As you know, we're very early risers here in the Schettler family. That fits in perfectly here in Coeur d'Alene because the sun literally starts to rise at 4:30 or so....it shines right through the top window in the A frame floathouse. 5:00 hit, and ...BAM...I was up...even after the 10:30 pitch black ride back in the boat from the fireworks. It was definitely not the best night for no moon to be out....that ride was DARK! Curtis did an amazing job!
Back to today....I snuck out at 5:30 for a quick 4 miler of hill work on the bridge....might as will take advantage of a hill while I've still got one...they're hard to find around us in West Frisco. I returned to the whole cabin awake, and the 4th of July festivities began.
Curtis was going a little batty in a 16 x 16 floating cabin with 11 people...5 of them being under 7 and one pregnant, so he went for a long 3 hour bike ride up the trail. The kids were ready to party, so it was nature walk time!
BTW....JD is now taller than my little squirt, Carson, and is almost a year younger! After Popsicles, it was time for lunch. All this swimming and hiking sure works up an appetite!
After we fed the kiddos, Dick Adams, his daughter Emily, and grand kids Sam and Maya arrived for party on the dock!
After several hours in the sun and several Bloody Marys later, it was time for the cooks to start preparing dinner.
YUM!!!! We ate our amazing meal while we watched a 3 plane fly over as well as someone play TAPS in the middle of the bay in honor of Randy Humble and the Annual Watermelon Drop. He was definitely here in spirit, but was truly missed.
We ate our big feast, cooked s'mores, then the kids settled down for a little movie time. First one since we arrived....we've been on zero technology for the kids, and they're having so much fun!!!
It's been the best holiday ever! Tomorrow, Curtis and I are driving around the lake, and over to the Idaho/Montana border to ride down the Route of the Hiawatha with the boys! We can't wait!!!! Happy 4th of July, Y'all!!!
We've been looking forward to this day all summer! At 6:00 am, Curtis and I loaded our bikes up with the kids and drove over to the Idaho/Montana state line for the Route of the Hiawatha. Our floathouse is in Hidden Bay on the Far East side of Coeur d'Alene. You have to drive all the way around the lake, so we decided to take the "scenic" drive around the south side on the way out, then drive up around the north side through the city of Coeur d'Alene on the way back. It takes about 2 hours either way....
On our way out the scenic drive about 3 miles past the St Maries turn, a BLACK BEAR ran across the road less than a quarter mile ahead of us!!!!! OMG!!!! My kids are never going on a nature hike alone!!!! I've heard there are bears here, but never on my life have I seen one!
We also saw a deer cross the road about a mile after....yes, I'd say scenic route is about right!
The Route to the Hiawatha didn't disappoint at all!!! If you're anywhere in this area with you or your family, you have to ride it!!!!
Www.ridethehiawatha.com
You can rent bikes at Lookout Pass on the border where you buy your tickets. The start is riding through a 1.7 mile long old train tunnel! It was pitch black, wet, and dropped down below 40 degrees! The boys LOVED it!!!!!
The boys absolutely loved it!!!
And, the views on the trestle bridges were incredible!
The boys even found a chipmunk to play with!
We rode the 15 miles down the trail, then took the shuttle back up to the top. Cole was pooped after peddling on the Tag-a-long for 15 miles.
This was the best day ever!!!!
Tomorrow, Curtis and I hit Schweitzer Mountain with our cousin Katie and Brian!!!! Curtis is pumped!!!
Day 21 - Saturday, July 6th
We woke to chaos in the floathouse!!! 11 people, 5 under 7, in less than a 16 x 16 foot a frame. Exciting....to say the least!!! Curtis and I were so excited about today! This was our one day in the whole vacation where we could get out, just the two of us! Yay!!!
We loaded the bikes up on the rack, and set off north to Schweitzer Mountain. Well, we WAY underestimated the drive....70 miles in Texas is about an hour. 70 miles in Northern Idaho is over 2 hours. We were about 45 minutes late arriving at the mountain, but we pulled up almost the same time as Brian! Katie rode her Cannondale Road Bike up the hill to meet us! Woah, what a climb!!! My quads would have been shot after that ride, but she switched to her 29er and was ready to go! Here we are riding the ski lift up!
We have to move here!!!! It was so beautiful with the steep mountains and incredible lake! It reminded me of Lake Tahoe, but not as trashy. ☺
Well, this little runner girl/wannabe triathlete is strong, but does not have the best bike handling skills....this downhill trail Bear Grass was a killer! I refused to give up, and several 4 letter words flew out of my mouth. I'd say there were at least 75 switchbacks on the 4 mile trail down, and not a dirt trail...more of a rock/boulder trail. The top 2/3 reminded me of the El Paso trail, except instead of going straight down, you addin those crazy switchbacks with the same steepness....Curtis was in heaven, as you can imagine....me, I was just trying to hold on and not fall or slam my head into a boulder.
The bottom 1/3 of the trail was fantastic! More of a dirt trail through the grasses with longer stretches and lots of bridges to go over. By the end I was finally getting ahold of the switchbacks....at super snail rate, of course.
They were all so patient with me as I kept my way down the hill.
It took me over 1.5 hours to get down...pathetic, I know! Katie was awesome and coached me all the way down on the terrain and how to handle the switchbacks. Curtis and Brian got a lot of chatting time in cruising ahead and having to wait forever for me. Quite the opposite when I'm on skis. I'm always the first one down waiting....I don't like this position of suckiness one bit!!!
Katie and Brian had to leave after our run because I took so long to get down, and the babysitter's clock for the girls was ticking. We have our hugs and said our goodbyes. It was so much fun meeting up and seeing them! Katie, I promise next year I'll have a better handle on "the BEAST"! Mark my words!
Speaking of "the BEAST", she is set up perfect for our little hike/bike trails in Texas where you climb a little and cruise a little, but she is not set up at all for steep downhill riding. My handlebars were way too low! Everytime I applied the breaks, even all back, I'd practically flip over them. I'm so light riding her that everytime I'd hit one of the rocks or boulders it would send her shooting my tire out from under me...Curtis watched it happen once and he said my front wheel literally turned 90 degrees....I was able to catch it and not fall everytime, but incredibly frustrating. He said I look like a toothpick out there riding because of my long lanky legs and arms. I need a big bike because of my build, but don't have the weight to hold her down....very frustrating.
Katie, on the other hand had the perfect setup for her! She's quite a bit shorter than me and was set up on a low downhill 29er. In laymens terms, her wheels were 3 inches bigger and handle bars were raised well above her seat. She rode down the mountain like a pro! It was the first time she had actually hit the ski lift trails, and she was a rockstar!!!!
Me = very impressed
After Katie and Brian left, Curtis hit the ski lift again and I decided to try the Nordic Combined Trails. These trails were for hiking, biking, horseback, etc. I was coached on a nice route before they left, and it didn't disappoint! There was a little climbing, a little cruising, a little single track, and no switchbacks.....PERFECT!!! I hit this trail like a pro....well....a beginner mountain biker that couldn't really handle the downhill trails pro, but nonetheless, I had a bit more confidence here. 😀
I rode 2 miles out on Overlookand Lower Grrr to "Picnic Point", and it overlooked the beautiful city of Sand Point.
I met Curtis at the bottom, and he looked a little ragged and beat up from the downhill killer, so he rode with me out to Picnic Point and back up the single track. He loved it!!!! I wanted to keep riding and riding, but it was allready 3:50, my hands were blistery, and my tummy was nauseous from all the bouncing around.
The plan was to meet for a quick frosty bevvies at Katie and Brian's house in Sand Point, but my phone....with all the numbers and address...was a dead dootnail. And, of course, I left my charger at the floathouse.
Me = sad
So, we drove back down the hill down 95 through Sand Point and Coeur d'Alene to the floathouse. It was probably good we didn't stop because we didn't pull up to Chatcolet Park until 6:30!!!!
Curtis and I picked up the beer we bought at our gas fillup and hiked back through the upper trail to the floathouse. We arrived at the close of Happy Hour at 6:50. Phew, what a day!!
I absolutely treasured the time we was able to spend with Katie and Brian! Tomorrow, we rest and relax. Mom is flying home, Laura, Jay, and JD are staying in Spokane for a baseball game, Dad and Curtis are going to the float home meeting to defend our Legacy to be able to stay in Hidden Bay, and I get to play with the kids! I can't wait! We're going to hike up to the playground, ride bikes, and up over the bridge! So mucb fun!!!!!
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