The big bike trip 2008

On Wednesday we drove up to Post Falls and spent the night at Karl's folks' place. The next day, we headed out for the Hiawatha Trail. The drive up through Idaho was gorgeous, and then the drive the next day across the small part of the state was beautiful as well. It was interesting to get a glimpse of Wallace and Kellogg after having read The Deep Dark (add it to your list if you're interested in Western history/mining/general sadness and death). The bike ride itself was amazing; the scenery is as stunning as all the hype suggests. Luckily Karl and Sonja had researched it well, and so the kids had glow sticks (thanks, Sonja) and we all had lots of lights to get through the lonnnng tunnels. The first one (1.7 miles) about did me in; it's pretty freaky to be riding a bike in pitch black darkness. But it was very worth it and such a fun day.

The fam, before we started:
Coming out of the first and longest tunnel--we're all smiling with relief, I think! Sonja:

Jim and Judy:
Remy, who decided that one dark tunnel was plenty to lull him to sleep:

Karl, who figured out that the tunnel is much better *without* sunglasses on:

Wayyy up high:

Conrad had to go and add a little drama to our trip: he blew a (replacement) tire about 1/3 of the way into the long tunnel on the way back. Judy walked with him while the rest of us scooted through, and then Karl shuttled Sonja's tire back in for Con. I'm afraid that Sonja, the three girls, and I were a pretty funny sight as we drug out her wheel-less bike and a trailer and tagalong bike with no lead bike!

The whole group at the end of the day--not bad for a 17-mile bike ride!
We stuffed ourselves at a noodle restaurant for dinner and then took the kids and grandparents back home to play while the in-betweeners got to go walk the boardwalk on Coeur d'Alene lake. It's gorgeous all around--reminded us of Traverse City.