Commentary by Rick Rodriguez
The 1st time I visited Spokane, I drove right past Gonzaga University north toward Trail B.C. I was headed to a golf tournament at Rossland Trail Golf Club located just north of the Washington border in Canada. Some years later, I would watch Saint Mary's College take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs there in Spokane but on this day; it was about nature not golf nor basketball. It was about being on the road, tracing a whirlwind of moderate turns as I headed north toward Trail B.C.
It was a scenic drive on Highway 395 that warm summer day. And, as I headed straight up to Colville, the largest town in my path toward Trail, I marveled at the beauty of the region. Like much of Northern California, Humboldt County comes to mind, the area is flushed with forests, lakes, and a purity that must be experienced to be appreciated. I often wonder why it takes me so long to return to nature (P. 706) B. Torrey Thoreau's attitude toward Nature " there is nothing so sanitive, so poetic as a walk in the woods and the fields even now, when I meet none abroad for pleasure. Nothing so inspires me, and excites such serene and profitable thought...Alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, a cheerless day like this, when a villager would be thinking of his inn, I come to myself, I once more feel myself grandly related. This cold and solitude are friends of mine...." and appreciate the pleasure of walking down a quiet trail, running freely and looking below and seeing life throttling quickly by in suburbia while I pass overhead seeing a life that is older than me and will continue to be when I'm gone....
The city of Trail is located on both banks of the Columbia River, approximately 10 km north of the United States border. This section of the Columbia River valley is located between the Monashee Mountains to the west and the Selkirk Mountains to the east. The Columbia flows directly north-south from Castlegar, turns east near downtown Trail, and then meets the Canada–United States border at Waneta and the Pend d'Oreille River. Summer climate in Trail is generally hot and dry with moderately cool nights.
The Monashee Mountainsare the first major mountain range east the Coastal Mountains to intercept moisture laden westerly flow from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, areas west of Trail, including the Christina Range, Rossland Range, the city of Rossland, and the Blueberry-Paulson section of the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) receive greater amounts of winter precipitation, mostly in the form of heavy snow. Vegetation in the Trail area, although fairly lush, is noticeably drier than other areas with a more westerly aspect.
The Rossland Trail Golf Course is dramatically scenic. It is situated adjacent to the Selkirk & Monashee mountains that surround the entire area of Rossland and Trail. Large trees line many of the holes making the course challenging and the beauty of the area gave me the feeling of playing in a unique wilderness! The Columbia River further enhances the experience of playing Rossland Trail. Playing golf allows me to walk among nature, and yes while the thrill of swinging an iron rod at a small white sphere engages me for several hours, in the background there is always nature, quietly absorbing my golf club's lashes and strikes, and allowing my intrusion for a fee; allowing me to shriek with excitement when a moment of brilliance occurs but more often absorbing my ilk at a bad episode! Yes, golf gives me nature among an array of other pleasures; but above all is her majesty--nature! An all encompassing pleasure that is so available at Rossland Trail and many other beautiful places like this that the necessity of my visits is personally mandatory.
Trail is a wonderful town! Adjacent to the Columbia River, it provides a perfect vacation spot for visiting nature; as well as, all the typical activities that would be expected where snow & sun meet throughout the year. I stayed at the Best Western Terra Nova that had me within walking distance to town restaurant, shops, and a small but welcoming community.
Returning to Spokane years later (2010), I stopped in on Gonzaga University & the Gaels of Saint Mary's; and also took in Highway 2 and Spokane Mountain bringing once again closer to what Thoreau calls " the cold and solitude...are friends of mine."
