Spokane, WA

We have been hearing all summer about the new Spokane County Aquatics Center at 61st and Freya and how you get to take your toddlers on the slides. My son loves slides so earlier this week dad got off a little early from work and we headed up.

Frolf is a clever combination of the words Frisbee and golf. It is not the same as Disc Golf because fancy disc golf discs are not used. In the poor college kid, I have six square feet of dorm room space, version of disc golf players grab their most expendable Frisbee and aim for agreed upon objects. The Whitworth University campus on Hawthorne between Division and Waikiki provides an excellent location for this activity. There are a multitude of unmarked courses, which I will not trace out for you because that would be too difficult, and I don’t positively remember any one. About a week ago I had to give in to a friendly game of Frolf.

On July 19th we loaded up two vehicles and headed to Jump Off Joe Lake. It is above Loon Lake and about 37 miles North of Spokane along highway 395. We should have taken the boat but my son in law wanted to check it out before hauling the boat along.

walking on the Centennial Trail at the Military Cemetery entrance. This can be reach from Government Way at mile marker 28. For us, we went past Spokane Falls Community College and turned right on Government Way and approximately 2 miles later you will see a sign for the Military Cemetery

This year was their 30th year holding the concert and festival. The concert is put on by the Allegro Baroque and Beyond a non-profit arts organization and free to the public. It is always held the last Sunday of July annually. The main events are held in the Lilac Bowl Meadow across from the Spokane Opera House.

Pine River Park has a lot of green grassy areas and the Little Spokane River a small gentle stream meanders through the park. There is a playground area for the little ones and ample picnic tables, a covered picnic area for large crowds, some grilling stations and picnic tables. There are restrooms to use where one can change into bathing suits and other necessary needs.

When the weather is pleasant and not too hot, Riverfront Park is a great place to go for a walk, enjoy the scenery and have some fun. Some friends and I recently went for a stroll in the park on a Sunday afternoon. We were actually trying to simultaneously pass time and enjoy the weather and our walk did just that. We started our walk near the carousel and new fountain. We made our way northward across the bridge that crossed the Spokane River. Standing on the bridge facing up the river gave us a beautiful view of the park’s famous clock tower.

Finch Arboretum is located on Sunset Drive, just west of Spokane’s Browne’s Addition. As you go up the hill away from downtown, watch for the signs on your left. Finch is a great place to hang, but if you’re alone, bring an mp3 player, because the only problem with Finch is that you can hear the freeway, though you can’t really see it that much.

Heading out early to the South Hill’s Lincoln Park this morning, with dog and kids alike, tongues hanging out, eager with expectation, the sweet, cool air promised yet another magical summer day to come and reminded me that the early mornings of summer definitely top my list of “the closest things to heaven on earth.”

I went to elementary school with my friends Geoff and Ryan and St. Thomas More Catholic School in North Spokane. With the busyness of life, we don’t get a chance to catch up much anymore, even though we all live in the same neighborhood in West Spokane, near Downriver Golf Course. So I called Geoff to see if he and Ryan would like to play some twilight golf at Downriver Golf Course. Spokane has great, affordable golf at all times, but at the end of the day, you can get a great deal on playing nine holes at area courses