Inspirational Ironman

Ironman Coeur d'Alene is a true test of athleticism, will and a little bit of insanity. From the 7 a.m. mass start of the swim leg, to a 144-mile cycling portion and the full 26.2 mile marathon ... 2,196 participants began the race and only 110 failed to finish. The last two photos show friends and champions, Tim Cushman and Sam Mann in the last euphoric block to the finish line after a grueling 16 hours and 33 minutes. They proudly display their Ironman medals just before the midnight cutoff. It was a good day to be an Ironman.

Surf's Up!

Athletes of a different stripe were out in full force about ten miles from the center of Ironman Coeur d'Alene activity on Saturday. The 3rd Annual Dukes of Hauser Freeride Wakeboard Contest drew novice, intermediate and expert boarders to the shores of Hauser Lake. The California surf culture is alive and well in the Northwest as the event proved. Those fun guys and gals from Imagination Graphics in Coeur d'Alene, who specialize in wrapping vehicles large and small in graphic art, were front and center. Wakeboarding was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques, with the rider towed behind a boat. You've got to love an X-Game sport with terminology like raley, fakie, butter slide, tantrum, tootsie roll and hoochie glide. On Saturday, June 30 there's a great free expo in Coeur d'Alene. Go to www.imgxsport.com for more info!

Let the Games Begin!

Coeur d'Alene is abuzz with Ironman fever as the town fills up with athletes and spectators. Throughout the week, the athletes could be seen running, swimming and biking the Ironman route in preparation for the big day. On Thursday a block of Sherman Avenue was shut down to set up the bleachers and special finishline VIP area seating. Tents have sprung up at the Third Street docks and in Coeur d'Alene city park with information, registration and all things related to Ironman. This view of Independence Point and Coeur d'Alene city beach on Friday afternoon shows the area where over 2,000 athletes will hit the water for a 2-mile swim at 7 a.m. Sunday to kick off the triathlon.

Hoo Rah for the Coffee Wagon

The Marine Corps League Pappy Boyington Detachment 966 volunteer their time to provide free coffee and cookies to weary travelers at the I-90 Huetter rest area. These patriotic Marines served their country and now continue to serve up smiles and conversation to all who pass their way.
The rest area and visitor center are adjacent to the Centennial Trail and offer respite to eastbound motorists before they reach Coeur d'Alene a few miles down the Interstate.
Semper Fi!

Beautiful North Idaho

Miss Idaho Teen USA Krysta McNeal is a recent Sandpoint High School grad, earning academic high honors status as well as a sparkly crown in her senior year. Krysta took in the sights of Car d'Lane's Friday night cruise riding in a vintage convertible. She'll represent Idaho at the nationally televised Miss Teen USA Pageant later this summer and experience the big city with none other than mogul Donald Trump.

Roughing It

Recent surveys indicate that the price of gas will keep campers closer to home this year. We've long enjoyed camping, or our version of camping, within a 50-mile radius of home. Silver Beach Resort on Spirit Lake is a great place, right on a sandy beach that I guarantee you'll be sharing with several fun families from Canada who come down to vacation every year. We also overnight at least once each summer at the Coeur d'Alene KOA, where we take a raft and float through the wetland marshes adjacent to the campground for some of the best wildlife viewing around. Bring binoculars and a camera! But our all-around favorite North Idaho camping takes place up the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River several times each summer. We stay at Albert's Landing with the masses, spending the day floating the river and the evening around the campfire. If you want to find the locals when tourist season descends, look no further than the Coeur d'Alene River on a hot summer day.
Where's your favorite North Idaho camping locale?

MowerTown

In Spirit Lake, aka MowerTown, USA, Father's Day was a celebration of yard equipment on steroids. Dozens of souped up riding lawnmowers and drivers took to Maine Street for prizes and bragging rights in the annual event. I'm sure all 860 people who live in this quiet town, located ten miles north of Rathdrum on Highway 41, turned out to cheer on the racers. Spirit Lake's police officer even took a spin on a motorized barstool between races. After watching the hot rods and muscle cars at Car d'Lane, this was the perfect capper to the weekend.

High Octane Art

Cool cars ... a Baby Boomer's Nirvana. The 17th Annual Car d'Lane has it all. These lovingly restored works of automotive art speak for themselves.

Baby's First "Steps"

This morning I witnessed a fledgling robin's first flight out of the nest. As I watched the baby bird landed on the fence rail, looking around uncertainly. There it perched for over an hour until Mama Robin joined her baby on the rail. She chirped encouragingly to the reluctant youngster until it summoned the courage to spread its wings once again. There's beauty and wonder and the cycle of life all around us if we take the time to be still.

Happy Trails

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is a rail-to-trail conversion which originated as a path used by the Coeur d'Alene Indians. From 1887 to 1992 the rail line provided mining transportation. The trail now features 72 miles of paved path that stretches from Mullan (at the Idaho/Montana line) to Plummer (at the Idaho/Washington line.) The trail crosses 40 bridges and passes through 13 towns.

The Chatcolet Bridge in Heyburn State Park is pictured here, where 14.5 miles of the trail at the west end are managed by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. Heyburn State Park, the oldest park in the Pacific Northwest, was created in 1908 and is comprised of 5,500 acres of land and 2,300 acres of water. The second photo is from the Kingston trailhead on the eastern portion of the route.
One of the best things about living in North Idaho are the many incredible opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors right in our own backyard.

Surf's Up

Silverwood Theme Park opens a newly expanded Boulder Beach Bay this weekend as the park celebrates their 20th anniversary in beautiful North Idaho. Now two wave pools are joined by the VIP Cabana Island, Toddler Springs and Avalanche Mountain Family Raft Ride. Governor Butch Otter helped Silverwood owner, Gary Norton cut the ceremonial ribbon along with Garfield and Odie. Bring on summer!

Picnic in the Park

Simple pleasures seem to make the most memorable of times. There are so many great places to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the scenery on a lazy summer day. Click the link on the right for The Guide to North Idaho to find your perfect hiking trail or city park and plan a little stroll down Picnic Lane. Do you know where this sign is located?

Pied Piper of the Parade

After an hour-plus of parade watching in Post Falls on Saturday, spectators were feeling the affects of the 90-degree temperatures. Then off in the distance could be seen relief from the heat as the 6,000 gallon tanker truck from Ground Force Manufacturing made its way down the parade route. Kids of all ages romped in the spray ... the perfect end to a small town parade.

Sonic Drive In

The Sonic Drive In arrived in Post Falls this week, bringing rollerskating servers to the drive up stalls. A burger's, a burger, a burger but Sonic's retro recipe appears to be a winner with the public. The brightly-colored business on Hwy 41 and Mullan was a flurry of activity, cars lined up for over a block, two deep to get in on a burger, fries and rootbeer floats. More than a fast food joint, Sonic looks more like a destination attraction. Watching those cute kids on roller skates manuever through the parking lot carrying trays is worth the calories and carbs.

Farmers Market

Farmers Markets opened all over North Idaho this month. It's a given that there are lots of beautiful fresh vegetables, flowers and baked goods offered by vendors but my favorite things are the handmade crafts. These whimsical windchimes caught my fancy at the downtown Coeur d'Alene Farmers Market. On www.fyinorthidaho.com there's a calendar of markets throughout the region.

Beat the Heat

No sooner had Memorial Day weekend passed than Mother Nature decided to give us a little preview of August weather. Sunny and warm temperatures are forecast with 90s by the weekend. But here in North Idaho we have the best antidote to hot weather ... dozens of beautiful lakes and rivers! So get wet and don't forget the sunscreen.

It's Time...

The first day of the three-day holiday weekend and downtown Coeur d'Alene was dressed for company ... dozens of flower baskets on Sherman Avenue lamp posts hung just the day before. Blue skies and sunshine, the iconic Clark's Jewelry clock keeping time and reminding everyone to take time.

White Shoes

Memorial Day weekend is about camping and boating and getting out into North Idaho nature for the first nice weather three-day holiday. It also signals the official fashionista news flash. Break out the white shoes! At least until Labor Day, Pat Boone fans and fashion forward feet will be decked out in the color of the season. White. Now we just have to work on those tans.

Boaters Paradise

With thousands of boats on North Idaho waters, it stands to reason that additional boat slips are in demand. Red Lion Templin's Resort on the Spokane River is adding nearly 60 more slips to their marina. Just downstream Post Falls Landing is a new project with a 142-slip marina and a town square that will develop next to the condos. From this location on the Spokane river are 85 miles of naviagable waterways and great Idaho fishing.

Enaville Resort

At the Kingston exit, 43A off of I-90, is the infamous Enaville Resort, known by locals as the Snake Pit. The "resort" part is debatable but it's definitely a destination for visitors to North Idaho. For 125 years the Snake Pit has morphed from a hotel of ill repute and outpost for lumberjacks and miners in the rugged mountains of the Silver Valley to a distinctly unique and unpretentious tourist stop. Their menu includes the "only in the west" Rocky Mountain Oysters...if you have to ask what they are, maybe better not to order them...to authentic buffalo burgers. Behind the glass of the cash register stand youngsters find themselves eye-level to an alligator head, much to their delight. But on a recent visit I found the best view from the elevated and rustic front porch, looking through the tree branch rails at the blooming lilacs.

Mother Goose

It's spring and nature abounds with new beginnings. A beautiful sight are the dozens of goslings on the Spokane River adjacent to North Idaho College. The Centennial Trail runs alongside the one-way dike road making it easy to view the gaggle of goslings and their protective parents. These Canada geese are beautiful creatures, seen on most of the waters of North Idaho. There's a wildlife feeding area with picnic tables near the north entrance onto the river road. You don't have to travel far to spend an enjoyable afternoon with the yellow-downed water babies. Mother Nature doesn't charge admission either.

Our own backyard

Sometimes the best of times are "on location" right in our own backyard. Living in town doesn't preclude the enjoyment of wildlife and the beauty of nature in late spring. A family of quail have called our backyard home for the past few years. They travel the neighborhood during the day but as the sun dips down the "king" quail finds a lofty perch and begins calling his family home to roost, up to three dozen arriving from all points up and down the block. From the top of our backyard swing he surveys his kingdom while patiently awaiting the rest of the flock.

Nothing in nature is as pretty as blossoms on tree branches bask in the glow of a setting sun and nothing warms the heart like a carefree freckle-faced boy playing in his grandma's backyard.

Rolling out the red carpet

Company's coming to Coeur d'Alene as the tourist season countdown begins. Memorial Day weekend is when the doors to beautiful North Idaho open officially, "resort casual" becomes the attire of choice and the beaches and parks fill with sun worshipers. The Coeur d'Alene Resort began the annual planting of their signature red geraniums this week, nearly 10,000 will grace the entrances to the Resort and other Hagadone Hospitality properties. Even the penthouse at their corporate offices overlooking the marina received a splash of red on a sunny May day.

Signs of Summer

From Q'emiln Park to the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River to Fernan Lake, sometimes the obvious must be stated. These are some of my favorite signs of summer here in North Idaho.

View from Canfield Mountain

The town of Dalton Gardens is where the "4-H kids" lived back in the 1960s when I was in school. They had to ride the bus all the way to Coeur d'Alene High School, which was then in town on 15th & Montana. We "townies" were a bit smug, walking to school and walking downtown on a Saturday afternoon. But for those who had the foresight to hang onto those "Dalton acre" homes and lots, they're the smart ones. Snuggled up to Canfield Mountain on the east with Coeur d'Alene to the south and Hayden Lake to the north, Dalton Gardens is now in the center of everything, with plenty of green inbetween the houses. This photo was taken from the Erickson home on Canfield Mountain and looks west toward Post Falls and the Idaho/Washington stateline.

Preserving Pleasantview

May is Idaho History Month with several interesting public events planned for the commemoration. The Pleasantview Association has spent several years passionately restoring the Pleasantview School on West Riverview Drive in Post Falls. Built in 1910 and originally part of the Coeur d'Alene School District, many of the original items such as desks and wood-burning stoves and even the originial school bell and tower remain. A framed honor roll of 19 students, some brothers, mark their enlistment date and branch of service in WWI.
Thanks to dedicated volunteers, the school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This month the restoration efforts are being recognized by the Idaho State Historical Society with an Orchid Award. If you missed out on the Cowboy Breakfast at the school this weekend, pencil in September's breakfast.

Share the Road

On Saturday morning over 100 motorcyclists received a police escort up Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d'Alene, fitting as Coeur d'Alene's finest now includes motorcycle patrols. The escort through town was to increase awareness to the public that there are now quite a few more motorcycles sharing the local roads and highways. Be careful out there!

Flowing Falls

In the late spring, before the flood gates allow for Lake Coeur d'Alene to rise to summer levels, is the very best time to view the power and beauty of the falls in Post Falls. With 17,000 cubic inches of water per minute rushing through the spill gates, it's an awesome sight. At Falls Park, it's a short walk on paved trails to the wheelchair accessable overlook. Just a block from I-90 off of Spokane Street, go west on 4th Ave. two blocks to the park entrance. There's plenty of parking, restrooms and an information kiosk. Bring your camera and watch for the marmots who make their home in the park.

Celebrate Spring!

In medieval England, people would celebrate the start of spring by going out to the country or woods and gathering greenery and flowers or "bringing in the may." Maypoles would be hung with greenery and ribbons, brightly painted and decorated... serving as a central point for the festivities.

In North Idaho, May Day signals the countdown to summer as flowers begin to bloom, beaches are groomed and everyone happily puts away their winter clothes. The red tulips in front of Coeur d'Alene City Hall are a bright reminder that another glorious summer season is just around the corner.