Yesterday we took the streets downtown so the rest of the Centennial Trail going east through Spokane is mostly new to us. Starting a few blocks from the Nick and Addie’s place, the first part runs high above the river with sweeping views of the valley as we start east, back to Riverfront Park.
The trail is wide and smooth, with plenty of room for everyone. That’s good because there are lots of people out here this morning, including what looks like an entire class of high school students with their teachers, out for a walk.
East of downtown we ride through Gonzaga University campus, and then the path quiets down, running through the forest with glimpses of the river now and then. There’s a short section on the streets but its not stressful. We’ve been losing elevation from Montana to Washington, now we’re gaining some of it back going back towards Idaho. It’s pretty gentle, an easy ride.
We stop in Spokane Valley for lunch and a trip to Best Buy for a screen protector and a mouse for my iPad. I’m hoping that will improve my productivity on the journal. I’ve been playing catchup for a few days; today’s the day I get up to date.
The skies are darkening as we approach the Idaho state line. We’re running alongside the trucks on I-90 now and it’s loud but I’m not complaining. We’ve had to ride on the shoulder of interstate highways before, and are grateful to have a safe path off the road.
In Post Falls there’s another on-street section that’s less fun and it’s full-on raining now. We break out the rain gear and finish out the ride to Coeur d’Alene. The scenery along the lake is probably amazing but that will have to wait until tomorrow when the weather clears.
We’re so grateful to meet David, our WarmShowers host. A retired teacher and school principal, he is on the board of the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation which advocates for the trail and the people who use it. David has Papa Murphy’s pizza and a nice warm and dry bed waiting for us. He is absolutely charming company.
