Get Ready, Get Set, GO!!

It's the second of May and everyone is happy to see some sun once every few days. Ferry County is getting ready for the visitor season; we welcome the chance to show our county off to its best advantage. So, if you're thinking of visiting, remember the many things to see and do:

This is real frontier, so our spaces are high and wide! Tired of the noise, clatter, metal and cement? Come prepared to be able to see for miles (a great opportunity for plein air artists, and we're hoping you'll visit- call Shop The Frontier at 509-775-3217 and we'll talk about art and places to paint!), smell what air smells like when its REALLY clean, and still find silent places that make a man or woman spend some time in introspection and awe.

In Republic, after you've been at the Stone Rose Fossil site, drop in Shop the Frontier for an opportunity to purchase handcrafted goods from rural Pacific Northwest artists and pick up the latest news about what to see and do as well as picking up a map of the area! Shop the Frontier is a non-profit organization that helps artists and entrepreneurs market their wares- and they're always happy to point out places to visit! This shop carries everything from beautiful jewelry to marvelous pottery, soaps and lotions, local teas and coffees and more; the handcrafted wear-ables can't be beat! There's also the Gold Mountain Art Gallery, Wisherwood Studio where you can find exquisite yarns and handcrafted goods, the food co-op with even more handcrafted goods.. Ferry County might be the frontier but despite that-or perhaps, BECAUSE of it, artists abound!

On May 16, the Kettle Crust Bakery and Co-op will hold their annual auction and dinner at the local fairgrounds. There's live entertainment, good food and fun for a paltry $15.00 per person.

June 11 marks the Kick-Off dinner for Prospector Days! Held at the K Diamond K ranch, tickets are a mere $15.00 per person ($8.00 for children under 12)and the evening features a menu by Executive Chef Barry Bennet, cancan girls and live music.. The dinner starts at 6 pm; reserve your space by calling the ranch at 775-3536.

Once you've spent the day in Republic (and we have some real fine hotels, too, for an extended visit!)you'll want to head north towards Malo, Curlew, Danville and the Canadian border (a great way to come for the 2010 Olympics, too!!) Now, all you folks wanting to attend those Olympics, you just visit a spell- even famous folks will feel just like "one of the family".. you'll blend- so drop by on your way to the border!!

Passing through Malo, you can appreciate how independent people have to be to live in a town where the grocery store and gas station are the two-in-one major attraction! But drive just a little up some of those county roads and you'll see vistas you only see in movies!

Just before coming to Curlew, you'll pass a few interesting sites- the Trading Post is on the right hand side and is a collection of many years worth of just about everything you can think of! There's some hidden treasures, so if the flag is up, drive on in. Continuing north, stop by the Car and Truck museum, or book some time with a guided horseback tour at Wildwind farms.

In the town of Curlew, visit the Ansorge Hotel, canoe or inner tube down the river, drop in at the Riverside restaurant or stop by the old-fashioned general store. Last stop before the border is Danville- and if you drive up some of those beckoning roads, you're going to laugh with pleasure at the beauty you find tucked away down those roads!