12th day (Thompson Falls - Spokane)

There have been 2 Bigfoot sightings in the area where we stayed. And somewhat secluded in the forest, one might think that there is a small chance of being awakened by the big man. Instead, it's the road workers next door who have to get up early. Well, not everyone is on vacation. And overall, the rhythm here is much more oriented towards the day - people don't go to bed as late and get up relatively early. So we usually manage to be 'on the road' again around 9 o'clock. And if, like here, you don't get breakfast, that's not a problem at all.

After a short Montana T-shirt shopping spree at the reception, we head west on Montana Secondary Highway 471, and we have no choice but to make a little detour to Idaho, as the state extends between Montana and Washington all the way to the Canadian border. We don't see a state sign like when entering Montana, but instead we have a gigantic view over the Coeur d'Alene Forest, which stretches over 2,940 square kilometers. You don't see expanses like in Montana while driving here, but instead you drive through endless forest areas, divided by picturesque little rivers. Countless kayakers show that these waterways are popular for tourism despite their shallow depth. A barrier also indicates that the road is closed in winter when heavy snowfall sets in. However, it is difficult to imagine that at the moment with the bright sunshine.

At Enaville, we join the Interstate 90, the longest interstate in the country with a total of 4,860 km. However, we only need about 100 of them to reach our destination Spokane, the second largest city in Washington after Seattle. The interstate occasionally becomes 10 lanes wide - an experience I haven't had in a long time. We park our car right at our accommodation Ruby Hotel in the middle of downtown and immerse ourselves in city life after 10 days in relatively rural idyll. A sushi restaurant with the largest selection for me, which passes by on a conveyor belt, shows me that the city offers things that you won't find in the countryside.

Spokane is an interesting city, and with approximately 200,000 inhabitants, it's not so big that you get scared because it's so crowded. Nevertheless, it is big enough to find interesting architecture, which is usually in vain in small and medium-sized towns. So exploring the city is a welcome change during a road trip that has mostly led to sparsely populated areas, which are often invaded by tourists (but we are too). Since I'm not a big shopper, I take the opportunity to rest in the beautiful hotel room. There is already a bit of sleep deprivation, and sometimes you just have to catch up. Unless you're shopping, of course.