What in Sam Hill (Did we get ourselves into?)

View from Maryhill Museum

Wine tote bag and decal

During a mountain bike ride late last September from Camp Sherman to Suttle Lake with some fellow Airstream club members, we started talking about rails-to-trails bike paths.  One thing led to another.  The next thing we knew, Kathy and I were co-leaders with friends Craig Bowcock and Bonnie Schaefer of Canby on a two-week Airstream Caravan in eastern WA and northern ID.  We appropriately named it the Daze of Wine and Roads. 

Syncline Winery

Our mission:  to discover discovered (yes, you read that correctly) wineries and ride some outstanding rails-to-trails bicycle paths, culminating with the Hiawatha trail from Montana to Idaho, which we will ride on Monday.  Along the way we have had some good cycling experiences, winery visits, and fun times with our fellow travelers.  

Jacob William Winery

We started off with 10 trailers at Maryhill, near the museum created by Sam Hill, legendary road, railroad, and palace builder, hence the phrase “What in the Sam Hill (are you doing?).”   He built the Columbia Gorge scenic highway and the Maryhill Museum.   Unfortunately, our good friends Charlie and Nancy Wilson had to return to Salem because Charlie severely hurt his back.  He's doing better and won't need surgery--yet.

The Stone Hedge Memorial for WW1 Vets & Sam Hill

Somewhere outside Walla Walla

Long Shadows Winery

Now there are only 18 of us, but we carry on, and the wineries and local economies are prospering as a result.  Our second stop was Walla Walla, WA for three nights. The bike riding included a ride to the Whitman National Historic Monument and in the hot and hazy rolling wheat fields. In many ways, the Whitmans were zealots just like the extremists in the Middle East--so convinced that they are absolutely right and that God is on their side.  The Indians suffered as a result.  The most unique wine tasting and over-the top winery we have ever experienced was Long Shadows. Note the Chihuly sculptures in the photo! 

A motley crew on the Centennial Trail at Higgins Point

From Coeur d' Alene to Higgins Point

Best Bridge (and friends) ever!

We also visited  Coeur d’ Alene for four nights. We rode the Centennial R2T to Higgins Point and a 16 mile segment of the Coeur d' Alene R2T along the lake.  The .75 mile bridge over the lake was the best ever bicycle bridge we have ever ridden.   

Kathy coming down the fun bridge over lake CDA

Nuclear Winter in Idaho

On Sunday, we travel to Wallace, ID, the epicenter of a forest fire in 1910, the largest in US history.  We can highly recommend reading The Big Burn by Timothy Egan.  

Note the bridge in the distance

And speaking of the Big burn, we are caught in some big time smoke and haze, but fortunately no fires have affected our itinerary--yet.  Today was actually clear, cool and beautiful--a most welcome change.  Some of the group rode the route we did yesterday, but under blue skies and calm winds.  Kathy and I drove to Sandpoint, ID--a vacation from our vacation--and time for just us. Nice place,but we wish we had brought our bikes.

View from our dinner cruise on Lake Coeur d' Alene

Did we mention the fun and friendly people in our group yet? Lots of fun happy hours, communal meals, and more.  Suffice it to say that they are delightful to be around, the frosting on the cake, and willing (for the most part) to put up with our 'make-it-up-as-we-go' style of caravaning.   We are all very happy campers! 

(In case you missed it, please check out our earlier post from today entitled Reflections on a Dying Town.  Here's the link