Basin hikes varied, sand dunes hike a bit strenuous

This is the second of a two-part series about hikes in the Columbia Basin.

There are many places around the Columbia Basin where my boots have not left a print. This fact is a bit startling to me, as my travels have taken me throughout the area. Yet, recent hikes have provided views I had not seen before.

In Mid-February friend, Bill Witt, and I decided to schedule a hike every week and we have been successful. The first hike was three-miles long and mostly downhill on private land between Ephrata and Soap Lake. The second hike was to the old homestead in Northrup Canyon, near the north end of Banks Lake.

Next we explored the Odessa Craters, a few miles north of Odessa, a most interesting and educational hike. On March 12 we headed for Harris Lake, in the sand dunes west of Potholes Reservoir.

In the late 1970s, after I returned from my Army duty, this was a favorite fishing destination. Friends and I would hike the two miles to the lake, fish for several hours and hike out. Once I even floated down Winchester Wasteway by canoe, portaged to the lake and spent a couple days camping, fishing and swimming in the lake.

Bill lives in Ephrata and we usually meet at a convenient spot on the way to our hike destination. Then jump in one vehicle or the other, leaving one at the meeting place. However the Harris Lake hike required us both to drive to the parking lot, as it was equal distance either way.

Bill traveled south on Dodson Road from Ephrata to Frenchman Hills Road and turned left. This road runs into SR 262, which is also known as O'Sullivan Dam Road, and turned left. At Road C SE he again turned left, with another left at 1.9 miles. Stay right at the next road and left at the following road to a parking lot with a vault toilet.

My journey took me south of I-90 where I turned right on Road M. Next to the end of Road M and a right turn on O'Sullivan Dam Road. This was traveled to Road C and then the same path as Bill.

There are two ways to travel from the parking lot to Harris Lake. The simple path is a road to the right. For some reason, we took the trail to the left. We knew the general direction to Harris and would adjust to the right every so often.

Finally we spotted a fly fisherman on a small lake and decided to stop for lunch. My lunch, diet food of one cup of brown rice and two ounces of broccoli, sprinkled with Mrs. Dash, was delicious. In fact I couldn't eat but two thirds of the food and I didn't touch the segments of oranges in my pack.

On this date my weight loss was at nine pounds or a half pound a day for the 18 days.

We settled to the sand and to the front of some large brush to get out of the wind. The angler was casting and moving, but didn't touch a fish. My back touched the sand and I continued to watch the fisherman, but my eyes closed without much effort.

The sun provided comforting warmth, putting me to sleep in a few minutes. The soft cooing of Sandhill cranes filled my ears and my hat was tipped back. I tried to find them, but couldn't. Asleep again, until another flock of cranes passed by, still couldn't locate them. The 45-minute nap was refreshing and we stretched and prepared to hike back to the vehicle. The angler had left the lake, apparently without any luck.

This time we found the road and the walking was much easier. It was more packed than the sand dunes we climbed over and around during the trip to the lake.

We jumped one mule deer and saw a bunch of deer tracks. This hike is suitable for all, but the youngest, and would make a fun trip for Boy or Girl Scouts. The total distance was four miles, but walking in the sand makes this hike a little more strenuous than usual, as we both noticed the next day.

The next day I sent Bill a message: "Your suggestion of variety had me digging through my freezer. Found was a package of peas, plus some baked and flaked trout. Also found a small venison roast, which was diced and fried.

"Was going to eat my rice, plus venison and trout last evening, but Garnet made me eat steak and baked potato."

Bill replied: "Might as well make mealtime fun. You can call it a Dennis Clay Happy Meal. Sorry to learn about the steak and potato. Sometimes that Garnet can just be a troublemaker. The things a guy has to do to keep the peace!

You should be the one to get an award."

And the diet continues, with the hikes providing some exercise.