Following our teepee experience in the Montana Rockies we drove to Kellog, Idaho and found a $50 a night hotel called the Trails End. Most of the people staying there looked like they had definitely hit the end if their trails. However, the shower was warm the the bed was comfortable and the owner didn't even charge extra for the bed bugs.
The next morning we met Larry Sullavan, "Sully" who has done many rides with BTUSFMS and has also been a route leader. Sully joined us for a very cold and muddy ride on the Hiawatha Trail. This is a spectacular trail that starts at the top of a mountain and descends 14 miles to the end. It once was a railway so the grade is no more than 2%. Over the course of 14 miles riders go through 6 tunnels, one tunnel is almost 2 miles long. There are a number of very high trestles that span the valleys below.
We did not have the greatest day to do this historic trail. At the top of the mountain the temperature was hovering at about 40 degrees with a light rain falling. The trail was very wet and muddy and after the first three miles we questioned our sanity. We were cold, wet and muddy. But we carried on not stopping for many pictures because our hand even with gloves were frozen. I couldn't wait to get to the bottom so I could warm up by climbing back. And that's exactly what happened. On the ride back our bodies heated up due to the extra exertion. Now we were able to enjoy the beautiful sights the Hiawatha Trail had to offer and there were many. The tunnels were fun but you definitely needed a bright light on your bike. We saw waterfalls and deer that were not afraid of us. You could get very close to them before they slowly moved on.
We finished the ride in much higher spirits than when we began. We were all extremely muddy and our bikes were clogged with mud. We peeled off our warm riding clothes and put the muddy gear directly in to a large garbage bag which we were able to wash at Sully's house.
Sully lives about an hours drive west from the Hiawatha Trail near Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. He graciously offered to house us for the next two nights. We arrived at Sully's house and had a wonderful meal with his wife, Norma and his daughter Jessica and their 5 friendly large dogs.🐕
Today was a good day.
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