Coeur d'Alene and The Palouse

Today we made the climb out of the Lewiston/Clarkston area through the Palouse and to our campground here near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  We will stay here a two nights.  Larry and Linda have gone ahead to their house in Sagle which is another 60 miles or so north of here and we will join them for a few days after we do some cleaning and restocking here.

Here is some trivia for all of us who wonder what Coeur d'Alene means.  When early French traders came to this area they found the local native american's to be friendly but sharp traders.  The traders named the natives  for the sharp, hard tip of an awl.  Coeur d'Alene means "Heart like an awl".  For years I believe someone who told me it meant "Heart of an Owl".  Oh Well......

We are just outside the city at the mouth of Spokane River.

The Palouse (/pəˈluːs/ pə-looss) is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes. Situated about 160 miles (260 km) north of theOregon Trail, the region experienced rapid growth in the late 19th century, and at one time, the population of the Palouse surpassed even that of the Puget Sound area as the most populous region of the state.^[1] The region is home to two land grant universities, the University of Idaho in Moscow and Washington State University in Pullman. Located just eight miles (13 km) apart, both schools opened in the early 1890s