this route. That was in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Accommodations were homemade!

It’s different now. Peaceful and seemingly far away.

The forests are never-ending. Cell signal is sparse. It’s quiet. Traveling Tortuga is reminded of Alfred Joyce Kilmer’s poem:

I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
against the earth’s sweet flowing breast.
A tree that looks at God all day
and lifts her leafy arms to pray.

Sweet.