June 30, 2023 to July 1, 2023
Day 14 and 15: Camp Coeur d’ Alene to Wallace
Rail to Trail and Ales
After a layover day at Camp Coeur d’ Alene we thought we would have rested legs, but it didn’t feel that way today for the initial climbs; for some reason we needed to warm up. The only things we did yesterday were eat, charge devices, take a short walk, swim in the warm pool ( many kids…), and chat with lots of folks; it was nice. So, why the tired legs? Beats me. We were even in bed earlier than usual.
We woke up early as usual but decided to leave earlier than we have been because we wanted to get to the town of Wallace in time to explore the town, drink at the two town breweries and eat, and we did just that. We arrived in town a little after two and headed right for the Wallace Brewery; fun place, and they even had a cool cribbage board. We could not refuse a game.
The ride to Wallace was enjoyable. We rode along Lake Coeur d’ Alene for many miles; this was where most of our climbing took place. Then we eventually joined the Trail of the Coeur d’ Alenes. This paved rail trail is 73.2 miles long and expands the Idaho Panhandle from Mullan, Idaho to Plummer, just outside of Montana. It cost around 49 million to build and is just an amazing amenity. The scenery was so diverse, but we followed a lot of marsh land with its aquatic birds and plants for most of it. We saw too many herons to count and a gazillion lily pads. Mountains surrounded us for most of the day, and we saw many cyclists of all calibers. The trail had many access points with bathrooms and picnic tables. It even ran through various towns where one could stop for lunch or stop for an overnight accommodation. Wallace happens to be one of those towns; the entire town is a historic district, so there are no chain stores here. There are two breweries, historic sites, many taprooms and restaurants, and the worst ice cream…. I really wanted some ice cream, and I thought I would be in soft serve heaven with a nice huckleberry flavor. We asked locals were to go, and they directed towards the gas station, and they did mention that, yes, that was weird but it was really good. Wrong…, but I ate it anyway. I have been nonstop hungry for the past few days. I could not satiate my hunger until we got into this town. The two beers, “salad” ( I say this because there was barely anything green in it, just the opposite of CA), a pile of French Fries, and then the lousy ice cream. My stomach slightly hurts right now, but I will be ready to eat in the morning! With gusto!
Lastly, the town of Wallace is worth visiting; it has a rich mining history, tours, plays, zip lines, biking, hiking and I swear, most of the stores we walked by had that old antique tchotchke smell; you know what I mean…musty, old, grandmotherish.
See you in Montana tomorrow,
Team Bean
Tour Stats
- Cribbage Game Wins: Mike 5, Dawn 5
- Tortillas Eaten: Mike 29, Dawn 12
- Jars of Peanut Butter: 2
- Flats: Dawn 2
- Bike Haters: 3
- Bags of Salad Consumed: 7
- Dog Encounters: 2
The pictures are not in order. Sorry. The bottom ones are from yesterday’s layover, and the beer photos were the end of today. By the way, our campsite in Wallace is in an RV park with a small piece of grass for our tent; no table and $35…Wallace RV Park, the only cheaper place in town over the holiday.
Today's ride: 71 miles (114 km)
Total: 746 miles (1,201 km)
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