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30th Sunfair Invitational Donna on the Side |
Part
2 - the races - Part 3 - Awards
Part 1 - the Yakima ValleyLike many, we think of the Pacific Northwest as damp and wet for most of the year. But, we quickly learned otherwise.We flew from Baltimore to Seattle; landed into a cloudy, cool airport area; rented a car and headed into the Cascade Mountains for Yakima on I-90. Once we reached the crest of the mountains, we had sunshine and temperature in the 80's. It lifted our spirits.
About YakimaDeveloped around the Northern Pacific Railroad depot established in 1884, Yakima today is a city with approximately 80,000 population. The area boasts 300 days of sunshine and only 7" of rain. In fact it rains less in the Yakima Valley than in Phoenix Arizona! Consider that Seattle and Portland get more than 40" of rain. So there goes our stereotype of the Pacific Northwest. The summers are hot and dry , the winters cool with light snowfall. The area has more than 17.4 hours a day of sunshine during the summer with cool desert nights. Add irrigation to this weather and you have perfect growing conditions, and agriculture as the major element of the Yakima Valley economy. The area is known for apples, dairy, hops, grapes and cherries. After that, there is some manufacturing. The crops have generated other industires, in particular, wineries and micro breweries. Yakima is the start of the Yakima Valley wine country that stretches southeast toward the Columbia River. Along the way are at least 35 wineries where you can taste and buy. The area is known for it's red wines, in particular Merlots. There are lots of things to do in the area including water recreation, fly fishing, white water rafting, bird watching. You can also follow the American Heritage Trail and visit the Central Washington Agricultural Museum. A trip to Topenish brings you to "Where the West Still Lives!" Around Yakima
Eisenhower High School--Meet HostPart 2 - the races - Part 3 - Awards
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