RR the tour guide ( ping Doug Taylor)

DT introduced me to some pals of his that made the move to Spokane from
Syracuse. We finally connected for a ride today, they've only been here
three weeks.

We decided not to do a "local" as you can do those any time, and although a
guide is nice, really all you have to do is go ride and you figure out the
trails.

I thought it'd be fun and be scenic to head out Coeur d'Alene way for an
afternoon cruise. My thought was to go over to 257 and lap it a few times,
5 miles up a logging road and 2.5 of sweet smooth down hill. A nice fall
day, not real sunny but a nice temp, fall is just barely in the air. Last
time I did this there was snow on the road, none of the trees are turning
yet. It's a nice grade, we pedal and chat and identify trees and get all
sweaty. The conversation runs the range from tree ID to what's a good
restaurant in town. At the top of the saddle where 257 turns off, we
decide to continue on the road, and take the trail that goes to the top of
Mt CDA to summit, hoping for a view.

In typical Idaho fashion we pass a couple of families firewood cutting, and
one grouse hunter in blaze orange (???!!!!!) Then to the summit trail, a
nice smooth trail with a barely rideable even grade. But...we get to the
summit and there's a clearing, but so many trees you can't see anything!! I
was hoping for a real tour guide moment with the panorama... the lake, the
various mountain ranges and the scenic wheat country to the south. Oh well.
Back down this trail to the logging road, (fast!!) and then we have an
Idaho moment, chatting with Ma and Pa who came up the back way on another
logging road, putting along on their 4 wheeler, and another couple moving
back to the area. The moment goes on for a while as grampa chats us up with
explanations of how the roads all connect, and general friendliness. My
pals, being from NY are genuinely surprised at how friendly and mellow
everyone is. Gramps does mention that we should have gone up this other
logging road and not the trail to get to the "vista".

So we head back down, a few miles whizzing down the logging road, and then
we pick up the singletrack again... ah yes, just as I remember. Soft and
sweet and twisty. Fast as you want it!! But over way too soon.

Welcome to the west, guys!

photos, from last year.
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/cda.htm ( if you read the page we did the
easy ride, not the death defying one)

penny

"Penny S" wrote in message
...
DT introduced me to some pals of his that made the move to Spokane from
Syracuse. We finally connected for a ride today, they've only been here
three weeks.
snip
Sounds cool. It's good to come across laid back people.
"blaze orange"? You sound surprised that he'd be wearing such bright colours
shooting grouse - I don't know about the States but another couple of
hunters here got killed by hunting buddies recently. One of them was wear a
dayglo orange cap too! It's not only the animals that need to be afraid
these days.
--
Westie

"Penny S" wrote:

DT introduced me to some pals of his that made the move to Spokane from
Syracuse. We finally connected for a ride today, they've only been here
three weeks.

Thanks for being the tour guide and welcome wagon to our transplants
from Syracuse. "Team Schmidt" as we affectionately remember this
couple are two superb athletes, who excel at cycling (especially road,
but don't tell JD); rock climbing; ice climbing; mountaineering; x-c
skiing; the list goes on. Good people and our loss is your gain.


--dt