Car over cliff... just to ditch a cycle run!

Break didn't last long.. as Bike Bros, called on Monday and had my bike fixed.   Good thing I took it in as they put on a new de-railer for me, but also I had worn out a brake pad that they fixed.   Took it out for a test drive and I'm in love with my bike...  Wes figured I should take it easy until our holiday and not do any on the red path to dirty the chain etc.   He changed his mind on Thursday when we went to A&W Cruisin' for a Cause and had a teen burger for lunch.   Finally I got a benefit for having MS, when we went in, I got a free coffee as one of the girls that works there said to the workers "this is why we do this is for people like her, she has MS".   Known Shirley for over 20 years... thanks for the free cofffee..  Tasted awesome.

We headed to my favorite place to cycle on friday and arrived at our rented home on Saturday.  A couple joined us for the week and were planning on doing some biking with me.   Three of us were going to head out for a small ride, Saturday before supper.  I just can't believe what some people will do to ditch going for a cycle with me.  Now I know I've been a bit focused.( Wes says Anal...i.e,- focused to the extreme) but I thought this was going to the extreme to get out of a bike ride!  With joking aside, no one was hurt, the vehicle was empty going over the cliff, and it didn't hurt anyone when it landed on the road.

The day was Blessed with good fortune that no one was hurt.

This could be a longer blog than normal, as I love cycling down in this area and it's going to be hard not to keep rambling, also took lots of pictures and will try hard not to bore you!.

Little history, friends of the Coeur D'alene (CDA) trail is around 115 kms, through a valley that is a rails to trails trial.   Beautiful scenery and little elevation, except for the last few kms.   Centennial trail is a trail through Idaho and Washington, that is close to 100kms that joins Spokane to CDA,  it has more elevation changes and reminds me of the cycling near Canmore, and is awesome as well.   These trails are paved, well  maintained and have loads of  clean bathrooms on them.   Except for the areas going through town, you feel like you out in the middle of nowhere.   Here's an example of an outhouse on the trail, it is a luxury one, as it's the east start of the Centennial trail in Idaho.  Outhouses are important, I like to use them all!

Wes and I cycled 60 kms of new trails on Sunday, and started out early as I just can't cycle in the heat.   We didn't see any wild life, but cycled by a river for awhile and through a couple of small towns, it felt great to get a ride in since I hadn't really cycled too much in the last few days.  I had energy left at the end so did some repeat of the trail that we did the year before and got lucky and saw a couple of moose. The following day we changed our plan as we started out later than normal so we cycled the Centennial trial and just headed right out from the home we rented.   I was a little concerned as it was UPHILL to the start of the trail, and I was concerned I couldn't do it.  Now I have 3 levels that I talk about when going uphill (workout, lung burner, and I'm going to cough up a lung), this ended being a lung burner, and it followed the lake, the views were breathtaking, and you just get to enjoy it more on a bike, it was only 8kms to the east start point of the trail.  We turned round and cycled to the west outskirts of the city. (CDA)  It was great, we followed the lake, then through the downtown.   Wes noticed a bikini but nothing for me to report on :-(       The day reminded me that fall is coming, we cycled by the University and the students were starting, summers always seem to go by too fast.    On this cycle ride I hit the 1300 kms mark and here's a picture of where I was.    When I talk about cycling the lake it's hard to put it in words, I hope you get a feel of it by seeing it.

The next day we took Owen with us and repeated part of the trial that we did last year, that was our favorite.   It was a reminder that the time you go certainly changes your views.   This year was later in the year so even though we saw ospreys, bald eagles they weren't busy feeding their young, but we saw water lilies in bloom that were spectacular.   We also got to hear moose calling each other, we assumed it was for mating.   The weather was perfect, no wind and not real hot, so it was an easy cycle.   When we were done, Wes and I decided to drive to the point on the Centennial trail (west end of CDA) where we ended the day before and see if we could hit Post Falls or the border.    Now it was HOT... 29 degrees, and the pavement was so black and hot, and and it seemed all uphill.   Now I was determined to get to at least Post Falls,  we realized later down the trail that the reason it was so black was because they were resurfacing it.   My legs were like jelly and I could hardly feel my feet on my pedals, I knew I should stop, as I still needed to get back, Wes said only 2.3 more kms to a Starbucks in Post Falls....  I was determined, but once again, a decision was made for me as we ran into the resurfacing vehicle and the trail was closed.   Ask me if I was smiling!    We turned around and it was mainly downhill, it wasn't just that I was tired that it felt so hard to cycle... I was happy to be heading back to the car.   Earlier in the day I had lost around 8kms again,(broken wire), as I had leaned my bike when taking a bathroom break and didn't check the odometer soon enough... Kind of felt like I was getting break because of that.  Oh life is still  good!

The following day we had great intentions of doing some of the Centennial trial in Washington along the river, we anticipated doing some that we had enjoyed the year before.   I got into some quilt shops and spent way to much time looking around that we ran out of time before we were to meet for supper.   I took a much deserved break from the bike seat...  Bum happy, legs sad, they prefer to cycle than walk.

On the last day of our trip we were doing the last and east end leg of the Friends of the CDA trail and it was 12 kms uphill, we had conflicting reports from other cyclists we had meet on the trails on how difficult it would be.  We drove to the state park and started there and slowly began climbing, it was through a narrow gap and there was quite a drop on the side.  It was all forested and we came across three deer on the trail.    I was a tad nervous, as we were in black bear country and because we started early we hadn't passed anyone on the trial.   It soon passed and just enjoyed the scenery.  It was what I would call a workout, and certainly not worth fretting about the uphill.   My lungs didn't  burn, like they did when I did the centennial trail to Higgins point.   I felt like I was cheating when I turned around and got to coast downhill.   Yes I was smiling!  We continued to the mile long bridge that crossed the lake and than turned around.   It was sad to put the bikes on the rack, knowing that I wouldn't be back to cycle the area again till next year.    I love it here, it's my spot!.....   I have 100 kilometers left on my journey and have reached the half way point on my goal of fundraising.    The cycling is easier.than fundraising..   When I arrived home, I had a beautiful card waiting for me with a bike on it telling me how proud they are to be my friend and believing in me that I could do this.  It's meant the world to me and arrived just when I needed it, after a very long tiring week.   Weird to say but there is a part of me, that is sad that the end is coming and knowing that I could get it done in a week.   There is a part of me that doesn't want it to end....  which makes no sense as cycling  will always be a part of my life as long as my health lets me, and as my wonderful perfect hubby says he then will buy be a bike with three wheels so I can keep on cycling.    How can you not love him...  Here are a couple of photos of the last day!   Enjoy.

   The pictures don't do the trails justice and I have only a few hundred more, oh how I could bore you!











In my dreamworld I can see Winnipeg it so close that I can smell it!   I have to cycle through the city and just to other side in order to complete the 1500 kms.    Mom and Dad put the coffee on, and how I would love a feed of pickerel....  I will soon see the hospital I was born in, and will enjoy the feeling that I accomplished something that only a few years ago I wouldn't even dream
 of doing....  hugs to all!

Theresa