All the Rest

We went into Wallace looking for a souvenir shop to commemorate our great 72.7 mile ride. The gift shop had closed two years previously. We wandered the town in search of a suitable keepsake, but alas, there was none to be found.

We did find the the self proclaimed center of the Universe, though. So not all was lost. There was a photo op too good to pass up!

They really do believe they are the center of the Universe; now they have photographic proof. 

Ethan dashed into the street to have his photo taken on the manhole cover that is the "true" center of the Universe. He managed to not get run over, even though he was standing in a busy intersection.

We also found these wooden stairs throughout the town, which have been around for about 130 years. If you find and climb all flights, it is equivalent to climbing up a 45 story building. After our first flight a very kind homeowner stopped and chatted with us and invited us to have a seat on his little patio set close to the staircase. He even offered to let us see his newly hatched salamanders! Grace and Libby took him up on it and caught up with us as we explored as many more staircases as time and energy allowed.

So many stairs.  Wallace is a weird, quirky little town.

Tuesday morning we loaded up and headed home. 

On the way to Pinehurst the younger kids rode with their grandparents while the teens rode with us. It was such a peaceful ride for all parties, we decided to do the same thing on the way home. 

The teenagers each took a couple naps as we took the highway down through northern Idaho.

The views were amazing. We went from mountain peaks, to farmland, to winding along the Salmon River. I loved seeing all these bright yellow fields. 

After a little research we discovered these were canola fields. I was deeply, deeply in love.

As we wound through the mountains, we were frequently out of cell phone reception. It wasn't until we were almost halfway home we learned the other party members were having vehicle problems. The next area of cell coverage we learned it would take several days to fix Con's truck because a part needed to be ordered from Reno, NV. After much back and forth, and many dropped calls, we finally decided Grace and Sam would stay with Grandma and Grandpa, in their trailer, until the truck was ready. It simply didn't make sense for them to drive the eight hours home, nor for us to turn around. 

We got home at 9:30pm (with no brake lights; stupid blown fuse), unloaded the necessities and went to bed. The next morning I staggered into the girls room to find a confused Libby. She was pointing at Grace's bed and asking if she was imagining things. Once my eyes focused I found Grace in her bed. I hollered back to Michael to ask why Grace was home. He replied, after a momentary pause, "Probably the same reason Sam is in his bed." 

Apparently, the kids had got very homesick and emotional after dinner and their grandparents felt guilt and decided to bring them home. They got into Boise at 4am at which point Grace came in through the back door (through my bedroom), opened the front door, let Sam in, said goodbye to her grandparents, and then climbed into bed. I didn't hear a single thing and the dog slept through it all. I know the kids would have survived if they had stayed a few days longer with their grandparents, but everyone was happy to have them home!

At one point on this trip Libby said, "This is a good vacation, but also the worst vacation ever." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Downhill All the Way, Baby

Monday we did the Hiawatha trail. This is the trail everyone assumed we were riding when we talked about riding the Coeur d'Alene Trail. It is a pay-to-ride, well-maintained dirt road, with a (pay) shuttle at the bottom. It is 14.6 miles, from one end to the other, with the lower trail head 1,000 feet lower than the upper. It was basically just one long coast.

It starts with a 1.661 mile tunnel. Michael thought it was fascinating. I thought it was gross. It was center of the earth black, wet, cold, and smelled like decay. Stalactites hang from the ceiling in mossy growths. For Michael, Gandalf's quote from the Fellowship of the Ring came to mind: "There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." Thankfully Michael had equipped everyone with bright lights and we dodged the puddles of ceiling drips. Editor's note: Did you know they started the tunnel on each side of the mountain and when the two ends met they were within a fraction of an inch of the other? Amazing.

On the other side of the tunnel we rode past a beautiful waterfall. The views were incredible the entire way. It was a little cold, but still beautiful. We were a little early in the season, especially at 4,300 feet.

Looking out over the valley.

The tallest bridge was 230 feet high. It is hard to understand the full scope of the height from the pictures.

Looking straight down. 

Looking out, I was worried the bridges might scare a couple of the kids, but they were all enthralled. I was the one getting dizzy, so I quit looking over the edges. The kids had no such qualms.

There are seven trestle bridges and ten tunnels on the path, and we enjoyed the variety of scenery on this old rail line.

We even saw a little bit of wildlife.

We made it down fairly quickly and waited for Michael and Con. They were enjoying reading the signs and taking pictures of the view. The kids were interested for the first five miles. After that they were quite content to move on down the path at a quick pace. 

Hiawatha was a fun, but overall expensive, ride. I'm glad we did it but I think I enjoyed the Coeur D'Alene Trail more. Maybe I'm just cheap.

Total miles for Hiawatha: 16.261 (14.6 downhill and then 1.661 back through the dank tunnel from the shuttle drop point on the way back up)

Coeur d'Alene Trail - 72.7

Kids' total miles - 88.961, give or take a mile for detours and potty breaks.

Katie's total miles - about 98

Michael probably is the only one who actually hit a hundred. We're flipping amazing!

Not on Bikes

Sunday we gave a well-deserved rest to our gluteus maximi and went sight seeing. We drove to the Cataldo Mission where Con was disappointed to find buildings closed. Despite not being able to go in the building, it was still a worthwhile stop. The church is the oldest building in Idaho, and it is beautiful. It was built without nails and is still standing strong. I can't even build a bookshelf that isn't a little wonky.

We went on a short hike to the old church cemetery. The cemetery was gorgeous but I chose not to linger due to the hordes of killer mosquitoes.

Northern Idaho is the most beautiful area I have ever been in. Every time I turned around there was another breathtaking view. I want to pack up everything and move there! The kids are not so enthusiastic. Everyone was covered with mosquito bites, and Grace and Ethan have localized allergies to the bites. They loved the views but hated the itching. I think Ethan's BBC (blood-Benadryl content) was 0.50 by the time we made it home.

Back at camp, we had this juvenile male moose mosey through our campsite. He came back a few times throughout the weekend to check up on things.. We gave him plenty of room but used the zoom to take lots of photos. He wasn't the only moose that our group saw over the weekend, but he was the only one I got a photo of.

We enjoyed our well deserved rest. Monday morning was going to dawn bright and early, and we had plans to bike the Hiawatha!

I Would Bike 100 Hundred Miles

Not quite a hundred miles, but very, very close. Over three days. And they have no interest in biking 100 more.

Mile 72.7

We started at the end of the trail, biking toward zero. We broke the trip down into two days, with plenty of rests along the way. Here we are: Michael, me, the kids, and Con (Michael's dad). Linda rode up with us and then was supposed to drive the van back to camp. Due to a blown fuse, this did not go well. She had to wander the tiny town of Mullan until a couple kind someones were able to help her get going. We were all well down the hill at that point, unaware of her struggle. She was miserable, but we were zooming.

The first five miles of the trail were markedly downhill and everyone was in good spirits, even enjoying themselves!

Mile 60

We are still moving pretty well, even though the path has flattened out. We pull off the trail to use a gas station bathroom in Osburn. We discover it out of order and I take the three older kids to the suggested grocery store. At this point all communication breaks down, and of course, there is no cell service. All members of the party spend the next 30 minutes looking all over for each other. I am getting a little weepy and contemplating heading down the trail with my party to find everyone else. By some miracle Michael came back and found us at the gas station with the defunct bathroom. Con and Sam are a couple miles down the trail at a park, with a bathroom, right off the path. 

We were very glad to find each other.

Mile 55

The natives are getting restless, i.e., so, so whiney. They have yet to resort to cannibalism as we have plenty of water and Costco containers of dried mango and trail mix. We are no longer making good time, but we are still moving forward.

Mile 51.1

The sun is heating up. All the beautiful, dark forests and winding paths have emptied into a bleak stretch through towns called Kellogg and Smelterville. I would describe the latter town, but it's name captures the very soul of this dusty factory corridor. The younger party members are dreaming of lunch and almost fall apart when they are informed it is an easy lunch of sandwiches and leftovers. The wailing is heard for miles.

Mile 48.7

The path ducks down next to the river, cooling tempers and bodies. We bike a half mile off the main path to stop at camp for lunch. Camp is hot, un-shaded, the watermelon under-ripe, and seats are sore from saddles. We have planned another ten miles after lunch, but wisely decide to put it off until the evening.

At this point Michael and I played the car shuffle, to prevent Linda from getting stuck with our van that was burning up fuses with vigor and vim.  We both drove to Plummer where we dropped our van and trailer at the end of the trail, so it was ready for our victorious completion the next day. We then loaded into Con's truck and started driving back the way we came to a pre-determined mid-way point. After finding it was not a good spot (3 miles off the trail over steep inclines), we found a more suitable trail head about eight miles farther down the path. At this point Michael and I parked the truck, hopped on our bikes, and rode back to camp. We scarfed dinner and put everyone back on their bikes to ride to the truck. I feared if the kids didn't get a few more miles in, they would not be able to endure the next day.

After dinner we start out again. The sun has dipped below the majestic mountains and we start moving. Everyone is in a good mood, the world is restful, and I wonder why we didn't plan all the rides during the evening hours.

Mile 42

Before anyone even considers asking for a break, we pull up to the Cataldo trail head, where we have parked the truck. A local kind and bemused restaurant owner is allowing us to park our bikes in her locked shed overnight, as they will not all fit in the truck.

We drive back to camp and enjoy the sleep of the dead.

Mile 42 - Morning Breaks

7 am finds us at the trail head, ready to finish our adventure. Forty-two more miles to go. We will survive! We reclaimed our bikes from the lovely restaurateur and started on the path.

What can I say?  The scenery is so idyllic it feels like a forced Hollywood backdrop. 

The trees reflect in the calm river.

Once past the lake we bike for miles through a marsh, staying dry and clean on the bike path.

We count twelve blue herons, three otters and one beaver. We see countless pelicans, killdeer, blackbirds, ducks, geese, ducklings, and even a few llama. Fields of wild larkspur make purple shadows in the grasses. Large lazy dragonflies flit about and occasionally catch a ride; one rides on my back for half a mile.

The pictures all lack sharp contrsast due to the overcast sky. A sky I gave thanks for, over and over. The day is getting warm and I know if the sun comes out we will bake. Instead we just sweat in the humidity. 

Mile 32

We have made pretty good time, even stopping to walk our bikes for a bit every six miles. We are due for a snack stop soon. Still eating trail mix and mango.

Mile 29

A slight head wind comes up and and members of the family start to struggle. Michael teaches them the beauty of drafting. He cuts the wind and the other members of the group follow close behind, avoiding the head wind, and getting a little beneficial drag. 

Libby takes full advantage of drafting for miles and miles. As long as she doesn't think about how far we have to go, and only concentrates on her father's back tire, she is a machine.

Mile 15.3

We are still feeling good. Taking short walk breaks every six miles. The plan had been to stop here at Harrison and get ice cream. The kids feel they can keep going . I have promised them whatever food they want from the local burger chain, Zips, at the end of their journey. They have their eye on the prize. 

Mile 8

The bridge! We have made it to the mile-long bridge that crosses Chatcolet lake!

Members of the party are starting to feel a little tired. Everyone has a sore seat but we are so close to the end. We can taste the milkshakes. We are due one more break at mile six. We will then keep moving and be there soon. We, of course, stop to admire the view. The day is gray but I am still sending prayers of thanksgiving for the cloud cover. It is nearing 80 degrees and I know the sun will sap our remaining strength. The bridge has a steep ascent but we fly down the other side.

On the other side of the bridge the path starts to incline. It is a little tiring but we are still optimistic. Michael had read there was an incline at the end of the path, and after two miles of climbing we feel sure we have passed it.

Mile 6

We are wrong. We are so wrong. Mile after mile we climb. Each time the path dips slightly we hope that our uphill battle has reached the end. It does not. We are watching the mile markers with sluggish enthusiasm. 

Mile 4

We are now spending as much time walking as biking. The hill is unrelenting. Ethan has disappeared far ahead while the girls struggle. Sam stays on his bike, but his progress is slow.

Grace decides she cannot go on. She is going to lay down beside the path and never move again. As there is no way to get a car to her, she has no choice but to continue. The girls are fighting back tears as we continue the trudge. Michael, Con, and I take turns riding with the slowest members of the group, cajoling them along.

Mile 2

Still climbing. The girls want to walk the rest of the way. I shoot that down, as I want to finish this ride as soon as possible. We are closing in on an hour since we passed the bridge. Six miles in an hour. We are crawling. Michael is giving pep talks, "Two miles! That's the distance from the library to the house! You got this!" The troops do not believe their leader.

Mile 1

The pep talks continue. The hill continues. All hope is nearly lost. 

Mile 0

The trail has finally flattened. We have reached the magic mile zero. The only problem is we are biking through a field with no town in sight. At this point I finally share the information that I had learned the day before. I had noticed that the trail actually ended at -0.7. I kept this information to myself while we were climbing the mountain side, as it seemed more detrimental than helpful. I was given many dirty looks over the next 0.7 miles.

Mile -.7

What sweet joy. We see the van. And also Ethan. He had been passed while he was crawling up the hill at mile six by a father and teenaged son. Ethan decided if they could do it, so could he, so he started pacing himself against them. He quickly noticed the father's jersey identified him as an Spartan athlete. Ethan concluded he was probably in over his head, but stuck with it, and paced them into town. He was lounging around when we finally limped into the final trail head. He quickly helped Grace get her bike from the trail head up a short hill to the trailer. Grace could bike no further. 

Zips

Never have I spent so much money at a fast food restaurant. Never have I seen my kids eat so much food. Never have tater tots tasted so good. Victory tastes amazing.

On the hour drive back to camp, the sun comes out, causing all minor members of the party to relax and take a well-deserved nap. I send up one more prayer of thanksgiving for overcast skies and then join the snoring brigade.

Just Need a Little Faith

I stumbled across a tutorial on how to create a lush plant covered teepee, in which children can play. The pictures looked like hippie love and peace in physical form. I couldn't resist even a little bit. I probably should have. I don't have room for a giant plant structure, I don't really like fresh green beans (which grow up the stakes) and my kids are almost too big for this type of nonsense.

But they aren't quite too big. Not quite. Surely someone will eat the green beans. We will find the room!

Two days later, a couple trips to Lowe's, an outlay of $25, and we were ready to go. The younger kids and I pulled out a few power tools and got to work. It only took a couple hours, no one was injured, it went together easily, and we enjoyed being outside. Ethan even helped me to run a drip line. It went better than 90% of all family projects.  

We now have a naked wooden frame living in our backyard. Every time I glance in the backyard, for a split second I wonder why the ladder is out. Then I remember my grand scheme. 

Right now it looks pathetic and sad to me. Sam thinks it looks like a shrine to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. I am hoping that with some time, water, and a little bit of faith (in the Greek gods?) we will soon have a trellis covered with green beans and morning glories. Faith is always the hardest part for me. I never seem to believe a packet of seeds can grow into anything, much less a wall of greenery. I will let you know what happens when August rolls around! We will see if my faith is justified. We will see if Sam has the Greek shrine he is envisioning. Even if it works, I refuse to sacrifice a goat.