Looking for Route Update - Iron Horse Trail/I90 from Seattle to Spokane then Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes bike path in northern Idaho

I've never bicycled on the west coast and I am wondering about what the
trails are like for a pair of riders, one on a LWB recumbent and the
other on a street bike. We're planning a warm up self contained ride in
late June 2006 for 2007 cross country ride.

The plan is to ride from Seattle to Columbia River then Trail of the
Coeur d'Alenes bike path in northern Idaho and back to Seattle through
Spokane on bike path and I90/Iron Horse Trail.

Later in the summer we'll be riding through New Hampshire and Maine up
to Quebec. These are roads I know but still enjoy riding self
contained.

Looking for comments on trail conditions from people who rode any of
these segments in 2005.

Thanks ... Roland

Dover, NH

wrote in message
oups.com...
I've never bicycled on the west coast and I am wondering about what the
trails are like for a pair of riders, one on a LWB recumbent and the
other on a street bike. We're planning a warm up self contained ride in
late June 2006 for 2007 cross country ride.

The plan is to ride from Seattle to Columbia River then Trail of the
Coeur d'Alenes bike path in northern Idaho and back to Seattle through
Spokane on bike path and I90/Iron Horse Trail.


From Seattle to the Columbia River (either Longview or Portland, OR), I'd
use the Seattle-to-Portland (STP) route. You can download the route map
he http://www.cascade.org/EandR/stp/stp_routemap.cfm.

The problem with the Iron Horse for the return to Seattle is that the
section east of the Cascades is rough. I'd be OK with my touring bike on
the west of the Cascades section as it is mostly hard-packed gravel and
dirt. But my experience, once you get up and over the pass, is that the
eastern side is rutted and rocky. Do you need route suggestions from where
the trail ends in North Bend back into Seattle? There are better
alternatives than just riding along I-90.

You also might want to post this question on the Cascade message boards
(http://www.cascade.org/Community/Message_Boards.cfm). There isn't a real
apt category for it -- I'd probably just ask on the Buddy Board. There's
plenty of tourers though that have done what you're asking about who could
give you further advice.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky