I’m on vacation this week and from last Friday until last night I was out of town and completly unplugged. No laptop, no Internet. It was a refreshing break from the constant information processing that usually marks my days (not that I’m complaining, I enjoy it tremendously).

This year we headed off to see some friends in northern Idaho, outside of Sandpoint. It’s a beautiful area, and I’d recommend visiting if you ever get the chance. With the lakes and mountains it really is a outdoorsman’s playground. We stayed for a couple nights up at Schweitzer and were able to take a lift up to the top and hike down. Too bad for the smoke coming over from various fires, because there was a bad haze that reduced visibility. I imagine when it’s clear, you can see forever. Speaking of forever, while driving from Tri-Cities to Spokane, is it just me, or is it impossible to tell where the earth ends and the sky begins? It’s just so vast. A good reminder of how small our little spot on earth is.

I have to also say that the drive along the Gorge (between Boardman and Hood River) is one of the most calming drives out there. The fact that I can say that while traveling with a 19-month old who has been in a car seat for 8 hours says a lot (there were enough choo choos to keep her entertained). With the river and the rolling hills, it’s pretty cool. Lots of wind surfers and kite boarders out on the water. I wonder if Rick Strahl was out there.

So, now I’m back on the grid and checking out everything that I’ve missed over the last few days. Looks like AOL made quite the mistake and Digg’s creator is rich (or is he?) according to Business Week. Anything else I miss?