ASOTIN, Asotin County — Wednesday, Oct. 5 — The mayor invited me. How could I say no?

The invitation was among the scores of reader tips sent in. Unfortunately, Mayor Steve Cowdrey was busy teaching school when I dropped by the storefront City Hall on this sunny morning — the first in too long. So I didn't get to see hizzoner. But I had a nice breakfast visit with townspeople hanging out at the Asotin Cafe.

The hot topic of conversation was the Hurricane Katrina-caused shortage of Folger's coffee in Asotin ("uh-SOH-tin"), and a scheme to return eels to Asotin Creek.

I'd admired the pretty little creek on my way into town. I decided not to go wading. (Followers of this hare-brained adventure already know that Asotin is a Nez Perce word that means something along the lines of "eel-infested waters.")

Besides having a pretty creek, Asotin sits right on the Snake River and has a really good view of Idaho. (In fact, Asotin is the only town in Washington that is east of the Idaho border. You can win bets on this. Check it out on a map.)

Ann Marie Molloy, who runs the cafe, said one fellow in town wants to bring back the eels, which don't seem to be around anymore. She thinks it's a great idea. Um, why?

"Because Asotin is a lot about tradition. And people care about the environment, and not in a tree-hugging sort of way. These people are farmers. If you're a farmer, how can you not care about the environment? In my opinion, the eels belong here."

The Nez Perce liked the eels, too — fried, smoked, maybe sautéed with a side order of camas root... It was a lazy Wednesday morning, and about a half dozen folks were just sitting around the cafe, sipping coffee and shooting the breeze about nothing in particular, the way people do in small-town coffee shops on lazy Wednesday mornings in October.

Somebody announced that she couldn't get Folger's coffee at Costco in Clarkston. Apparently Folger's makes coffee in New Orleans and the hurricane knocked out production.

"You know, that's the first thing from the hurricane that's affected our lives," she announced to the room. There was a lot of sober nodding.

Molloy, 55, came over and chatted me up when she found out I was from the Seattle paper. She essentially threatened me with bodily harm if I told the world what a perfect town Asotin is. "Don't tell all those Seattle people about this place, we don't want them coming here and bringing their city ways!"

Then with a sudden burst of enthusiasm, she said, "Let me take you for a drive — I got to show you the view from the hill!"

We drove up and up, and then a little farther, to a place with a wide vista of basalt, flowing water and blue sky.

Molloy couldn't stop pointing out interesting bits of the river, or the rocks, or the town. Clearly, she's in love with the place.

"It always looks different, the colors are different! We came up here to watch the sunset a few days ago and every two minutes it was different! Over here it's kind of gray and some places it's blue. It's really neat, I just love it!"

But it's not a perfect place. What place is? And, anyway, you didn't hear it from me.

Mayberry Lookalike Award

It's a tie between Dayton, Columbia County, and Waitsburg, in Walla Walla County. Both made me stop the car and get out and gawk. Dayton's restored courthouse is a jaw-dropper you can't pass by — something Sheriff Andy would be proud to serve in. And Waitsburg's tree-filled city park, brick downtown and peaceful Main Street of stately old homes shaded by huge maples and firs would make Aunt Bee drop a stitch in her knitting, in jealousy.

Lewis and Clark Trail oh-wow moment

About 2 miles east of Pataha on Highway 12, you can clearly see part of the old Nez Perce Trail descending one hillside and ascending another. A heritage marker points out the location. This was the exact trail Lewis and Clark followed on their return from the Pacific in May 1806. The Nez Perce, who called themselves Nimiipuu, or "the people," called this trail Nimiipuuiskit, or "The People's Road." As I looked, two deer leapt from the path. These days, it's Bambi's Road.

Business name of the day: Nothing New Antiques, in Waitsburg.

Most down-home road name of the day: Sorghum Hollow, outside of Waitsburg

Reader tips

Not a tip but couldn't resist writing. My mom just called me. You ate at her restaurant in Asotin. I'm sorry she's so nutty. It turned me on to your blog though. Very cool. I'm a geologist and appreciated your description of the geology of the areas you've been to. Next time I visit my mom I'm going to have to go dig up some shale with Redwood needles. I'll bring my rock hammer:
— Lauren Phoenix, Ariz.

If you stop in E'burg, there are some FABULOUS onion rings at the Campus-U-Totem. Not the Rossows-U-Totem by the highway, the campus one. You will have to search, but anyone can tell you where it's at. They have the most wonderful ranch for dipping your fries, and chocolate-peanut butter shakes.
— Meredith Tacoma, Wash.

I grew up in Burbank, Wa., 45 miles north of Walla Walla. Be sure to get a Bellybuster at Zips on the East side if you haven't. And keep an eye out for a place called "Miner's" outside of Yakima for one heck of meal. There's a place in Burbank called the Hungry Horse that mom and her friends love. Never been there myself! Good Luck! PS Do you miss the trees yet?
— Sarah, Seattle, Wash.

Did you take hwy 97 north all the way to the border? Oroville has a nice lake, and up by the Nighthawk border crossing there are petroglyphs, tallis slopes with year-round ice caves where Native American's stored their meat in the summer, and a Blue lake the color of turquoise.
— LJ, Seattle

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