Tri-City Herald Logo

Canoe more reliable than Jeep | Tri-City Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Local News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Hanford
    • Northwest
    • Nation & World
    • Obituary Listings
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • Health
    • Weird
    • Photos
    • Weather
    • Videos
    • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • Preps
    • Prep Countdown
    • Seattle Seahawks
    • Seattle Mariners
    • Tri-City Americans
    • Tri-City Dust Devils
    • Tri-Cities Fever
    • Hydros
    • Photos
    • Outdoors
    • Blogs
    • College
    • NFL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • MLS
    • Golf
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Public Records
    • National Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Local Arts
    • Celebrity
    • Mr. Movie
    • Movie Times
    • Movie News
    • Music News
    • Calendar
    • Submit Event
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Contests
    • Living
    • Food & Wine
    • Wine Press NW
    • Antique Appraisals
    • Health & Science
    • Home & Garden
    • Light Notes
    • Religion
    • Spiritual Life
    • Births
    • Engagements
    • Weddings
    • Anniversaries
    • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Editorials
    • National
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Submit Letter
    • Guest Columnists
  • Obituaries

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Light Notes

Canoe more reliable than Jeep

By Lucy Luginbill, Special to the Herald

    ORDER REPRINT →

July 12, 2010 09:46 PM

Every road trip we take is an adventure — whether we like it or not.

This time my husband and I were headed to the Clark Fork River in Montana, our canoe on top of the Jeep and tent-trailer in tow.

No sooner had we successfully backed out of the driveway — a feat in itself — than the adventure began.

“What’s wrong with the speedometer?” I asked from the passenger seat as we rolled down the highway. “It’s not moving!”

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Tri-City Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Because Bill is on “retirement time” I’ve taken on the role of Speed Monitor.

This self-appointed job works like this: When it appears that vehicles are stacked like cords of wood behind us and drivers are waving as if there’s a fire, I stare at length at the speedometer. If this doesn’t magically accelerate us then, rather than nagging, I heave exaggerated sighs.

I had a feeling I’d be doing a lot of sighing after Bill spoke up.

“Well, we’re supposed to be in St. Regis by two o’clock to meet up with friends. We can’t turn around now.”

So off we went, matching our speed to little old ladies. The miles dragged, but it got worse. About the time we got close to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, we found ourselves in a traffic jam — and we weren’t leading the pack.

As I looked ahead on the interstate, I just figured that a bunch of folks on “retirement time” were holding up miles of cars. But when we finally inched forward enough to see the delay, Bill and I were shocked.

A small airplane was in the highway median, news crews and a crane hovering nearby. Evidently, the Cessna had lost power and then emergency-landed on the roadway the day before. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt.

We did our share of gawking and then rolled on past. By late afternoon, we at long last reached our destination, found a camp spot by the river and made plans for a 26-mile canoe ride the next day.

On the trek down the Clark Fork we saw eagles and osprey. But what we didn’t see coming was trouble at the end of the journey. Our Jeep started up OK, even drove a few miles, but then lost power and refused to budge.

“It could be worse,” Bill commented wearily. “We could be in a plane.”

Yes, if that were the case it would be the first time this Speed Monitor stared at the speedometer and wished Bill would slow down.

  Comments  

Videos

These two spots could be the future location for the Tri-Cities Public Market

Tim Eyman under investigation in theft of chair from Lacey Office Depot

View More Video

Trending Stories

Kennewick teen’s unsolved murder among 1,200 youth deaths nationwide

February 16, 2019 04:49 PM

From ‘climbing the walls’ to doing ‘a happy dance,’ Tri-Citians rate snow response

February 16, 2019 02:51 PM

Free streaming movie system comes to Tri-Cities libraries

February 16, 2019 01:39 PM

Pasco’s ousted needle exchange program needs a new home so it can save lives

February 16, 2019 02:04 PM

Increased avalanche danger in Cascades

February 16, 2019 12:51 PM

Read Next

Angels unaware? Remarkable tale saved for posterity

Light Notes

Angels unaware? Remarkable tale saved for posterity

By Lucy Luginbill

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 02, 2019 12:00 AM

In the 1950’s, an injured typewriter repairman experiences a surprising visit in his time of need. This remarkable event was an indelible memory, one he recorded for generations to come.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Tri-City Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LIGHT NOTES

Dreamin’ big about the Super Bowl? This woman scored by faith

Light Notes

Dreamin’ big about the Super Bowl? This woman scored by faith

January 26, 2019 12:00 AM
She was a step from jumping off the bridge, until someone cared

Light Notes

She was a step from jumping off the bridge, until someone cared

January 21, 2019 12:23 PM
It plays like a Hallmark Channel romance, but this ‘script’ is no fantasy

Light Notes

It plays like a Hallmark Channel romance, but this ‘script’ is no fantasy

January 12, 2019 12:00 AM
It’s a New Year’s tale that sounds like an ‘I Love Lucy’ rerun. Mind your step

Light Notes

It’s a New Year’s tale that sounds like an ‘I Love Lucy’ rerun. Mind your step

December 28, 2018 02:31 PM
Everyone saw Christmas lights. A little boy saw something else

Light Notes

Everyone saw Christmas lights. A little boy saw something else

December 16, 2018 03:30 PM
She prayed for a ‘miracle’ and the answer was astonishing

Light Notes

She prayed for a ‘miracle’ and the answer was astonishing

December 08, 2018 12:00 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Tri-City Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Digital Solutions
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Contact Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story