Yakima camping … a little more

May, 2019

Still day 3? Will it never end?

I was happily headed home from Bickleton to my little trailer at my little campsite at what I thought was the end of day 3. But I kept seeing things that piqued my interest. What’s that? What are they doing over there? Well, that looks interesting!

What’s a curious woman to do? I finally gave up and started pulling the truck off the road to take photos, although I had to limit these brief excursions because I was getting hungry for my dinner.

I kept seeing more crops (not just hops) that I could not identify. So I’m including a few photos here in hopes that some of you readers can identify the plants.

But first this sign ….

Yum! Unfortunately, the produce stand that this sign advertised was empty … it was too early in the season for these vegetables and fruits to be for sale. But doesn’t a nice ripe, sweet, fresh-off-the-tree, huge orange Orange sound delicious on a hot day? Naranjas! 🙂

Here are three photos (below) of the first tree crop that I couldn’t identify. There were thousands of acres of these trees … no signs … no people around. What is this?

 

 

The following three photos (below) might be of the same type of tree as the ones above, just younger, but I couldn’t tell for sure. There were thousands of these trees with the white guard. I suppose the white guard is to prevent access and damage by critters, no?

 

 

The next tree crop looked similar from a distance, but is definitely not the same crop. What is it?

 

Are these cherries? Nuts? Watermelon? (just kidding about the watermelon)

These next few photos were taken at a vineyard. The greater Yakima valley is known for its wines.

 

 

 

By this point, it is LATE in the afternoon (actually early evening) and I’m still several miles away from the campground. But I see one more interesting thing and it’s not a plant nor crop of any sort … it’s a funny little building.

It is … the Teapot Dome Service Station … in Zillah, Washington. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the town of Zillah, yes? Ok, maybe not? This little Teapot Dome Service Station is famous; it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

No, this is not the same “teapot dome” referenced in the “teapot dome scandal”. But this 1922 gas station was built to resemble a teapot precisely as a reminder of that 1921 scandal in the USA. It seems that President Warren Harding got in a bit of a mess over a certain situation, and Interior Secretary Albert Fall got sent to prison for the same situation, for selling government oil reserves “owned” by the US Navy to private companies without the proper paperwork, without any competitive bids, and without the permission of the US Navy. Those oil reserves had been stored near the town of Teapot Dome, Wyoming.

Today, THIS teapot dome is Zillah’s visitor center. So much more civilized … and legal.

It was in 1949 and 1950 that the price of gasoline in the USA was about 27 cents/gallon. That’s when this building closed its doors as a gas station. Years later it was refurbished and then became Zillah’s visitor center. Pretty cool, huh?

Ok, NOW I’m going back to my trailer! I’m starving!

That little green jitney truck on the left is used by the Camp Hosts to get around the campground so they don’t have to drive their own truck. It sure was pretty and peaceful here. And dinner sure was tasty!