HARRISON, Idaho We must have been crazy!
But we were committed and probably should have been.
This bicycle ride was our final leg of the southwest end of the Trail of the Coeur dAlenes bike path, and we were determined to finish it even if it killed us.
Last summer, wed bicycled most of this paved railway bed that stretches almost to the Montana border. But this section between Harrison to Plummer, Idaho, takes a lot of steam something we were out of about halfway into the journey uphill.
I knew we should have been riding all summer! I panted, as my husband, Bill, and I stopped for a break. How steep is this?
He took a sip from his water pack and reflected, From what I remember, were climbing close to 1,000 feet, and most of it on the last seven miles of the trail.
Were we nuts or what? We hadnt touched our bicycles for months, so what were we thinking?
It had all seemed so idyllic a stay at the Wild Boar Inn, breakfast served to us at our leisure, and a quiet bike ride on a meandering path. It would be the perfect way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
The first part was what we imagined. The refurbished 1918 bed & breakfast was charming and the innkeeper, Russ, served up a hearty breakfast that would be any bicyclists dream.
However, we should have looked at the trail map.
When wed decided to spend our special day bicycling, I never thought itd be so much work: a steep climb through the mountains, an unexpected storm with strong winds, and miles without an espresso stand.
My thigh muscles couldnt help but scream.
But then the sun came out. The sky was the bluest Id seen in months, the fragrant pine trees contrasting against it. Deer crossed our path and the birds resumed their song. As we crossed the expansive Chatcolet Bridge we spotted nesting osprey, the hungry sounds of their offspring echoing across the lake.
While we pedaled, I thought how marriage is like this bicycle ride. You start out with a picture of what its going to be a fantasy of sorts.
Then, along the way there are ups and downs, sometimes a little rain and, at times, life can buffet you with challenges. But if you just keep pedaling together, the sun always shines again.
Weve been in tandem for 44 years. The anniversary card I gave Bill read, Marriage means commitment. Of course, so does insanity. Still crazy about you.
If you ride the trail with a sense of humor, that loving feeling never goes flat.
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Great Rides: A Napa Valley route where the high point is a low point
Great Rides: A Napa Valley route where the high point is a low point
A meaningful adventure on a bicycle includes things we know, a few things we might anticipate and, with any luck, one or two pleasant surprises.
New shirt great memory of Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
New shirt great memory of Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
A friend is sometimes asked to give the shirt off their back.
Well, I hope none of my pals need one real soon. I just can’t part with mine yet.
This bicycling shirt is one that landed in my closet — and on my back — when my husband and I rode the last stretch of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.
Law of the road
Law of the road
Where are our laws? Maybe I should say what are the laws? My daughter-in-law was driving on Dallas Road by Conoco. There was, I guess, a bicycle race. She turned on her blinkers to make a right-hand turn into Conoco. A bicyclist hit her car! The bikers were yelling obscenities at her and she was trying to see if he needed help. This was upsetting to her and the children in the vehicle. The rider made some adjustments to his bike and left. She called the police, and the police said if he left, there was nothing that they could do, but would make a report.
Well, the guy called five days later and made a report. He wanted her to fix his bike and pay some wages. He got a lawyer and her insurance is going to pay because it's cheaper than fighting.
So watch out. We pay for the roads but the bikes have the right of way. Be careful on Badger or Dallas roads. They don't stop at the stop sign or are riding three across the road. It's OK, they have the right of way. We have all seen it.
Remember it's your wedding
Remember it's your wedding
Dear Dave,
My girlfriend and I recently got engaged, and our parents are contributing financially to the wedding. We've noticed that both sets of parents are pressing their ideas of what they'd like the wedding to be like, who to invite and who to include in the wedding party. I know in the end it's our call, but traditionally do parents have some kind of say if they contribute money to help pay for the wedding?
- Chris
Fast focus: No more free rides
Fast focus: No more free rides
Emphatically no! The state should not be responsible for getting children to school. If they cannot walk or ride a bicycle, then they should use public transit systems. No more free rides supported by people without children or for those of us who have grandchildren who have already finished schooling, including those of us (and our children and our children's children) who paid tuition and walked, rode bikes or used public transit when we went to parochial schools while still supporting the state-run institutions and conveyances to and from.
-- Bill Monroe, Richland
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